A
native of Allentown, Pennsylvania, Bass-baritone
Stephen Eisenhard graduated
from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory
of Music under the tutelage of famed basso Italo Tajo. Critics
praise his ... "robust voice and belligerent comic portrayal..." and
laud his performances with comments such as, "... sung
richly and with remarkable endurance," "excellent vocal
talents... a model windbag...!" He has performed with
numerous opera companies including Nevada Opera,
Piedmont Opera, Michigan Opera Theater, Sarasota Opera,
Florida Grand Opera, Connecticut Opera, Pittsburgh Opera,
Tulsa Opera, Opera Carolina, Cincinnati Opera, Lyric Opera
Cleveland, Opera de Puerto Rico, Edmonton Opera, El Paso
Opera, Opera Memphis, Nashville Opera, OperaDelaware, Dayton
Opera, Opera Idaho, Tacoma Opera, Shreveport Opera, Fresno
Grand Opera, San Francisco's Western Opera Theater's International
Tour (including The Peoples Republic of China), the New York City Opera National Company, Sacramento Opera, Baltimore Concert Opera, and
at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center.
Mr.
Eisenhard's extensive repertoire spanning buffo and dramatic
characters highlights his versatility as a singer/actor.
In the 2003-2004 season, he performed Bartolo in Le
Nozze di Figaro with
Florida Grand Opera and Bartolo in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with
Connecticut Opera. He also sang La boheme's two
old fools, Benoit and Alcindoro, both with Florida Grand
and Knoxville Opera. Highlights of the 2004-2005
season included the Sacristan in Tosca and the
Baliff in Werther with Sarasota Opera, Bartolo
in Le Nozze di Figaro with Dayton Opera and a
return to Connecticut Opera as Dulcamara in Elixir
of Love. In the 2005-2006 season Mr. Eisenhard returned
to Connecticut Opera for a third time to sing Mustafa in The
Italian Girl in Algiers and to Sarasota Opera as Frank
in Die Fledermaus. Also, in 2006 Stephen
sang for the "Live at First" concert series in
Birmingham, Michigan as a featured recitalist.
Highlights
of the 2006-2007 season included Don Alfonso in Cosi
fan tutte with Piedmont Opera and a return to Connecticut
Opera as the title role in Don Pasquale. In 2007-2008,
Mr. Eisenhard returned to Sarasota Opera to reprise the
role of Don Alfonso in Cosi fan tutte. In the
2008-2009 season, Mr. Eisenhard made his debut
with Nevada Opera as Bartolo in Barber of Seville,
returned to Sarasota for his 10th season as Dulcamara, and
performed Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with
Opera Southwest.
In September of 2010, he made his debut with Baltimore Concert Opera as Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia. In 2011, Stephen returned to Baltimore Concert Opera to sing Benoit/Alcindoro in La boheme. In October of 2012, he made his debut with Sacramento Opera in a concert series Opera at the Crest and Three Stages.
In November of 2012, Stephen returned to Sacramento Opera to perform his signature role, Dr. Bartolo, in The Barber of Seville. Highlights of the the 2013-2014 season include a return to Baltimore Concert Opera as Dulcamara in Elixir of Love, a new production of Elixir of Love with Opera Delaware as Dulcamara, and Bartolo in Barber of Seville with Opera Naples.
In the 2014-2015 season, Stephen made his professional debut as a stage director for Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors with Concert Opera Michigan in Birmingham, MI, which also featured Stephen as King Balthazar. Other engagements included singing the role of Bartolo in The Barber of Seville with Opera Naples.
In the 2015/2016 season Stephen made his debut with Opera Coeur D'Alene as Benoit and Alcindoro in La boheme. This production was a joint production with the Spokane Symphony. Upcoming performances in 2016 include Benoit/Alcindoro in La boheme with Concert Opera of Birmingham (MI) and a return to Opera Coeur D'Alene as Bartolo in The Barber of Seville.
In the Fall of 2015 Mr. Eisenhard was appointed Artistic Director of the Live@First Classical Concert Series in Birmingham, Michigan. Also, in December of 2015 Stephen was asked to join the Voice Faculty as an Adjunct Instructor of Voice at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.
Mr. Eisenhard has performed many of opera's
beloved comic roles, among them Don Pasquale, Don Magnifico,
Don Alfonso, Sacristan, Melitone in La forza del destino, Don Bartolo in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and Dulcamara in Elixir of Love.
Roles of a more serious nature include, de Bretigny in Manon,
the Baron in La Traviata, Metifio
in Cilea's L'Arlesiana, Friar Laurent in Romeo & Juliet, the
Commendatore in Don Giovanni, Rambaldo
in La rondine, Kakenik in Rimsky-Korsakov's May
Night.
Mr. Eisenhard was a National Finalist
of the 1992 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions
and was a finalist in the National Opera Association's
1990 Artist's Competition. As
a soloist, Mr. Eisenhard also has an extensive oratorio
and concert repertoire including Handel's Messiah, Verdi's
Requiem, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, Bach's B Minor Mass
and St. Mathew Passion.
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