Hoffmann at Los Angeles Opera, 2002

American Marcus Haddock's beautiful voice and magnetic stage presence have won him international distinction. He is one of the most sought-after tenors of his generation, and a leading singer with many of the finest companies in the world, including the Paris Opera, La Scala, Bavarian State Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the Liceu of Barcelona.

Known for both the dramatic intensity and technical brilliance of his singing, Haddock's operatic repertoire includes a wide range of roles from Rossini and Donizetti to Bizet, Verdi and Puccini. One of his signature roles is Don José in Carmen, which he sang in 2005-2006 at the Bavarian State Opera and, in his home state of Texas, at the Houston Grand Opera (reviews). The New York Times praised Haddock's role debut as Don José opposite Anne Sofie von Otter's Carmen at the 2002 Glyndebourne Festival (reviews, DVD) as "stylish, elegant" and "candid and natural," and The Independent called his performance a "knock-out." He reprised the role in Japan under Seiji Ozawa during the 2006-2007 season.

The title role of Les Contes d'Hoffmann is another of Haddock's favorites. The reviews of the 1999 premiere of the new Kaye edition in Hamburg -- "compact and well-focused in the attack, sensual in the lyrical moments," "he is a revelation as Hoffmann" -- reflected the enthusiastic reception of his performances by audiences and critics alike. Commenting on his performance at the Los Angeles Opera in 2002, Opera News wrote, "Defying the treacherous tessitura of the title role, tenor Marcus Haddock sounded impassioned yet lyric throughout." He has since done Hoffmann at La Scala, the Orange Festival in southern France (review), the Paris Opera Comique, the Dallas Opera and the Teatro Real de Madrid; during the 2006-2007 season he sang the role at the Vienna State Opera.

Other roles with which Haddock has become strongly identified include the title role in Werther, which he sang for his house debut at the Vienna State Opera, and at Grand Théâtre de Genève; the title role in Don Carlo, heard at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale, Opéra de Monte-Carlo and Cologne Opera; and Riccardo in Un Ballo in Maschera, performed in 2005-06 at the Opera Company of Philadelphia (review) and reprised in 2006-07 in his debut at San Francisco Opera. Marcus also garnered praise for his singing of Gabriele Adorno (review) in Santa Fe Opera's new production of Simon Boccanegra, a role to which he returned in 2006-2007 at the Metropolitan Opera. The Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London will hear his Adorno in the 2007-08 season.

More highlights of Haddock's recent seasons include performances of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly at Covent Garden (review); Rodolfo in La Bohème at Fort Worth Opera (reviews); the title role in Faust at the Metropolitan Opera (review), Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the Deutsche Oper Berlin; and Alfredo in La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera, Dallas Opera, and Gran Teatre del Liceu.

Although Marcus feels drawn to the French repertoire, he is equally at home in the lirico to lirico-spinto Italian tenor repertoire. Verdi's tenor roles are particularly close to his heart. In fact he is at home in anything that offers him the opportunity to get his teeth into a meaty part both as a singer and as an actor. His busy schedule leaves but little time for his favorite pastime - sailing.

'Opera News' published an in-depth feature on Marcus Haddock in its 9/2006 issue. Click here to read the article in full.

Please see the schedule for details of upcoming engagements.

Marcus Haddock is also in high demand in the concert hall. His repertoire includes such works as the Verdi Requiem (which he sang to great acclaim in 1996 with the Orchestre de Paris (review) and in 1998 at the Cologne Philharmonie, both times under the direction of Semyon Bychkov), Janacek's Glagolitic Mass, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, and Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle and Stabat Mater.

In 2001, the centenary year of Verdi's death, he sang performances of the Verdi Requiem with a number of orchestras, including the London Symphony, Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre de Monte-Carlo led by Georges Prêtre, the Cologne Opera, and the Cincinnati Symphony. He also sang Verdi's Requiem with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Daniele Gatti in Ghent and San Sebastian, and with Manchester's Hallé Orchestra conducted by Mark Elder.

He has appeared as soloist in Beethoven's Symphony No.9 with the symphony orchestras of Boston, Dallas, Seattle, Detroit and Los Angeles Philharmonic with conductors including Esa-Pekka Salonen and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos. Marcus was also invited to perform a solo concert of operatic arias with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin.

Recordings: Carmen with Anne Sofie von Otter (Glyndebourne 2002 - reviews) is available on DVD.

Marcus can be heard on CD recordings of Puccini's La Bohème for Telarc, Massenet's Werther for Naxos (review), Montemezzi's L'Amore dei tre Re (Koch/Schwann), Mercadante's Orazi e Curiazi (Opera Rara) with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, and Il Guarany (Gomes) with the Oper der Stadt Bonn, produced by Sony.

Marcus Haddock is represented by CAMI