Daniel Okulitch
“Daniel Okulitch has never sounded better”
– Opera Canada
Renowned Canadian bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch is known for his commanding stage presence and impressive vocal versatility. He has performed with major opera companies and orchestras worldwide, taking on a diverse range of roles showcasing his musical intelligence and strong sense of artistry.
Okulitch is especially sought after for contemporary repertoire, and his world premieres include the role of Ennis del Mar in Charles Wuorinen’s Brokeback Mountain at Teatro Real, Lyndon B. Johnson in David T Little and Royce Vavrek’s JFK at Fort Worth Opera, General Groves in John Adams’ Dr. Atomic at Santa Fe Opera, and Mark Rutland in Nico Muhly’s Marnie at English National Opera. Further highlights include Beck in Joby Talbot and Gene Scheer’s Everest with BBC Symphony Orchestra, The Protector in George Benjamin’s Written on Skin at Opéra de Montréal and Deutsche Oper Berlin, appearances in Lessons in Love and Violence at Gran Teatre del Liceu and Omar with LA Opera, San Francisco Opera and Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and his debut as Shaklovity in Simon McBurney’s production of Khovanshchina at Salzburg Osterfestspiele under Esa-Pekka Salonen. Recent seasons have also included Axel Oxenstierna in Julien Bilodeau and Michel Marc Bouchard’s La Reine-garçon at Opéra de Montréal and the Canadian Opera Company, Johan in Paola Prestini’s Silent Light at National Sawdust, The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Festival del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, and his Glyndebourne Festival Opera debut as Lieutenant Ratcliffe in Billy Budd.
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In the current season, he appears as Don Alfonso in Atom Egoyan’s production of Così fan tutte at the Canadian Opera Company led by Music Director Johannes Debus, collaborates with Stephanie Childress and the New World Symphony in Mozart’s Requiem, makes his Teatro Regio Torino debut as Escamillo in Carmen in a production by Arnaud Bernard and conducted by Daniel Oren, and joins Minnesota Orchestra for Rachmaninov’s The Bells under Music Director Thomas Søndergård.
In concert, Okulitch has appeared in Handel’s Messiah with Houston Symphony Orchestra and with the Charlotte Symphony under Christopher Warren-Green, Mendelssohn’s Elijah with Symphony Nova Scotia led by Jeff Joudrey, Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra under Krzysztof Urbański, and Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under Stephanie Childress.
More recently, he reprised Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem with Malmö Symphony Orchestra under Pierre Bleuse, Handel’s Messiah with Seattle Symphony Orchestra under Aram Demirjian, and debuted Rachmaninov’s Spring cantata with Orquesta y Coro de la Comunidad de Madrid conducted by Marzena Diakun. Recent engagements have also included Vaughan Williams’ Songs of Travel with Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Stephanie Childress, Mozart Requiem with Scottish Chamber Orchestra under Riccardo Minasi, Fauré Requiem with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra led by Otto Tausk, and Dvořák’s Stabat Mater with Orchestre Symphonique de Québec under Clemens Schuldt.
Daniel Okulitch’s career first garnered national attention in the original cast of Baz Luhrmann’s Tony Award-winning Broadway production of La bohème. His first solo recording, The New American Art Song, was released on GPR Records and features world premieres by Ricky Ian Gordon, Jake Heggie, Lowell Liebermann and Glen Roven, who all accompany Okulitch, and with this programme, he made his debut at Carnegie Hall.
Contacts
Szymon Cyganski Artist Coordinator/Administrator, VOICE
Szymon Cyganski Artist Coordinator/Administrator, VOICE
General Management
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“The Commander is a complex figure, bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch offers an effective vocal interpretation, combined with a convincing stage presence.”
“Daniel Okulitch gives the Captain presence and restraint, with a clean legato line and a musical intelligence that enhances every inflection of the text.”
“Daniel Okulitch’s Captain was beautifully delivered, with a firm and hypnotic monologue, representing an authority figure who tries to maintain control and preserve a facade that is increasingly close to crumbling.”
“Displaying impressive vocal and dramatic skills, Canadian Daniel Okulitch has a very beautiful and expressive voice with full vocal coverage for all sides of the Protector’s character: the brash possessor, the ambiguous lover, the jealous husband and the furious avenger.“
“Daniel Okulitch is frighteningly convincing as Schaklowity with a velvety timbre, which, however, can develop into cutting tones through the necessary intensity, which can express meaningful coldness precisely in its underlying warmth. This is reinforced by the diplomatic nature of his appearance, which only breaks out into threatening passion in his speech.”
“Okulitch’s strong musical personality brought an operatic feeling to his arias; his resonant baritone and clarity of diction made “The People That Walked in Darkness” riveting to hear. His account of “Why do the nations so furiously rage together?” was resoundingly authoritative.” -
“Okulitch offered very well-delineated portraits of two contrasted slave masters”
“Daniel Okulitch brought along a soft-timbred baritone that flowed perfectly in all registers, and he threw himself into his role with great commitment.”
“Mr. Okulitch delineated his dramatic and vocal characterization so well that I wasn’t even aware of the trick until halfway through the second act.”
“Daniel Okulitch was tall, handsome and firm-toned as the Protector, a figure who could be called impressive despite his dishonourable intentions.”
Bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch is a must-see in this production. His powerful voice remains consistently beautiful, despite the flaws of his character. A tall slender man, he is very convincing and dominating “Protector”
“Daniel Okulitch, who might be remembered as the best thing about Los Angeles Opera’s “The Fly” some years ago, took Saul’s torment to a new, gripping level.”
“Petulant and conflicted, with remarkable reserves of cavernous bass-baritone fury, Canadian Daniel Okulitch brought complexity and depth to his portrayal of Saul ”
“Mr. Okulitch plays his part with plenty of aplomb. This Don does not discriminate among the classes for his conquests — nobility or servants, it does not matter. He exhibits a creepy sense of entitlement over other people usually reserved for say…presidents. And his baritone was seamless and firmly rooted”
“Mr. Okulitch sang magnificently. ”
“Okulitch’s richly resonant vocals, clear diction and agile phrasing were displayed in his trip-off-the-tongue recitatives, and rapid-fire delivery of ‘Champagne Aria,’ “Finch’han dal vino,” as effervescent as a glass of bubbly and contrasted by a lushly romantic “Deh vieni alla finestra,” as he woos Elvira’s maid”
“Daniel Okulitch’s portrayal of the morally bankrupt nobleman is full of swagger and oily condescension. I loved how, from the quietest mezzo voce to a full lyric baritone, Okulitch was not afraid to almost croon some of his sweetest and nastiest words to victims”
“Daniel Okulitch is perfect in the starring role of Don Giovanni in this production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s two-act opera. He is brash and violent but with convincing charm in voice and deed”
“Daniel Okulitch made a vigorous impression”
“Canadian bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch delineated with focused attention to vocal, psychological and physical detail”
“In addition to his handsome and statuesque stage presence, Okulitch has a dynamic voice, full of resonating depth but also a brightness in his higher register that is backed up by a lot of power. He brings out all the lyrical beauty of the role, while also maintaining its brooding darkness.”










