Biography
American baritone Norman Garrett, a native of Lubbock, Texas, is a recent alumnus of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program at Washington National Opera. In the 2017-2018 season, Mr. Garrett will debut with Austin Opera, performing Escamillo in Carmen, Crown in Porgy and Bess with the University of Michigan, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Rogue Valley Symphony in Ashland, Oregon.
In the 2016-2017 season, Norman Garrett returned to the Glimmerglass Festival as a principal artist as Crown and participated in Cincinnati Opera’s Opera Fusion: New Works workshop of Intimate Apparel, composed by Ricky Ian Gordon, based on the Lynn Nottage play of the same name. He also reprised the role of Escamillo with Opera Columbus. Highlights of Norman Garrett’s 2015-2016 season featured his European debut with the Wexford Festival Opera in Ireland as the title role in a new production of Delius’ Koanga by Michael Gieleta, conducted by Stephen Barlow, and a concert of American music with The Cleveland Orchestra.
Highlights of Mr. Garrett’s 2014-2015 season included his return to WNO as Ríolobo in Daniel Catán’s Florencia in the Amazon and his Lyric Opera of Chicago company debut as Jake in Porgy and Bess, both directed by Francesca Zambello, as well as his return to Cincinnati Opera as Mandarino in Turandot under the baton of Ramón Tebar. Mr. Garrett also made his debuts with the Philadelphia Orchestra in a Gershwin program conducted by Cristian Măcelaru, the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl as the Marchese in La Traviata conducted by Diego Matheuz, the National Philharmonic at the Music Center at Strathmore in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, and the Lubbock Symphony as Escamillo in concert.
Reviews
“Norman Garrett, an alumnus of [Washington National Opera’s] Domingo-Cafritz program… was imposing both vocally and physically as Ford, the husband of one of the women Falstaff is pursuing.”
Anne Midgette
“The Ford of baritone Norman Garrett [was] towering in presence and both powerful and refined in sound.”
Charles T. Downey
More Reviews
“Norman Garrett, an alumnus of [Washington National Opera’s] Domingo-Cafritz program… was imposing both vocally and physically as Ford, the husband of one of the women Falstaff is pursuing.”
“The Ford of baritone Norman Garrett [was] towering in presence and both powerful and refined in sound.”
“Norman Garrett stood out [as] Captain Gardiner.”
“The piece was luxuriously cast with two of the stars of the current Domingo-Cafritz young artists, [including] Norman Garrett.”
“Norman Garrett’s elegant basso cantante and crisp diction were the opera’s conscience.”
“Aida’s father — the captured Ethiopian king Amonasro… [was] commandingly sung by Norman Garrett.”
“As the kids’ good-hearted but n’er-do-well Dad, Peter, baritone Norman Garrett put together an uncanny combination of bluster and affection in his interpretation of the role. Possessing a large, impressive instrument, Mr. Garrett skillfully managed to re-shape his voice to accommodate his role to this production’s more intimate setting.”
“Fortunately, the performances were excellent: in the title role of the bloodthirsty Dahomey prince, baritone Norman Garrett scored a personal triumph.”
Brian Kellow – Opera News
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