Norman Garrett

Baritone

Biography

American baritone Norman Garrett, who has been called “scene-stealing” by The New York Times, is enjoying a varied and exciting career. In the 2021-2022 season, Mr. Garrett will make his house and role debut at Seattle Opera as the Count in Le nozze di Figaro. He will also return to both the Metropolitan Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago as the Foreman/Adult James in Terence Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones, and reprise the role of Jim in Porgy and Bess at the Metropolitan Opera. Finally, he will sing Jake in Porgy and Bess with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, on tour at both the Lucerne Festival and the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, with conductor Alan Gilbert.

Cancellations due to the Covid-19 pandemic include Jake in Porgy and Bess at Washington National Opera and Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Jacksonville Symphony. In the 2020-2021 season, Mr. Garrett made his house debut at Theater an der Wien as Crown in Porgy and Bess, joined Bard SummerScape as the title role in Chausson’s Le roi Arthus, made his role debut as the title role in Don Giovanni at Dayton Opera, sang Escamillo in Carmen at Opera Orlando, and performed in a concert of arias with Opera Philadelphia at the Mann Center. During the previous season, he returned to Washington National Opera as Masetto in Don Giovanni and made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Jim in Porgy and Bess.

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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 Washington Post

“The Ford of baritone Norman Garrett [was] towering in presence and both powerful and refined in sound.”

Charles T. Downey

Ionarts

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.”

Anne Midgette – The Washington Post

“The Ford of baritone Norman Garrett [was] towering in presence and both powerful and refined in sound.”

Charles T. Downey – Ionarts

“Norman Garrett stood out [as] Captain Gardiner.”

Anne Midgette – The Washington Post

“The piece was luxuriously cast with two of the stars of the current Domingo-Cafritz young artists, [including] Norman Garrett.”

Anne Midgette – The Washington Post

“Norman Garrett’s elegant basso cantante and crisp diction were the opera’s conscience.”

Susan Dormady Eisenberg – The Huffington Post

“Aida’s father — the captured Ethiopian king Amonasro… [was] commandingly sung by Norman Garrett.”

Mark Swed – The Los Angeles Times

“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.”

Terry Ponick – The Washington Times

“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