DEREK TAYLOR
Taylor was born in Los Angeles, CA and trained at the Academy of Vocal
Arts (AVA), where he garnered rave reviews as Rodolfo in their 2005
production of La Boheme. "AVA seems to have found the key to producing
excellent young tenors...It was Derek Taylor’s turn Sunday night as
Rodolfo...Blessed with remarkable good looks, Taylor also possesses a
naturally beautiful timbre that’s clear and unforced, a sure feel for the
dramatic arch of the vocal line, excellent Italian diction and a focused
dramatic flair that projects the essence of the role without fuss or
affectation."
Mr. Taylor's 06-07 season began with the american premiere of the Thomas
Ades' Tempest as Antonio with Santa Fe Opera, followed by Pinkerton in
Madama Butterfly with both Grand Rapids Opera, and Austin Lyric Opera
followed by Gala d'Opera with the Opera de Montreal. Mr. Taylor will make
his Los Angeles Opera debut in the role of Toby Higgins in The Rise and
Fall of the City of Mahagonny in early 2007, followed by the tenor soloist
in Rossini's Petite Messe Solennele with the Southeastern Festival after
which he will conclude his season as Michele in The Saint of Bleecker
Street with Central City Opera, directed by Catherine Malfitano.
In Mr. Taylor's 2007-08 season, Mr. Taylor makes his european debut as
Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Oper St. Gallen, a return to Rodolfo
in La Boheme with Boston Lyric Opera, as well as Phoenix Metropolitan
Opera, a return to Los Angeles Opera as Cassio in Otello conducted by
Maestro James Conlon, Martin in The Tender Land with Charleston Symphony,
Alfredo in La Traviata with Green Mountain Summer Festival, and concludes
his year as Henrik Eggerman in A Little Night Music with Hawaii Opera
Theater.
2008-09 brings Mr. Taylor to Oper St. Gallen for Alfredo in La Traviata,
and Camille in Die Lustige Witwe, and a return to Rodolfo in La Boheme
with Opera Theatre of St. Louis
Looking ahead to future seasons , Mr. Taylor will return to Rodolfo in La
Boheme. and a role debut as Steva in Jenufa, both for Virginia Opera.
Mr. Taylor’s 2005-06 season began with performances as Rodolfo in La
Boheme for El Paso Opera and for Manitoba Opera. Mr. Taylor’s season
concludes with his debut as Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte for Palm
Beach Opera, followed by additional performances of Rodolfo for Baltimore
Opera.
During his 2004-05 season, Mr. Taylor made his debut with Opera Illinois
as Alfredo in La Traviata. The 2003-04 season included performances of the
role of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera
New Hampshire, and Di Capo Opera Theatre, the title role in Les Contes
D’Hoffmann with the International Vocal Arts Institute in Israel, Normanno
in Lucia di Lammermoor with Portland Opera, and the role Accuser in the
world premiere of Bright Sheng’s Madame Mao with the Santa Fe Opera. Other
roles have included the title role in Gounod’s Faust, Arturo in Lucia di
Lammermoor, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, and Almaviva in Il Barbiere di
Siviglia, all with the Academy of Vocal Arts. Mr. Taylor has also
performed the role of Alfred in Die Fledermaus, the Italian Singer in Der
Rosenkavalier, and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni. On the concert stage, Mr.
Taylor has sung excerpts from Carmen and La Boheme in A Night at the Opera
with Maestro Paul Nadler and the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra.
Also during the 2003-04 season, he appeared as a featured soloist with the
New Israeli Philharmonic, Connecticut Symphony, and the Philadelphia
Chamber Orchestra, and Peter Nero and the Philadelphia Pops. He has been
the tenor soloist in such works as Vaughn Williams Hodie with the Bermuda
Philharmonic, Mozart’s Requiem and Beethoven’s Mass in C, both with the
CalArts Symphony, and most recently, in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, with the
American Symphony Orchestra in Los Angeles. He was also a featured artist
in the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation 30th Anniversary Concert at Alice
Tully Hall.
During the 2004-2005 season, Mr. Taylor won high praise on the competition
circuit. He was the First Prize Winner of the 2004 Liederkranz Competition
and a Major Award Winner of the 2004 Opera Index Competition, was most
recently awarded Third Prize in 2005 Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation
International Voice Competition and won Second Prize in the Florida Grand
Opera Competition. He is also the recipient of awards from the
Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (Regional Finalist), George
London Music Foundation (Encouragement Grant Winner), Alta/Mura Caruso
Foundation (Winner), and the Sergio Franchi Music Foundation (Winner).
