Bass-baritone Michael Sumuel’s 2012 – 2013 season opens with a return to Houston Grand Opera for a new John Caird production of La Bohème in the role of Schaunard. He returns there later in the season for a production of Don Giovanni in which he plays Masetto under the baton of Trevor Pinnock. This season marks his debut with the San Francisco Symphony in performances of Handel’s Messiah, and his professional role debut as Figaro in Dayton Opera’s production of Le nozze di Figaro. Mr. Sumuel will also sing selected songs of Brahms and Schönberg in a multi-media song project called “In the Garden of Dreams” with Da Camera of Houston featuring Sarah Rothenberg on piano.

Mr. Sumuel’s 2011 – 12 season began with his successful San Francisco Opera debut as Tom in the world premiere of Christopher Theofanidis’ Heart of a Soldier opposite baritone Thomas Hampson in a Francesco Zambello production conducted by Patrick Summers in which his “strong and convincing portrayal was the most affecting and convincing of the evening.” He returned to San Francisco later in the season as Elviro in Handel’s Xerxes opposite Susan Graham and David Daniels, and marked his European operatic debut as Schaunard in La Bohème at Glyndebourne Festival Opera. He also appeared with Houston's Mercury Baroque Ensemble in excerpts from Rameau’s Amants Trahis, Orphée, Thetis.

As a Houston Grand Opera Studio Artist, Michael Sumuel appeared as Sharpless in performances of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, the Motorcycle Cop in Dead Man Walking starring Joyce DiDonato (now available on compact disc), Antonio in Le Nozze di Figaro, and a Lackey in Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos. He also sang Dulcamara in performances of L’elisir d’amore, Noble in Lohengrin, Sciarrone in Tosca and Narumoff in Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame. Other operatic roles include Leporello in Don Giovanni, the title role in Gianni Schicchi, and Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro. Concert appearances last season included performances with both the Sarasota Artist Series and Mercury Baroque as soloist in Handel’s Messiah.

Sumuel’s competition accolades include the 2009 Fielder Grant for Career Advancement and winner of the 2009 Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition. An alumnus of the Merola Opera Program at San Francisco Opera Center and Filene Young Artist program at Wolf Trap Opera, At Wolf Trap Opera, Sumuel performed the roles of Selim in Rossini’s Il turco in Italia, Theseus in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lelio in Wolf-Ferrari’s Le donne curiose and has also been seen in recital with pianist Steven Blier. Sumuel holds degrees from both Columbus State University and Rice University.