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Daniel Okulitch

Bass-baritone

Discography

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“Daniel Okulitch has never sounded better”
(Opera Canada, 2020)

The renowned Canadian bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch is known for his commanding stage presence and impressive vocal versatility. He has performed with major opera companies and orchestras worldwide, taking on a diverse range of roles showcasing his musical intelligence and strong sense of artistry.

Okulitch is especially sought after for contemporary repertoire, and world premieres include the role of Ennis del Mar in Charles Wuorinen’s Brokeback Mountain at Teatro Real, Lyndon B. Johnson in David T Little and Royce Vavrek’s JFK at Fort Worth Opera, performed General Groves in John Adams’ Dr. Atomic at Santa Fe Opera, and made his British debut as Mark Rutland in Nico Muhly’s Marnie at English National Opera. Okulitch reprised the role of Beck in Joby Talbot and Gene Scheer’s Everest with BBC Symphony Orchestra, set for future release on CD, and made a notable role debut as The Protector in George Benjamin’s Written on Skin at Opéra de Montréal, followed by Katie Mitchell’s production of Lessons in Love and Violence at Gran Teatre del Liceu. Daniel appeared in the original cast of Omar, the 2023 Pulitzer Prize winning opera by GRAMMY Award-winning Rhiannon Giddens and composer Michael Abels conducted by John Kennedy, presented by LA Opera, San Francisco Opera and Oberlin Conservatory of Music in the 2023/24 season. Okulitch also recently returned to Opéra de Montréal to debut the role of Axel Oxenstierna in the world premiere of Julien Bilodeau and Michel Marc Bouchard’s La Reine-garçon which he reprises in the 2024/25 season at the Canadian Opera Company marking his debut. Elsewhere this season, he sings the role of Johan in the world premiere of Paola Prestini’s Silent Light at National Sawdust in New York, in a production by Thaddeus Strassberger and led by Christopher Rountree, he debuts as Shaklovity in Khovanshchina at Salzburg Osterfestspiele in Simon McBurney’s new production led by Esa-Pekka Salonen, and returns to The Protector in George Benjamin’s Written on Skin with which he makes his debut with the Deutsche Oper, Berlin.

In concert, Daniel Okulitch sings Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem with Malmö Symphony Orchestra under Pierre Bleuse, reprises Handel’s Messiah with Seattle Symphony Orchestra conducted by Aram Demirjian, and elsewhere last season he debuted Rachmaninov’s Spring cantata with Orquesta y Coro de la Communidad de Madrid conducted by Music Director Marzena Diakun and has recently appeared in Handel’s Messiah with Houston Symphony Orchestra under Julian Wachner and with Charlotte Symphony under Christopher Warren-Green. He debuted Mendelssohn’s Elijah with Symphony Nova Scotia under conductor Jeff Joudrey, returned to Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra conducted by Krzysztof Urbański, and reprised Vaughan-Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem again with Charlotte Symphony under Christopher Warren-Green.

Daniel Okulitch’s career first garnered national attention in the original cast of Baz Luhrmann’s Tony Award-winning Broadway production of La bohème. His first solo recording, The New American Art Song, was released on GPR Records in 2011 and features world premieres by Ricky Ian Gordon, Jake Heggie, Lowell Liebermann and Glen Roven, who all accompany Okulitch, and with this programme, he made his debut at Carnegie Hall.

Daniel attended the Oberlin Conservatory and continued his studies at the Cincinnati Conservatory. During these years he apprenticed with the Des Moines Metro Opera, Cincinnati Opera, and in San Francisco Opera Merola Programme and was the recipient of numerous awards and prizes, including first prize from the George London Foundation and a Sullivan Foundation award.