Opera News hails Keith Phares as a “mainstay of contemporary opera” and “an authentic contemporary-American-opera divo” with “an impressive gallery of finely-drawn character portraits.” Highlights from the current season include a reprise of Elder Tull in Riders of the Purple Sage with Arizona Opera, and Thomas Nangle in Ours with Opera on the Avalon at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Voice at Bowling Green State University.
In recent seasons he appeared as Dr. Ludwig Binswanger in the premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon’s Ellen West with Opera Saratoga, Edward Kynaston in Carlisle Floyd’s Prince of Players with Florentine Opera (recorded live for Naxos), Sam in Trouble in Tahiti with Lexington Philharmonic; made his debut with Los Angeles Opera as Roderick Usher and Hiram Otis in Gordon Getty’s SCARE PAIR: Usher House/Canterville Ghost, Gasparo in Donizetti’s Rita with Chicago Opera Theatre, Ford in Falstaff with Opera Omaha, and Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera Maine.
Keith Phares has appeared in leading roles with Washington National Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Seattle Opera, the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, São Paolo Symphony Orchestra, Santa Fe Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Midsummer Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and elsewhere; in collaboration with Hal Prince, Francesca Zambello, Frank Corsaro, Paul Curran, Richard Hickox, Patrick Summers, Harry Bicket, Marin Alsop, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Thomas Allen, among others; and in recital with the Marilyn Horne Foundation, WordSong, Illuminarts and LyricFest. An ardent exponent of contemporary American opera, Phares sang Charlie in the premiere and recording of Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers opposite Frederica von Stade with Houston Grand Opera and San Francisco Opera, the Father in the premiere and recording of Gregory Spears’ Paul’s Case with UrbanArias and PROTOTYPE, Elder Tull in the premiere of Craig Bohmler’s Riders of the Purple Sage, George Hurstwood in the premiere and recording of Robert Aldridge’s Sister Carrie , and the title role in the premiere and live, Grammy-winning recording of Aldridge’s Elmer Gantry.