Lyric bass Michael Colman, recently hailed by Opera News for “fielding a fine, dark bass-baritone”, has performed leading and supporting roles with many premier opera companies across the United States.

 

In the 2022 season, Michael appears with Utah Festival Opera, sings Angelotti in Tosca with St. Petersburg Opera, Dottore Grenvil in La traviata with Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and makes a role and company debut as the King in Aida with Tulsa Opera.

He has become especially well known for his interpretation of The Commentator in productions of Derrick Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg with Opera Carolina, Opera Grand Rapids, Chautauqua Opera and Opera in the Rock. English opera role highlights include Bonobo/David in Second Nature with Opera Fayetteville, The Police Officer in Night Trip with Opera NexGen, Father in Thumbprint with Chautauqua Opera, Grandpa Moss in The Tender Land with Utah Festival Opera, Collatinus in The Rape of Lucretia with The University of Kansas, and Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Dayton Epiphany.

 

Other roles include Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Chautauqua and Virginia Operas, Guglielmo and Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte with Opera Grand Rapids and Charlottesville Opera, Schaunard in La bohème with Indianapolis Opera, Ceprano in Rigoletto with Toledo Opera, Dottore Grenvil in La traviata with Toledo Opera, Opera on the James, and Indiana University, 5th Jew in Salome with Dayton Opera, Leporello in Don Giovanni with The Janiec Opera Company, Colline in La bohème with Indiana University, Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro with The University of Kansas, and Ariodate in Xerxes with Indiana University.

 

A growing list of operetta and music theater roles include The Sergeant of Police in The Pirates of Penzance with Dayton Opera and Pharaoh in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Utah Festival Opera. Michael covered the role of Emile de Becque in South Pacific with Indianapolis Opera, The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance with Dayton Opera, and Judge Frollo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame with Utah Festival Opera.

 

Concert credits include Handel’s Messiah with the Dayton Philharmonic, Mozart’s Requiem with The Virginia Consort, Verdi’s Requiem with Utah Festival Opera and recital collaborations with Warren Jones and Martin Katz.

 

A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Michael earned degrees from Baylor University, The University of Kansas, and Indiana University. Young artist programs include Virginia Opera, Kansas City Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Sarasota Opera, Toledo Opera, Dayton Opera, Indianapolis Opera, Charlottesville Opera, Utah Festival Opera, and The Janiec Opera Company at Brevard.