Eric McKeever
American operatic baritone Eric McKeever has won consistent praise for his voice of “power and brilliance” (Chicago Tribune) and “considerable flexibility and a communicative presence enhanced by expressive, crystalline diction.” (Opera News)
Eric’s 2023-2024 season includes reprising Monterone (and covering Rigoletto) with Opera Delaware and Opera Baltimore. He makes his Princeton Symphony debut in Mozart’s “Requiem” returns to Opera Columbus as Papa (Papageno) in a re-imagined take on Mozart’s Magic Flute, entitled The Temple, and makes his debut with Opera Memphis as Schaunard in La bohème.
Last season included a season of debuts. First, he joined the Delaware Symphony Orchestra in their “Opening Night at the Grand” gala, made his role debut as Don Alfonso in Così Fan Tutte at Opera Delaware where he served as an Artist-in-Residence/Artistic Ambassador, performed Falke in Act II of Die Fledermaus with Maryland Opera in their “Ritorna Vincitor” concert, made his house and role debuts with On Site Opera as the title role in Der Kaiser von Atlantis and Michele in Il Tabarro, and performed William Still in Paul Moravec’s Sanctuary Road in his debut with the Penn Square Music Festival. He also returned to Opera Columbus in his role debut as Monterone in Rigoletto. In June he made his debut with the Festival Casals de Puerto Rico in Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” in concert.
During the 2021-22 season, he performed the title role in Don Giovanni in his return to Indianapolis Opera, made his debut with Teatro Grattacielo as the Banditore in Zandonai’s rarely-heard Giulietta e Romeo, covered the role of Monforte in New Amsterdam Opera’s I Vespri Siciliani, made his recital debut in Opera Delaware’s “Sunday Spotlight” Series, covered the title role in On Site Opera’s production of Gianni Schicchi, performed Leporello with Teatro Grattacielo in their production of Don Giovanni at the Phoenicia Festival of the Voice, and made his debut with Washington DC’s Urban Arias as Papa-Daddy in the world-premiere of Why I live at the P.O.
During the 2020-2021 season he recorded Kamala Sankaram’s Looking at You, available on the Bright Shiny Things label and recorded several roles for Experiments in Opera’s Aqua Net and Funyuns podcast opera. Mr. McKeever also recorded Dandini for Opera on Tap’s digital version of La Cenerentola which was recently named a Finalist in Opera America’s 2022 Online Digital Awards, performed live in Salt Marsh Opera’s outdoor “Music at the Lighthouse” concert, and performed in Little Opera Theatre of New York livestream of “Zemlinsky’s Zimmer.” Mr. McKeever returned to live performances as Marcello in a new production of La bohème with Opera Columbus and performed outdoor concerts with Opera Delaware and Baltimore Concert Opera.
During the 2019-2020 season, Eric received critical acclaim as Charlie in the world premiere of Kamala Sankaram’s Looking at You with HERE Arts in New York, joined Opera Columbus in “Twisted 3”, a collaboration with the Columbus Symphony and Ballet Met, made his role debut as Tonio in Pagalicci in a return to Salt Marsh Opera, and performed in Baltimore Concert Opera’s “Thirsty Thursday” Concert Series. Eric was scheduled to debut the title role in Don Giovanni with Indianapolis Opera, the title role in Rigoletto with Mill City Summer Opera and make his Anchorage Festival of Music debut in Dave Brubeck’s The Gates of Justice, but those engagements were cancelled due to COVID-19.
Recent performances include Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Opera Columbus, David in L’amico Fritz with Baltimore Concert Opera, Germont in La traviata with Pacific Opera Project, Malatesta in Don Pasquale with Anchorage Opera, the Speaker in The Magic Flute with Florentine Opera, and Frank in Die Fledermaus with Nashville Opera, Finger Lakes Opera, Florentine Opera, and Baltimore Concert Opera.
On the concert stage he has appeared as a soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth with the New Albany Symphony, performed Bernstein’s Songfest with Skidmore College, and made his debut with the Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra in Dave Brubeck’s The Gates of Justice.
