Patrick Carfizzi

Bass-Baritone

Biography

In the 2023-2024 season, American bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi makes his company debut at LA Opera as Dr. Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia and returns the Metropolitan Opera as the Speaker in The Magic Flute and Fra Melitone in a new production of La Forza del Destino, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. He sings Leporello in Don Giovanni at Boston Baroque, and returns to Opera Theatre of St. Louis as Don Basilio in The Barber of Seville.

Last season, Mr. Carfizzi sang Swallow in Peter Grimes and the Sacristan in Tosca at the Metropolitan Opera. He also returned to Houston Grand Opera as both Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro and Bailli in Werther, and returned to the Tanglewood Music Festival with the Boston Symphony Orchestra as Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte, conducted by Andris Nelsons. He also sang Dr. Bartolo with Florentine Opera and Don Magnifico in Cenerentola with Opera Maine.

At the Metropolitan Opera, his home house at which he has now sung over 400 performances, his recent roles include the Sacristan in Tosca, the Speaker in The Magic Flute, Brander in La damnation de Faust, and the Lackey in Ariadne auf Naxos. In the 2020-2021 season, he returned to Santa Fe Opera as both Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro and Starveling in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, returned to San Diego Opera to reprise his celebrated Dr. Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and sang Dr. Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore in a recording made with Seattle Opera. He had also been scheduled to join the Metropolitan Opera as Dr. Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Houston Grand Opera as Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola, and Arizona Opera as Dr. Dulcamara. The season prior, he returned to Minnesota Opera as Dr. Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and had been scheduled to sing Dr. Dulcamara at the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden.

Notable past operatic engagements include Cecil in Sir David McVicar’s production of Maria Stuarda (Metropolitan Opera), his role debut as Zeta in Lehár’s The Merry Widow opposite Renée Fleming and Thomas Hampson, directed by Susan Stroman and conducted by Sir Andrew Davis (Lyric Opera of Chicago), Henry Kissinger in Nixon in China (San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, and San Diego Opera), Music Master and Truffaldino in Ariadne auf Naxos (Seattle Opera), Paolo in Simon Boccanegra (Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, and Houston Grand Opera), Belcore in L’elisir d’amore (Santa Fe Opera), Don Magnifico (Houston Grand Opera and Seattle Opera), Dr. Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia (Houston Grand Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Seattle Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Austin Lyric Opera, and Central City Opera), Taddeo and Mustafa in L’italiana in Algeri (Houston Grand Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Dallas Opera, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City), Papageno in Die Zauberflöte (Houston Grand Opera and Dallas Opera), and Dr. Dulcamara (Houston Grand Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City). Mr. Carfizzi made his company debut at Opera Philadelphia as Bartolo in a new production of Le nozze di Figaro, conducted by Corrado Rovaris, and at Central City Opera as Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte.

Mr. Carfizzi made his Metropolitan Opera debut in 1999 and has performed over 400 times with the company in a variety of roles, including Schaunard in La Bohème, which was broadcast on the Live in HD series to movie theaters around the world, the Jailer in John Dexter’s production of Dialogues des Carmélites, Masetto in Don Giovanni, Haly in L’italiana in Algeri, Brander in La damnation de Faust, Peter Quince in Tim Albery’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Frank in Jeremy Sams’ new production of Die Fledermaus. Other Met productions include Le nozze di Figaro, Turandot, and Gianni Schicchi.

Mr. Carfizzi made his European debut with Oper Köln as Leporello in Don Giovanni and reappeared with the company as Fra Melitone in La forza del destino. He made his role and company debut as the title role in Don Pasquale with the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, and later returned as the title character in gala performances of Le nozze di Figaro.

Orchestral highlights of Mr. Carfizzi’s recent seasons include performances with the St. Louis Symphony of Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem and Vier ernste Gesänge, under the baton of Markus Stenz, as well as Britten’s Peter Grimes under the baton of David Robertson, performed both in St. Louis’ Powell Hall and New York City’s Carnegie Hall in commemoration of the composer’s 100^th birthday. Past concert work includes performances of Handel’s Messiah with the San Francisco Symphony, Maria Stuarda with the Washington Concert Opera, and Janáček’s Glagolitic Mass with the Seattle Symphony. He has performed with The Opera Orchestra of New York, Washington Concert Opera, and the Mostly Mozart Festival. Notable conductors with whom Mr. Carfizzi has worked include James Levine, Louis Langrée, Marco Armiliato, Vladimir Jurowski, Plácido Domingo, and Philippe Jordan.

Mr. Carfizzi is a graduate of the Yale University School of Music and the winner of several prestigious awards including the Richard Tucker Career Grant Award, the George London Award, the Sullivan Foundation Award, The Richard F. Gold Career Grant from The Shoshana Foundation, and the Sergio Franchi Memorial Scholarship from the National Italian American Foundation. He also participated in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions where he was the Connecticut District Winner.

Reviews

“Bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi’s Doctor Bartolo was built of spot-on theatrical sense, a decisive stage presence, an engaging take on his character, and a wonderfully rich, agile sound.”

Elaine Schmidt

Milwaukee Journal Sentinal

“Arguably the show’s very finest singing came from the accomplished Bartolo, Patrick Carfizzi…Mr. Carfizzi’s impressive bass is as powerful as it is handsome. Make no mistake, he certainly knows how to use a full arsenal of buffo vocal tricks and colors to nail his laughs and etch his scheming Don, but then he can suddenly take our breath away with a finely sung declamation that is remarkably elegant.”