Taylor was born in Los Angeles, CA and trained at the Academy of Vocal
Arts (AVA), where he garnered rave reviews as Rodolfo in their 2005
production of La Boheme. "AVA seems to have found the key to producing
excellent young tenors...It was Derek Taylor’s turn Sunday night as
Rodolfo...Blessed with remarkable good looks, Taylor also possesses a
naturally beautiful timbre that’s clear and unforced, a sure feel for the
dramatic arch of the vocal line, excellent Italian diction and a focused
dramatic flair that projects the essence of the role without fuss or
affectation."
Mr. Taylor's 06-07 season began with the american premiere of the Thomas
Ades' Tempest as Antonio with Santa Fe Opera, followed by Pinkerton in
Madama Butterfly with both Grand Rapids Opera, and Austin Lyric Opera
followed by Gala d'Opera with the Opera de Montreal. Mr. Taylor will make
his Los Angeles Opera debut in the role of Toby Higgins in The Rise and
Fall of the City of Mahagonny in early 2007, followed by the tenor soloist
in Rossini's Petite Messe Solennele with the Southeastern Festival after
which he will conclude his season as Michele in The Saint of Bleecker
Street with Central City Opera, directed by Catherine Malfitano.
In Mr. Taylor's 2007-08 season, Mr. Taylor makes his european debut as
Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Oper St. Gallen, a return to Rodolfo
in La Boheme with Boston Lyric Opera, as well as Phoenix Metropolitan
Opera, a return to Los Angeles Opera as Cassio in Otello conducted by
Maestro James Conlon, Martin in The Tender Land with Charleston Symphony,
Alfredo in La Traviata with Green Mountain Summer Festival, and concludes
his year as Henrik Eggerman in A Little Night Music with Hawaii Opera
Theater.
2008-09 brings Mr. Taylor to Oper St. Gallen for Alfredo in La Traviata,
and Camille in Die Lustige Witwe, and a return to Rodolfo in La Boheme
with Opera Theatre of St. Louis
Looking ahead to future seasons , Mr. Taylor will return to Rodolfo in La
Boheme. and a role debut as Steva in Jenufa, both for Virginia Opera.
Mr. Taylor’s 2005-06 season began with performances as Rodolfo in La
Boheme for El Paso Opera and for Manitoba Opera. Mr. Taylor’s season
concludes with his debut as Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte for Palm
Beach Opera, followed by additional performances of Rodolfo for Baltimore
Opera.
During his 2004-05 season, Mr. Taylor made his debut with Opera Illinois
as Alfredo in La Traviata. The 2003-04 season included performances of the
role of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera
New Hampshire, and Di Capo Opera Theatre, the title role in Les Contes
D’Hoffmann with the International Vocal Arts Institute in Israel, Normanno
in Lucia di Lammermoor with Portland Opera, and the role Accuser in the
world premiere of Bright Sheng’s Madame Mao with the Santa Fe Opera. Other
roles have included the title role in Gounod’s Faust, Arturo in Lucia di
Lammermoor, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, and Almaviva in Il Barbiere di
Siviglia, all with the Academy of Vocal Arts. Mr. Taylor has also
performed the role of Alfred in Die Fledermaus, the Italian Singer in Der
Rosenkavalier, and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni. On the concert stage, Mr.
Taylor has sung excerpts from Carmen and La Boheme in A Night at the Opera
with Maestro Paul Nadler and the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra.
Also during the 2003-04 season, he appeared as a featured soloist with the
New Israeli Philharmonic, Connecticut Symphony, and the Philadelphia
Chamber Orchestra, and Peter Nero and the Philadelphia Pops. He has been
the tenor soloist in such works as Vaughn Williams Hodie with the Bermuda
Philharmonic, Mozart’s Requiem and Beethoven’s Mass in C, both with the
CalArts Symphony, and most recently, in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, with the
American Symphony Orchestra in Los Angeles. He was also a featured artist
in the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation 30th Anniversary Concert at Alice
Tully Hall.
During the 2004-2005 season, Mr. Taylor won high praise on the competition
circuit. He was the First Prize Winner of the 2004 Liederkranz Competition
and a Major Award Winner of the 2004 Opera Index Competition, was most
recently awarded Third Prize in 2005 Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation
International Voice Competition and won Second Prize in the Florida Grand
Opera Competition. He is also the recipient of awards from the
Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (Regional Finalist), George
London Music Foundation (Encouragement Grant Winner), Alta/Mura Caruso
Foundation (Winner), and the Sergio Franchi Music Foundation (Winner).