Matthew Burns
Declared as “having a beautiful bass-baritone voice” by the New York Times, Richmond-native Matthew Burns is a dynamic performer known for his unique portrayals of opera’s most acclaimed bass-baritone roles. This season, Mr. Burns performed the role of Dr. Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia with his home town opera company, Virginia Opera. Then, he performed his signature role of Leporello in Utah Opera’s production of Don Giovanni. This season marked several role debuts for Mr. Burns, including Gus O’Neill in John Musto’s Later That Same Evening, Pistacchio in Donizetti’s Il campanello di Notte (both with Opera Memphis), and Bégearss in Milhaud’s Mere Coupable in NYC with On Site Opera
Recently, Mr. Burns made his Austin Opera début in the role of Leporello in Don Giovanni, which he also sang with Arizona Opera and Opera Memphis. He also appeared as Sir John Falstaff in The Merry Wives of Windsor at Fargo Moorehead Opera; Otec in Smetana’s The Kiss and Rambaldo in La rondine at Opera Theatre Saint Louis; Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia with the Orlando Philharmonic, and Don Basilio in the same opera with Sarasota Opera; Alidoro in La Cenerentola with Palm Beach Opera; the title role in Le nozze di Figaro with Virginia Opera; Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Dayton Opera; Sparafucile in Rigoletto with the Crested Butte Music Festival; and in a workshop of Jake Heggie’s Great Scott.
Other operatic engagements include The Poet in Glass’ Orphée and Pallante in Agrippina for Virginia Opera; George in Of Mice and Men with Utah Opera and Austin Lyric Opera; Colline in La bohème with Boston Lyric Opera and Opera Birmingham; Angelotti in Tosca at Palm Beach Opera; Schaunard in La bohème with New Orleans Opera; the title role in Don Giovanni with Arizona Opera; Papageno in Die Zauberflöte at Opera Coeur d’Alene; Collatinus in The Rape of Lucretia with Toledo Opera; Don Geronio in Il turco in Italia at Opera Southwest; Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance with Kentucky Opera; the title role in Le nozze di Figaro at Opera Grand Rapids and Virginia Opera.
Mr. Burns is proud to have recently been appointed to the voice faculty of his alma mater, VCU. In addition to an active singing and teaching career, Matthew Burns is Founder and Executive Director of MAGNVM OPVS tasting concerts. www.magnvmopvs.com “Drink in the sound!”
