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© Simon Pauly

Joshua Hopkins

Baritone

Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins has established himself as a prominent leading artist throughout the United States, appearing regularly at the Metropolitan Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Houston Grand Opera. Most recently, his engagements have included Orpheus in Matthew Aucoin’s Eurydice at the Metropolitan Opera, the role he created in the world premiere for Los Angeles Opera, Belcore L’elisir d’amore for the Lyric Opera of Chicago conducted by Enrique Mazzola, Harlequin Ariadne auf Naxos at the Edinburgh International Festival and Figaro Il Barbiere di Siviglia for Santa Fe Opera. This season Joshua makes his company debut at La Monnaie De Munt, Brussels, as Apollo in the world premiere of newly commissioned opera, Cassandra by Bernard Foccroulle and Matthew Jocelyn, conducted by Kazushi Ono.

Profoundly committed to the art of song, Joshua recently commissioned a new song cycle with the support of the National Arts Centre Orchestra and Houston Grand Opera. Written in a collaboration between acclaimed American opera composer Jake Heggie and renowned Canadian author Margaret Atwood, the piece, titled Songs for Murdered Sisters explores violence and abuse against women, and is an extremely important and personal project for Joshua.

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www.joshuahopkins.com

 

Artist Manager

Camilla Wehmeyer

camilla@wehmeyermanagement.com

Assistant Artist Manager

Oliver Titheridge-Stone

oliver@wehmeyermanagement.com

European Management
Camilla Wehmeyer Management

General Management
Matthew Horner - IMG Artists

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News

News

Joshua makes house debut at the Semperoper Dresden

Semperoper Dresden.jpg

We are delighted to announce that Joshua will be making his house debut at the Semperoper Dresden as Figaro Il Barbiere di Siviglia to start his 2024-25 season.

 

Under the baton of Daniele Squeo, Joshua will be performing alongside Jonah Hoskins (Il Conte d'Almaviva), Misha Kiria (Dottore Bartolo) and Valerie Eickhoff (Rosina), amongst others. Performances will be on 4, 7, 15 and 21 September.

 

Later this season, Joshua will be returning to the Semperoper Dresden as Maximilian in Bernstein's Candide in May, followed by appearances as Apollo and Angry Audience Member in Cassandra at the Staatsoper Berlin. This season he will also be giving various performances in the US, including Conte in Le Nozze di Figaro at The Metropolitan Opera.

 

For further information on Il Barbiere di Siviglia in Dreden, please see the website here.

Posted 26/08/2024

Media

Media

Joshua Hopkins as Valentin sings "Avant de quitter ces lieux" in WNO's Faust  | The Kennedy Center

Joshua Hopkins as Valentin sings "Avant de quitter ces lieux" in WNO's Faust | The Kennedy Center

To gain the world, would you sell your soul? Faust Music by Charles Gounod / Libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, based on Goethe’s Faust: Part One An Opera in Three Acts For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit: http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/event/OTOSD Mar. 16e, 18e, 22e, 24m, 27e & 30e (2019) in the Opera House In French with Projected English Titles Production originated at Houston Grand Opera Is the freedom of youth worth an eternity in hell? It is to the aging Faust, who makes a pact with Méphistophélès to exchange his soul for Earth’s mortal pleasures. With his youth restored, Faust woos the lovely Marguerite, but his troubles are far from over. Along the seductive path to riches and power, Faust realizes his salvation is tragically bound to others, including those he loves most. WNO takes a look at this French classic with a riveting production featuring a storybook aesthetic and phenomenal cast. From Marguerite's celebrated “Jewel Song” to the beloved soldiers’ chorus, Gounod’s score propels Goethe’s tale of redemption and damnation into a dizzying dance with the devil that will be impossible to forget. Performance Timing: Act One - 48 min.; Intermission - 20 min.; Act Two - 48 min.; Intermission - 20 min.; Act Three - 58 min. Come early to interact with real props and costumes! WNO’s Touch Cart will be open one hour prior to the performances on Mar. 22 & 27. Subscribe to The Kennedy Center! http://bit.ly/2gNFrtb
Repertoire

