Andrew Potter
Andrew Potter, bass, has garnered increasing demand across the country for his larger-than-life stage presence and voice to match. This season is set to establish Potter as one of the premier basses in the opera world today, with major house débuts at the Dallas Opera as Angelotti in Tosca, Detroit Opera as Harašta in The Cunning Little Vixen, and the Santa Fe Opera for both Der Rosenkavalier and the world premiere of The Righteous, in which he covers Greer Grimsley’s lead role of Paul. Additionally, Potter returns to Opera Santa Barbara as Ferrando in Il trovatore, Livermore Valley Opera as Sarastro in The Magic Flute, Vero Beach Opera as the Commendatore in Don Giovanni, and joins the Fort Work Symphony as Hundig in Act I of Die Walküre.
Last season included several important house débuts: joining Seattle Opera as Abimelech in Samson et Dalila and in their world premiere of A Thousand Splendid Suns, as well as Portland Opera as Vodnik in Rusalka. Additionally, Potter joined Livermore Valley Opera as Belcore in L’elisir d’amore, performed Scarpia in Indianapolis Opera’s Tosca, Don Pizarro in Fidelio with Mid-Ohio Civic Opera, returned to Opera Grand Rapids as The Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance and to Pacific Opera Project as Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia as well as for their unique take on Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte: Superflute. Other recent engagements for Andrew include Simone in Gianni Schicchi for Tulsa Opera, Sarastro in The Magic Flute for Eugene Opera, Sparafucile in Rigoletto for Opera Orlando, Commendatore in Don Giovanni with Indianapolis Opera, and René in Iolanta with Pacific Opera Project. Concert engagements include Mozart's Mass in C Major for MidOhio Civic Opera, and Verdi’s Requiem for Michigan State University.
During the pandemic, Andrew was one of the lucky ones to be able to continue to perform: in addition to a series of virtual concerts, he joined Opera Santa Barbara in the title role of Don Pasquale, Pacific Opera Project as Sam in Trouble in Tahiti, and Southern Illinois Festival for Minna Lindgren’s Mozart parody Covid fan Tutte. Previous engagements have included Prince Gremin in Eugene Onegin with Livermore Valley Opera, Poo-Bah in Mikado with Opera Grand Rapids, Sulpice in The Daughter of the Regiment and Dr. Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore with Winter Opera St. Louis, Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Fallen Giant with American Lyric Opera, The Bonze in Madama Butterfly with St. Petersburg Opera, Hunding in Die Walküre, Fafner in Das Rheingold and Colline in La Bohème with Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Vodnik in Rusalka with Steamboat Opera, Osmin in Die Entführung aus dem Serail with Opera Orlando, Colline in La Bohème with Anchorage Opera and Indianapolis Opera, his Tulsa Opera début as The King in The Little Prince, Sarastro in The Magic Flute and Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni with Pacific Opera Project, the role of Death in the world premiére of Rick Sowash’s Death and the Everyman, Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte, and Escamillo in Carmen with Mid-Ohio Opera, and Simone in Gianni Schicchi, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte and Ferrando in Il trovatore with Southern Illinois Music Festival.
Additionally, Andrew has performed across the country proficiently demonstrating the vocal power and sonority to sing such roles as Mephistopheles in Gounod’s Faust and Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, the range and physicality to perform buffo roles like Don Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte, Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola; and the flexibility and agility to sing challenging Handelian roles including Zoroastro in Orlando, Ariodate in Serse, and Argante in Rinaldo.
With years of studying under renowned teachers such as Rick Christman, Braeden Harris, and Kenneth Shaw, Andrew became a standout in mainstage roles at several of the nation's most prestigious Young Artist programs such as Des Moines Metro Opera, St. Petersburg Emerging Artist Program, and the Tyler Young Artist Program.
Last season included several important house débuts: joining Seattle Opera as Abimelech in Samson et Dalila and in their world premiere of A Thousand Splendid Suns, as well as Portland Opera as Vodnik in Rusalka. Additionally, Potter joined Livermore Valley Opera as Belcore in L’elisir d’amore, performed Scarpia in Indianapolis Opera’s Tosca, Don Pizarro in Fidelio with Mid-Ohio Civic Opera, returned to Opera Grand Rapids as The Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance and to Pacific Opera Project as Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia as well as for their unique take on Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte: Superflute. Other recent engagements for Andrew include Simone in Gianni Schicchi for Tulsa Opera, Sarastro in The Magic Flute for Eugene Opera, Sparafucile in Rigoletto for Opera Orlando, Commendatore in Don Giovanni with Indianapolis Opera, and René in Iolanta with Pacific Opera Project. Concert engagements include Mozart's Mass in C Major for MidOhio Civic Opera, and Verdi’s Requiem for Michigan State University.
During the pandemic, Andrew was one of the lucky ones to be able to continue to perform: in addition to a series of virtual concerts, he joined Opera Santa Barbara in the title role of Don Pasquale, Pacific Opera Project as Sam in Trouble in Tahiti, and Southern Illinois Festival for Minna Lindgren’s Mozart parody Covid fan Tutte. Previous engagements have included Prince Gremin in Eugene Onegin with Livermore Valley Opera, Poo-Bah in Mikado with Opera Grand Rapids, Sulpice in The Daughter of the Regiment and Dr. Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore with Winter Opera St. Louis, Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Fallen Giant with American Lyric Opera, The Bonze in Madama Butterfly with St. Petersburg Opera, Hunding in Die Walküre, Fafner in Das Rheingold and Colline in La Bohème with Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Vodnik in Rusalka with Steamboat Opera, Osmin in Die Entführung aus dem Serail with Opera Orlando, Colline in La Bohème with Anchorage Opera and Indianapolis Opera, his Tulsa Opera début as The King in The Little Prince, Sarastro in The Magic Flute and Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni with Pacific Opera Project, the role of Death in the world premiére of Rick Sowash’s Death and the Everyman, Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte, and Escamillo in Carmen with Mid-Ohio Opera, and Simone in Gianni Schicchi, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte and Ferrando in Il trovatore with Southern Illinois Music Festival.
Additionally, Andrew has performed across the country proficiently demonstrating the vocal power and sonority to sing such roles as Mephistopheles in Gounod’s Faust and Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, the range and physicality to perform buffo roles like Don Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte, Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola; and the flexibility and agility to sing challenging Handelian roles including Zoroastro in Orlando, Ariodate in Serse, and Argante in Rinaldo.
With years of studying under renowned teachers such as Rick Christman, Braeden Harris, and Kenneth Shaw, Andrew became a standout in mainstage roles at several of the nation's most prestigious Young Artist programs such as Des Moines Metro Opera, St. Petersburg Emerging Artist Program, and the Tyler Young Artist Program.
