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 2023/24 season, Mr. Garrett will make a house debut at San Francisco Opera, singing Abdul and Abe in Omar, return to LA Opera as Bob in William Grant Still’s Highway 1, USA and sing Masetto in Don Giovanni in a return to Houston Grand Opera. In concert, he will sing Carmina Burana with Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Carnegie Hall.

In the 2022/23 season, Mr. Garrett made his LA Opera debut as Abdul in Omar, Garby in the world premiere of The Factotum and Dr. T in the world-premiere of Proximity, both at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, as well as Ned in a new edition of Treemonisha with Opera Theatre of St. Louis. In concert, he performed Vaughan-Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carol’s with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Messiah with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, and Belshezzar’s Feast with Phoenix Symphony.

In recent seasons, Norman Garrett has performed Conte in Le nozze di Figaro with Seattle Opera, with Houston Grand Opera as Ríolobo in Daniel Catán’s Florencia en el Amazonas, Escamillo in Carmen with Austin Opera, Opera Orlando, Opera Columbus, and Lubbock Symphony, the title role in Chausson’s Le roi Arthus with Bard SummerScape, the Metropolitan Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago as the Foreman/Adult James in Fire Shut Up in My Bones, the title role in Don Giovanni and Jochanaan in Salome, both with Dayton Opera, the title role in Delius’ Koanga with the Wexford Festival in Ireland, and Larkens in La fanciulla del West with the Bayerische Staatsoper.

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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