Repertoire Includes

OPERA

ADAMO
Little Women (Friedrich Bhaer)

Lysistrata (Kinesias)

 

ADAMS
A Flowering Tree (Narrator)

Doctor Atomic (Oppenheimer)

 

AUCOIN
Eurydice (Orpheus)

 

BELLINI
I Puritani (Riccardo)

 

BERLIOZ
Béatrice Et Bénédict (Claudio)

 

BERNSTEIN
A Quiet Place (Junior)

 

BIZET
Carmen (Escamillo)

Les Pêcheurs de Perles (Zurga)

 

BRITTEN
Albert Herring (Sid)

Billy Budd (Billy Budd)

Owen Wingrave (Owen Wingrave)

Peter Grimes (Ned Keene)

The Rape Of Lucretia (Tarquinius)

 

CHABRIER
L’étoile (Hérisson)

CORIGLIANO

The Ghosts Of Versailles (Figaro)

 

DEBUSSY

Pelléas Et Mélisande (Pelléas)

BIZET
Carmen (Escamillo)

Les Pêcheurs Des Perles (Zurga)

 

BRITTEN
Albert Herring (Sid)

Billy Budd (Billy Budd)

Owen Wingrave (Owen Wingrave)

Peter Grimes (Ned Keene)

The Rape Of Lucretia (Tarquinius)

 

CHABRIER
L’étoile (Hérisson)

 

CORIGLIANO

The Ghosts Of Versailles (Figaro)

 

DEBUSSY

Pelléas Et Mélisande (Pelléas)

 

DONIZETTI

Don Pasquale (Malatesta)

L’elisir D’amore (Belcore)

Falla La Vida Breve (Manuel)

 

FAIROUZ
The New Prince (Niccolò Machiavelli)

 

GLUCK
Iphigénie En Tauride (Oreste)

 

GOUNOD

Faust (Valentin)

Roméo et Juliette (Mercutio)

 

HEGGIE

Dead Man Walking (De Rocher)

It’s A Wonderful Life (Harry Bailey)

Moby-Dick (Starbuck)

The End Of The Affair (Bendrix)

HANDEL
Rinaldo (Argante)

 

KORNGOLD

Die Tote Stadt (Fritz)

 

LEHÁR
The Merry Widow (Danilo)

LEONCAVALLO
I Pagliacci (Silvio)

 

MASSENET
Manon (Lescaut)

Thaїs (Athanaël)

Werther (Albert)

 

MONTEVERDI

L’incoronazione Di Poppeo (Ottone)

L’orfeo (Orfeo)

Il Ritorno D’ulisse In Patria (Telemaco)

MOZART

Così Fan Tutte (Guglielmo)

Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni)

Le Nozze Di Figaro (Count Almaviva)

Die Zauberflöte (Papageno)

 

PORTMAN

The Little Prince (The Pilot)

 

POULENC

Les Mamelles De Tirésias (Le Mari)

 

PUCCINI

La Bohème  (Marcello)

Madama Butterfly (Sharpless)

 

PURCELL

Dido And Æneas (Æneas)

 

RAMEAU

Castor Et Pollux (Pollux)

 

RAVEL

L’heure Espagnole (Ramiro)

 

RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN

Carousel (Billy Bigelow)

 

ROSSINI

Il Barbiere Di Siviglia (Figaro)

La Cenerentola (Dandini)

L’italiana In Algeri (Taddeo)

 

SAARIAHO

L’amour De Loin (Jaufré Rudel)

 

J. STRAUSS

Die Fledermaus (Falke)

 

R. STRAUSS

Capriccio (Olivier)

 

TCHAIKOVSKY

Eugene Onegin (Onegin)

Pikovaya Dama (Yeletsky)

