Blake Friedman
Tenor Blake Friedman’s recent appearance as Iago in Rossini’s Otello with LoftOpera earned him praise for “his vast range and clear diction” (NY Observer) and “pliant tenor” (Parterre). The New York Times said, “The most convincing tenor was that of Blake Friedman as Iago whose voice has a plummy fullness and dusky hue. His duet with Otello was taut and exciting…”. Other notable performances include: Soloist in the Liebeslieder Walzer with New York City Ballet, Soloist at Geffen Hall in Mozart’s Vespri Sollemnes de Confessore, and Singer in Tchaikovsky: None but the Lonely Heart (BAM Fisher). He has earned praise for his “silken and strong” (Tampa Bay Times), “fresh lyric tenor” (OperaNews Online) singing roles such as Conte Almaviva in Barbiere di Siviglia, Nemorino in L’Elisir D’Amore, and Jimmy O’Keefe in Later the Same Evening. He is currently Resident Tenor for American Opera Projects’ Composers and the Voice Symposium where he premieres new works written specifically tailored to his voice in a monthly workshop. His awards include a Career Bridges Award (2014), Winner of The American Prize Memorial Art Song Competition (2011), Honorable Mention in The Rochester Oratorio Society Classical Idol V Competition (2011), and a Palm Beach Opera Guild Encouragement Award (2011). Blake holds a Master of Music and Professional Studies Diploma from the Manhattan School of Music as the recipient of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Scholarship Award/Richard Rodgers Scholar and a his Bachelor of Music degree from The Eastman School of Music as the recipient of a Howard Hanson Scholarship.
