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PHILIP COKORINOS
BASS-BARITONE
BIOGRAPHY
Hailed by Opera News for his “comedic high jinks” and “first-rate singing,” Philip Cokorinos was winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 1985 and went on to sing his début during the Met’s 1987-1988 season. Since then, he appeared in more than 400 performances of 40 operas at the Met, including “Live from the Met” telecasts of Don Giovanni; the world premiere of The Ghosts of Versailles; and the Met’s premieres of Sly, Cyrano de Bergerac, The Gambler, and Shostakovich’s verismo expressionist opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, to name a few. He appeared many times in their productions of the standard repertoire, including Tosca, La bohème, La fanciulla del West, La Traviata, Adriana Lecouvreur, La rondine, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Macbeth, Manon, Don Carlo, Tosca, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Gianni Schicchi, Manon Lescaut, and Le nozze di Figaro. The Metropolitan Opera Live in HD broadcasts have included Manon, La fanciulla del West, The Nose, Werther, Manon Lescaut, Le nozze di Figaro, La bohème, and Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk.
Mr. Cokorinos’s tenure at the Metropolitan Opera continued last season with engagements such as Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, La bohème, and Tosca. Cokorinos also performed the Sacristan in Tosca at Los Angeles Opera and Benoit/Alcindoro in La bohème at the Seiji Ozawa Music Academy, in addition to joining San Diego Opera’s long-awaited Gianni Schicchi as Simone. This season, he joins Anchorage Opera as Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore, The Atlanta Opera as Benoit/Alcindoro in La bohème, and New York City Opera as Frère Laurent in Roméo et Juliette. [read more...]
CRITICAL ACCLAIM
"...first-rate singing..." – Opera News
La Cenerentola – “With his double takes and well-handled comedic high jinks, not to mention first-rate singing, bass-baritone Philip Cokorinos could hardly have been stronger as [Don] Magnifico.”
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"...authoritative and compelling..." – Opera News
Florencia en el Amazonas – “Bass-baritone Philip Cokorinos was authoritative and compelling as Riolobo, the boatswain/river god.”
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"...rolling, commanding baritone..." – Opera Today
The Cunning Little Vixen – “Surpassed by a tremendous performance from Philip Cokorinos as “Bartos, the Forester.” Mr. Cokorinos’ rolling, commanding baritone; his heartfelt outpouring of thoroughly internalized text; and his sympathetic demeanor didn’t just merely touch me, but rather became the heart of the piece, making the opera work for me in a way that no previous mounting had.”
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"...stood out from the fine cast..." – Opera News
L’amore dei tre re – “Philip Cokorinos, as the blind Archibaldo, who strangles his faithless daughter-in-law, stood out from the fine cast for his commanding voice and strong projection of character.”
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"...shines as the gem in the cast..." – The Emory Wheel
Don Giovanni – “Vocally, Philip Cokorinos shines as the gem in the cast as Leporello.With rich, ringing baritone notes, he often outshines his master in vocal abilities.He has fine acting chops as well, easily milking laughs from his often laughable character.”