ROBERT WATSON
TENOR
BIOGRAPHY
Championed by Opera News for his “solid, ringing tones” and by The Dallas Morning News for his “well-wrought tenor, with baritonal richness in the lower register and a fine blaze on top,” American tenor Robert Watson has established himself as a sought- after interpreter of challenging repertoire at home and abroad. This season, he makes his Lyric Opera of Chicago début as Erik in Der fliegende Holländer then takes his Erik to Deutsche Oper Berlin and Teatro Regio Torino, sings B.F. Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Staatsoper Hamburg, and joins the Teatro dell'opera di Roma as Steva in Jenůfa.
Last season, he made his role début as Siegmund in Die Walküre at Staatsoper Unter den Linden, débuted at Santa Fe Opera as the Prince in Rusalka, performed the title role in Les contes d’Hoffmann and Matteo in Arabella at Deutsche Oper Berlin, made his role début as Florestan in Fidelio also at Deutsche Oper Berlin, sang B.F. Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly at Palm Beach Opera, and Ismaele in Nabucco with Bayerische Staatsoper Berlin.
Recent engagements include his Metropolitan Opera début as Moser in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, a return to Deutsche Oper Berlin as Don Carlo, joining Opéra National de Montpellier as Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City as Cavaradossi in Tosca. Additionally, Watson made his house and role début at Opernhaus Zürich opera as Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana. [read more...]
CRITICAL ACCLAIM
"... Robert Watson could hardly have been better…” – Opera Today
Wozzeck – “Robert Watson could hardly have been better as the preening, savage Drum Major. Mr. Watson is possessed of a laser-focused tenor of astonishing amplitude and color that was a fortuitous fit for the testosterone-driven, assault prone ne’er-do-well.”
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"... Watson’s youthful tone…” – OperaWire
Nabucco – “Ismaele was sung the first night by Robert Watson. . . Watson’s youthful tenor established the character’s purity and innocence. . . In the Part I trio between Fenena, Ismaele, and Abigaille, Watson’s youthful tone combined with Schlicht’s exquisite mezzo to create an evocative contrast between the young lovers, on one hand, and Abigaille’s apparent unadulterated evil.”
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"... nailed high notes with panache..." – Washington Classical Review
Tosca – “The other WNO debut, Robert Watson’s Cavaradossi, was strong up to and including a gloomy and heroic “E lucevan le stelle” in the third act. He nailed high notes with panache."
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"... rightly acclaimed in every major opera house..." – Das Opernmagazin
Les contes d’Hoffmann – “The Deutsche Oper Berlin is, of course, in the fortunate position of being able to have a first-class cast for this opera… With Robert Watson, Berlin gave us a Hoffmann who, on the one hand has the great vocal skill that characterizes this role, while on the other hand gave an absolutely convincing portrayal of the unfortunate poet Hoffmann. Every tone, every expression, fit a role interpretation that would be rightly acclaimed in every major opera house in the world.”