 

WAGNER

Tannhäuser (Wolfram)

 

WEINBERG

The Passenger (Tadeusz)

Concert

ADAMS
The Wound-Dresser

J.S. BACH
Christmas Oratorio
Mass in B-minor
St. John Passion
St. Matthew Passion

BARBER
Dover Beach

BERLIOZ
Lélio
Les Nuits d’Été

BERNSTEIN
Mass

BRAHMS
Ein deutsches Requiem

BRITTEN
War Requiem

BRUCKNER
Te Deum

CHARPENTIER
Messe de Minuit

COPLAND
Old American Songs

DEBUSSY
Trois Ballades de François Villon

DURUFLÉ
Requiem

FAURÉ
Requiem

FINZI
In Terra Pax

GRIEG
Peer Gynt

HANDEL
Messiah
Judas Maccabaeus
Dettingen Te Deum

HAYDN
The Creation

IBERT
Chansons de Don Quichotte

KAPILOW
Polar Express

LIEBERSON
Songs of Love and Sorrow

MAHLER
Des Knaben Wunderhorn
Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
Symphony No. 8

MARTIN
Six Monologues from “Jedermann”

MENDELSSOHN
Elijah

NIELSEN
Symphony No. 3

ORFF
Carmina Burana

RAVEL
Don Quichotte à Dulcinée

ROSSINI
Petite Messe Solennelle

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
Five Mystical Songs
Sea Symphony

VIVALDI
Beatus Vir

Discography

Selected Discography

Press

Press

Bernard Foccroulle CASSANDRA / La Monnaie de Munt

“The well-voiced baritone of Joshua Hopkins gives a lot of authority to the character of Apollo” 
Alfred Caron, Avant Scéne Opera 
(September 2023)

"Apollo (Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins) has a beautiful vocal vigour in relation to the dark and predatory side of the character"
Benedict Hévry, ResMusica (September 2023
) 

"Joshua Hopkins is particularly radiant in the rather dark role of Apollo"
Claude Jottrand, Forum Opera (September 2023) 

"Joshua Hopkins brings to life that detestable god Apollo with conviction and authority."

Xavier Rivera, Opera World, (September 2023) 

"To these characters join the disarming magnitude of breath of Apollo (Joshua Hopkins)"

Thibault Vicq, Opera Online (September 2023) 

"Joshua Hopkins excels in the role of Apollo" 
Par Cinzia, Classic Agenda (September 2023) 

Matthew Aucoin EURYDICE / Los Angeles Opera

“Orpheus the everyday guy — clueless if also endearing — is sung by Mr. Hopkins, with firm voice and youthful swagger. ” 
Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times (February 2020)

“The production features a sterling cast led by the lithe and endearing soprano Danielle de Niese (Eurydice); the robust baritone Joshua Hopkins (Orpheus); countertenor, John Holiday (as Orpheus’s spirit double); tenor Barry Banks (Hades); with LA Opera veteran baritone Rod Gilfry as Eurydice’s father” 
Jim Farber,  San Francisco Classical Voice (February 2020)

“Sung by baritone Joshua Hopkins with stentorian presence and a beautifully coherent sound, Orpheus is distant and one-dimensional, unable to express himself despite his unparalleled gift of music.” 
Matthew Richard Martinez, Bachtrack (February 2020)

“It features a sterling cast led by the lithe and endearing soprano, Danielle de Niese (as Eurydice); the robust baritone of Joshua Hopkins (as her music-obsessed boyfriend, Orpheus)…” 

Jim Farber, Los Angeles Daily News (February 2020)


 

Mozart THE MAGIC FLUTE / The Metropolitan Opera
 

“And the hearty-voiced baritone Joshua Hopkins stole the show as Papageno, the hapless bird-catcher who reluctantly becomes Tamino’s sidekick on his quest. Mr. Hopkins’s antics and pratfalls had the audience giggling all afternoon.” 
Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times (
December 2019)

