ANDREW POTTER
BASS
BIOGRAPHY
Andrew Potter, bass, has garnered increasing demand across the country for his larger-than-life stage presence and voice to match. This season is set to establish Potter as one of the premier basses in the opera world today, with major house débuts at the Dallas Opera as Angelotti in Tosca, Detroit Opera as Harašta in The Cunning Little Vixen, and the Santa Fe Opera for both Der Rosenkavalier and the world premiere of The Righteous, in which he covers Greer Grimsley’s lead role of Paul. Additionally, Potter returns to Opera Santa Barbara as Ferrando in Il trovatore, Livermore Valley Opera as Sarastro in The Magic Flute, Vero Beach Opera as the Commendatore in Don Giovanni, and joins the Fort Work Symphony as Hundig in Act I of Die Walküre.
Last season included several important house débuts: joining Seattle Opera as Abimelech in Samson et Dalila and in their world premiere of A Thousand Splendid Suns, as well as Portland Opera as Vodnik in Rusalka. Additionally, Potter joined Livermore Valley Opera as Belcore in L’elisir d’amore, performed Scarpia in Indianapolis Opera’s Tosca, Don Pizarro in Fidelio with Mid-Ohio Civic Opera, returned to Opera Grand Rapids as The Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance and to Pacific Opera Project as Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia as well as for their unique take on Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte: Superflute. Other recent engagements for Andrew include Simone in Gianni Schicchi for Tulsa Opera, Sarastro in The Magic Flute for Eugene Opera, Sparafucile in Rigoletto for Opera Orlando, Commendatore in Don Giovanni with Indianapolis Opera, and René in Iolanta with Pacific Opera Project. Concert engagements include Mozart's Mass in C Major for Mid-Ohio Civic Opera, and Verdi’s Requiem for Michigan State University. [read more...]
CRITICAL ACCLAIM
“...Andrew Potter’s Sarastro was everything one could wish..." – Opera Today
The Magic Flute – “Andrew Potter’s Sarastro was everything one could wish, his darkly sonorous, rolling bass the exact fit for his imposing music.”
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“...here is a suggestion for every Don Giovanni production in the world: fly in Andrew Potter to play the Commendatore..." – Schmopera
Don Giovanni – “Here is a suggestion for every Don Giovanni production in the world: fly in Andrew Potter to play the Commendatore. It’s perfect casting, especially in the scene where he’s a statue that comes to life. His earthshaking basso is as big as his 6’10” frame. And when he enters in a smoke-filled, backlit haze you can understand why Giovanni, Leporello, and everyone in the audience, would be scared to death.”
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"....a powerful bottomless bass voice..." – Broadway World
L’elisir d’amore – “Andrew Potter, as Dr. Dulcamara, is tall, tall, towering dramatically over the rest of the cast. He has a powerful bottomless bass voice. (One almost needs a bathysphere to follow him as he plunges that word “eccelente” down to the depths.) He also has wonderful comic gifts.”
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"...his huge, oily, black, genuine bass shook the rafters..." – Town Times
Faust – “Like any good Liu in “Turandot” or Azucena in “Trovatore”, a great Mephistopheles will usually steal the show in any “Faust”. Towering at 6’10” and not the least bit creepy looking, Andrew Potter’s tour de force performance would stand tall on any of the biggest and best operatic stages in the world today. His huge, oily, black, genuine bass shook the rafters, and his sinister murder of Marguerite’s illegitimate baby (nice touch!) sent shivers down one’s spine. Any celebrity bass from this role’s glorious history would be so proud of him and his continuing in the grand manner they established!”
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"...nearly stole the show...” – Opera Today
L’elisir d’amore – “Andrew Potter was the conceited army recruiter, Belcore, who thought he was God’s gift to women. With his huge, all‐encompassing bass voice and precise comic timing he nearly stole the show”