Opera Today

“Patrick Carfizzi — wonderful comic actor and fine singer who knew how, when it made sense, to draw on Rossini’s vocal ornamentation to considerable comic effect.”

Opera News

More Reviews

”Mr. Carfizzi has a substantial, mellifluous bass that shone splendidly in his Act II aria, which was a virtual feast of sonorous tone and characterful nattering. As a shameless, rubber-faced, loose-limbed comedian, Patrick also evinced some of the evening’s best laughs.”
Opera Today, James Sohre

“Patrick Carfizzi contributes the rare commodity of a Sacristan sung with musical polish.”
Financial Times, George Loomis

“The standout of the supporting cast was the delightfully harried sacristan of Patrick Carfizzi who brought a voice of rare fullness and color for a comic baritone role.”
New York Classical Review, Eric Simpson

“Carfizzi brings down the house with the impeccable “Pirates” patter-song, “Modern Major General,” but he also gets to display his rich bass-baritone in his second act pastoral aria, “Sighing Softly to The River.”
Times of San Diego, Pat Launer

“The singing is strong throughout the lead roles, but it’s bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi who steals the show as Major-General Stanley. Besides breezing through the rapid-patter song “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General,” Carfizzi hilariously trots and high-steps and pirouettes around the stage as he sings.”
San Diego Union Tribune, Pam Kragen

“The agent who drives the romantic intrigues, an older gentleman named Don Alfonso, becomes a professor, and it works brilliantly. The role is taken by bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi, who relishes in Alfonso’s chicanery throughout the proceedings. Carfizzi’s command of the comic bass style is unassailable.” The Daily Camera, Kelly Dean Hansen

“Bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi’s Dr. Dulcamara was a lovable charlatan—nimble onstage and equipped with a crisp delivery for the con man’s rapid, pattering asides.” Opera News, Gregory Barnett

“Patrick Carfizzi was an ebullient Dulcamara, peddler of patent elixirs” Wall Street Journal, Heidi Waleson

“Patrick Carfizzi brought his considerable talents to the role of Brander in his Act One aria. He brings great style to everything he sings.” Broadway World, George Weinhouse

“Brander, a student who frequents the tavern in Leipzig, makes only one appearance, but Patrick Carfizzi stood out in his brief time on stage. He offered a viscous, warm bass-baritone and sly comic instincts in his delivery of the Song of the Rat.” New York Classical Review, Eric C. Simpson

More Reviews

“Arguably the show’s very finest singing came from the accomplished Bartolo, Patrick Carfizzi…Mr. Carfizzi’s impressive bass is as powerful as it is handsome. Make no mistake, he certainly knows how to use a full arsenal of buffo vocal tricks and colors to nail his laughs and etch his scheming Don, but then he can suddenly take our breath away with a finely sung declamation that is remarkably elegant.”

Opera Today Jul 10th 2013

“Patrick Carfizzi — wonderful comic actor and fine singer who knew how, when it made sense, to draw on Rossini’s vocal ornamentation to considerable comic effect.”

Opera News Oct 1st 2013

“Carfizzi’s performance is worth the price of the ticket and will be remembered as a role-defining portrayal of Dr. Bartolo. – Central City Opera, Barber of Seville “

The Mountain-Ear Jul 4th 2013

“Patrick Carfizzi, the warm bass who sang the role of Mary’s friend and adviser Talbot, sang with a rich sound and complete emotional involvement so that his character sprang to life. “

Washington Post Apr 8th 2013

“As Figaro, Patrick Carfizzi displayed a robust and rich voice with the ability to produce powerful and delicately sweet sounds, along with the dramatic skill to convincingly portray Figaro’s complex character.”

The Wichita Eagle Mar 17th 2013

“With impeccable comic timing and richly nuanced bass-baritone voice, Patrick Carfizzi set the gold standard as the malevolent buffoon of a father Don Magnifico.”

Oregon Music News Jan 19th 2013

“The magical scene stealer, Patrick Carfizzi as the lovesick Papageno, keeps the audience laughing. Carfizzi’s comic genius includes spontaneous interactions with the audience and delivering perfectly timed comic phrases.”

Marilee Vergati, examiner.com Apr 21st 2012

“In the role of Papageno…bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi nearly steals the evening with not only his voice, but his onstage shtick that adds to the comic nature of the role and gets the biggest laughs in the piece.”

John Norine, Jr., TheaterJones Apr 21st 2012

“Patrick Carfizzi created a delightfully pompous Dr. Bartolo, who boiled with frustration in his vain attempts to stop Rosina from meeting Almaviva. During the singing lesson in Act II, Carfizzi used his incredible falsetto and an incredibly silly impromptu dance to cause laughter to cascade from all corners of the hall.”

James Bash, Oregon Music News Jan 26th 2011

“Grand, perfect singing came from bass-baritones Patrick Carfizzi and Kyle Ketelsen, respectively as Dr. Bartolo and Don Basilio.”

Theodore Bale, Culturemap Houston Oct 23rd 2011

“Patrick Carfizzi (HGO fans will remember his stunning performance as Swallow in Peter Grimes), a Figaro who is simultaneously animated and confident. There has to be sex appeal in this part, and Carfizzi most certainly possesses it.”

Theodore Bale, CultureMap Houston Apr 16th 2011

“Patrick Carfizzi brought a sonorous bass-baritone to the role of Kissinger and lascivious relish to his alter ego.”

Lawrence A. Johnson, South Florida Classical Review Jun 25th 2012

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