Bass ASHLEY HOWARD WILKINSON having won a coveted position in the
Metropolitan Opera's Young Artist program, MR. WILKINSON made his
Metropolitan Opera debut singing the role of Barnabotta in LA GIOCONDA under the baton of Maestro Nello Santi, as well as the First Soldat in Strauss's SALOME under James Levine.
This season, Mr. Wilkinson will make his Baltimore Opera debut as Ramfis in AIDA and will later return to Baltimore to sing the role of Crown in PORGY & BESS. He will be revisiting the role of Osmin in THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO in his Hawaii Opera debut in February. Also this season, he sings the role of Sparafucile in RIGOLETTO with Naples Grand Opera.
During the 2007-2008 season, Mr. Wilkinson debuted at Connecticut Opera in the role of Osmin in THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO under the baton of Maestro Willie Waters. That same season, he sang the role of Crown in PORGY & BESS with both Utah Festival Opera and Fresno International Grand Opera. That season also saw him featured in the role of Ramfis in AIDA with El Paso Opera.
Mr. Wilkinson sang the role of Sarastro for Utah and Utah Festival
Operas and made his Los Angeles Opera debut singing the role of Pedro in
the U.S. Premiere of IL GATO MONTES with Placido Domingo.
In previous seasons Mr. Wilkinson has sung the roles of Sparafucile in
Verdi's RIGOLETTO receiving critical acclaim at the Nashville, Buffalo,
and Evanston Operas. The role of Basilio from THE BARBER OF SEVILLE
was performed at the New York City Opera, Boheme Opera, and Lyric
Opera of Kansas City.
Other recent engagements included Zuniga with Palm Beach Opera,
Mephistopheles in Faust with the Cleveland Opera and
Mephistopheles in THE DAMNATION OF FAUST by Berlioz for San
Francisco Opera.
In the concert arena, Mr. Wilkinson made his Carnegie Hall debut with
the American Symphony Orchestra singing the bass solo in the Mozart Requiem under the baton of Robert Bass. He has performed this work for the Denver Symphony, MidAmerican Productions as well as the New York Oratorio Society and the New York City Chorale.
Mr. Wilkinson was named winner in the Luciano Pavarotti International
Vocal Competition.