 

“Stellar performances were delivered by all the players. Joshua Hopkins, baritone, provided a modern take on Papageno. His singing is pure perfection and his clownish capers lit up the stage. Hopkins is a brilliant physical comedian as well as master of the singer’s art.” 
Linda Holt, Bachtrack (December 2019)

 

“As Papageno, Joshua Hopkins brought an abundance of laughter through his time onstage. His introductory aria, “Der Vogelfanger bin ich ja” carried a bright and firm energy which lasted through most of the strophic number, slowing with a relishing draw at the thought of one day finding a mate. This vocal brightness lent itself to his taking of the credit for killing the serpent, with a humorous, resounding “Strangled it!” Hawkin’s [sic] lines were often delivered with skillful timing, and he showed great control of his support as through his many dynamic actions. This energy also helped with his interactions with much of the onstage puppetry, such as when he and Tamino receive food from Sarastro, as Papageno has his finger pinched by a lobster and tries to pull spaghetti from a floating bowl. These qualities nicely came together for his Act two number “Ein madchen oder Weibchen, as his upbeat, longing sentiments were joined by his dance moves, including a brief use of the “Floss” dance from the popular children’s game “Fortnite.” 
Logan Martell, Operawire (December 2019)

Massenet THAÏS / Toronto Symphony Orchestra

"Joshua Hopkins’s outstanding Athanaël. His is a remarkable, unforgettable performance, sung with consistently expressive beauty, and quite superbly characterised, with every second of Athanaël’s progress from prurient fanaticism to desire, atheism and despair registering with quite astonishing vividness."
Tim Ashley, Gramophone (June 2020)

“Joshua Hopkins sang the enormous role of Athanaël with stunning skill. His character’s bold, even bullying personality was spot on, depicting a monk who is often called too proud in his single-minded pursuit of winning the soul of the courtesan Thaïs. In the end, Athanaël discovers he is in love with Thaïs, and renounces his faith at her death-bed, while she, unaware of his worldly obsession with her, sees a vision of angels and saints welcoming her into the afterlife. Hopkins was remarkable in stamina, musicality, and sheer force in his performative stage presence, but above all, he presented a clear artistic grasp of the French singing idiom. He was an ideal casting for the role, and a prudish sharp contrast to the worldly Alexandrians he must unwillingly court if he is to win Thaïs’s soul as his prize.”
Stephan Bonfiel, Ludwig Van Toronto (November 2019)

 

“Athanaël (sung wonderfully by Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins) is a monk who casts aside all worldly pleasures, instead choosing divine love and its promise of eternal life…Hopkins brings a warm and stoic sound to Athanaël, walking the line between the learned composure of a monk and the white-knuckled battle of a man in conflict with his own virile body.”
Jenna Simeonov, The Globe and Mail (November 11 2019)

 

“Appearing as Athanaël, Joshua Hopkins’ steely stage manners proclaimed his character’s eternal inflexibility, clutching his thick binder of music like some treasured holy book…Hopkins’ assertive reach somewhat lightened by his translucent mid range provided an engaging platform for his maniacal monk. Largely deprived of opportunities to spotlight style and technique by virtue of Massenet’s penchant for declamation rather than aria, the rising young Canadian baritone gave more than ample expression to a succession of smouldering recits and ariosos.”
Ian Ritchie, Opera Going Toronto (November 2019)

 

“Baritone Joshua Hopkins has a beguiling, lyric tone to his voice, but it was powerful enough to hold its own against the orchestra as he portrayed Athanaël.”
John Terrauds, The Toronto Star (November 2019)

 

“The Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins was the perfect counterpart to Wall as the monk Athanaël. His vibrant voice had enormous power when required and yet could project intensity in quieter passages. This was my first-time hearing Hopkins and he showed his worthiness for the leading roles he enjoys on the world’s biggest stages.”
David Richards, Toronto Concert Reviews (November 2019)

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