Ben Bliss
Tenor
Hailed as a "truly exceptional tenor" by the National Review, Ben Bliss is quickly establishing himself as one of the most exciting performers on today's operatic stage, both in his native America and internationally. Ben has ben cited as "an exemplar of the Mozartean tenor" for his "purity of tone, vocal control and artistic sensitivity" (Opera Warhorses).
Ben was a 2021 recipient of the Metropolitan Opera's prestigious Beverly Sills Award. His numerous other accolades include the 2016 Martin E. Segal award at the Lincoln Center, the Mozart and Placido Domingo awards at the 2015 Francisco Vinas International Competition, first prize at the 2014 Gerda Lissner and Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation competitions, and the 2013 Operalia Don Placido Domingo Sr. Zarzuela prize.
Recent highlights include two roles at The Metropolitan Opera—Die Zauberflote as Tamino, and Don Giovanni, as Don Ottavio; a return to San Francisco Opera as Chevalier de la Force in Dialogues des Carmelites, and Teatro Colon as Tom Rakewell in The Rake's Progress. In concert, Ben performed with Orchestre National de France in Pelleas & Mellisande, and with Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin in Solomon.
Ben's 23-24 Season includes a house debut with Opera National de Paris (Don Ottavio), performances as Tamino in Die Zauberflote with Bayerische Staatsoper, a return to Canadian Opera Company in Don Giovanni, and concert performances of Beethoven's 9th Symphony with San Francisco Symphony.
While in the Lindemann Program, Ben made his Metropolitan Opera stage debut as Vogelgesang in Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg under James Levine, and has since returned as Steuermann in Der Fliegende Hollander under Yannick Nezet-Sequin, Tamino in Die Zauberflote, and Belmonte in Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail. Ben made his European debut in this role with the Glyndebourne Festival Opera on tour in 2015.
Other operatic highlights include Tamino at the Los Angeles and Philadelphia Operas, Ferrando at the Seattle and Canadian Operas and Oper Frankfurt, Tom Rakewell in The Rake's Progress for the Boston Lyric Opera, and Flamand Capriccio and Robert Wilson in Peter Sellar's new production of Dr. Atomic in Santa Fe.
Ben's concert highlights include his debuts with the LA Philharmonic under Gustavo Dudamel and the NY Philharmonic as Tony in Bernstein's West Side Story Concert Suite No. 1 with Alan Gilbert, Haydn's Creation, and Cassio Otello at the Cincinnati May Festival under James Conlon, a house and role debut as Count de Rosillon Die lustige Witwe in concert at the Liceu Barcelona, and a US recital tour including Carnegie Hall with pianist Lachlan Glen. Ben also appeared alongside Isabel Leonard for Ferdinand and Miranda's love duet from Ades' The Tempest at the Metropolitan Opera's 50th Anniversary Gala concert in 2017.