BIOGRAPHY / LEARN MORE ABOUT JACK
This season Mr. Swanson premieres the title-role in Paola Prestini’s Edward Tulane with the Minnesota Opera, makes debuts with the Austin Opera as Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, the Utah Opera as Tonio in La Fille du Régiment (a role debut, as well) and The Atlanta Opera as the title-role in Candide. In concert the tenor joins the Mercury Chamber Orchestra in Houston for the tenor solo in Handel’s Messiah, The Utah Symphony for Carmina Burana, The Houston Symphony for Mozart’s requiem conducted by Itzhak Perlman and will perform in recital with Matinee Musicale in Duluth, MN. Future engagements include debuts with the Metropolitan Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Houston Grand Opera and returns to the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro and the Norwegian National Opera.
Mr. Swanson made a number of role and house debuts in the 2021-2022 season: first with Oper Frankfurt as Rodrigo in a new production of Rossini’s Otello, then as Belmonte in Die Entführung aus dem Serail with Opera Omaha and to Opera Lafayette as Cody in Philidor’s The Blacksmith. A special project was Jack Swanson’s debut with the Minnesota Opera, his home company, as the title-role in the world premiere of Paola Prestini’s Edward Tulane. He rounded out the season with a return to the Santa Fe Opera as Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. In concert, he was heard in Paris in Rossini’s Messa di Gloria and at New York’s Alice Tully Hall for a concert of pieces by sons of J.S. Bach.
The 2020-2021 season brought Mr. Swanson to major stages in the United States and internationally. He collaborated with Houston Grand Opera as a featured recitalist in their Live at the Cullen series, which was streamed both live and on-demand via Marquee TV. He returned to Oper Köln to reprise the role of Conte Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and made two notable role debuts with Garsington Opera, including the title role in Rossini’s Le Comte Ory. Other highlights of his season include multiple engagements in Italy in collaboration with both the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and the Rossini Opera Festival, where appeared as Florville in Il signor Bruschino and performed in a gala honoring fellow tenor Juan Diego Flórez.
Mr. Swanson’s 2019-2020 season featured numerous role and house debuts: first in Frankfurt as Rodrigo in a new production of Rossini’s Otello, then as Belmonte in Die Entführung aus dem Serail with Opera Omaha. Other scheduled productions included a special premiere project with the Minnesota Opera, as well as appearances with the Santa Fe Opera, to be rescheduled at a later date.
“Swanson possessed that elusive feature that many otherwise good tenors lack, those
LUSCIOUSLY SWEET, STRONG HIGH NOTES."
THE OPERA CRITIC
Throughout his 2018-2019 season Jack Swanson made several role and company debuts, first as Nemorino in L’Elisir d’Amore with the Norwegian Opera, later as Sam Kaplan in Street Scene with Oper Köln. He returned to the title role in Candide for concert performances in Paris and Marseille and to his celebrated portrayal of Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Portland Opera. Prior to that Mr. Swanson made notable debuts with Glyndebourne Opera as Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia, the Los Angeles Opera in the title role of Candide, the Lyric Opera of Kansas City as Almaviva, and his mainstage debut with the Santa Fe Opera as Lindoro in L’italiana in Algeri.
On the concert stage, Mr. Swanson has been sought after for his interpretation of the works of Leonard Bernstein, appearing in recitals honoring the composer with the Orchestre National de Lille and the Moab Music Festival. He is also regularly engaged as the tenor soloist in Rossini’s Stabat Mater, with recent performances at the Choral Arts Society of Washington and abroad in Paris. Recent concert appearances include Handel’s Messiah with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Bruckner’s Te Deum with the Houston Symphony Orchestra, and Mozart’s Requiem with the Oregon Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Swanson has been featured in numerous recital and gala performances through the Richard Tucker Foundation, Washington Concert Opera, and the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts.
“Jack Swanson applied his ringing, powerful tenor to the demanding role of Prince Ramiro,
CONSISTENTLY
NOTE-PERFECT
NEWSWORKS
in the score’s difficult runs with their enormous range and rapid articulation.”
In previous seasons, Mr. Swanson has been heard as Camille in The Merry Widow with Winter Opera St. Louis, Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance with Opera Memphis, Ramiro in La Cenerentola with Opera Delaware and Opera Fort Collins, and Albazar in Il Turco in Italia with Garsington Opera, and Fenton in Falstaff with Des Moines Metro Opera. Other roles in his repertory include Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Eurimaco in Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria, Tonio in La fille du régiment, and Count Belfiore in La Finta Giardiniera, Tobias Ragg in Sweeney Todd, and the title role in Britten’s Albert Herring.
Mr. Swanson earned a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Music from Rice University. He is an alumni of apprentice artist programs at both the Santa Fe Opera and the Seagle Music Colony.
Publicity MateRIALS
For Mr. Swanson's press and publicity materials, find contact information for his management here.