Matthew Opitz

A native of Arizona, baritone Matthew Opitz recently graduated from Indiana University’s Jacob’s School of Music with a master’s degree in voice, where he studied with renowned baritone Timothy Noble. Matthew was invited back to IU Opera Theater to sing the tragic hero Eddie Carbone as a guest artist in its recent production of William Bolcom’s A View from the Bridge. His other IU Opera credits include Professor Bhaer in Little Women, Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette, the Priest in The Light in the Piazza and the devil Farfarello in The Love for Three Oranges. At Indiana University, he also appeared a soloist in Szymanowski’s Stabat mater and Britten’s Cantata Misericordium, as well as soloist in the premiere of the new multidisciplinary production of Don Freund’s Passion with Tropes.

Mr. Opitz completed his undergraduate program in vocal performance at Northern Arizona University, where he studied under the care of Dr. Ricardo Pereira. His roles with NAU Opera included Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Count Carl-Magnus Malcom in A Little Night Music, Bob in The Old Maid and the Thief and Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus. In 2008, he was a district winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and that summer he sang Sharpless in scenes from Madama Butterfly as well as Marcello in scenes from La bohème with Northern Arizona University’s Flagstaff in Fidenza program. The baritone is also a past participant of the Brevard Music Center, where he sang the roles of James and the Crook in Candide. Most recently, he appeared as the Imperial Commissioner in Madame Butterfly for Arizona Opera this past January and was a Central City Opera Young Artist this past summer. In his first season as a Minnesota Opera Resident Artist, Mr. Opitz sang the First Gravedigger in Hamlet and Ping in Turandot. He returns in 2013–2014 as Lescaut in Manon Lescaut, Count Dominik in Arabella, the Herald in Macbeth, the Ballroom Manager in The Dream of Valentino and the Second Priest/Second Armored Man in The Magic Flute.