One of the most gifted and distinguished lyric tenors of his generation, Matthew Polenzani has been praised for the artistic versatility and fresh lyricism that he brings to concert and operatic appearances on leading international stages.
This season Mr. Polenzani returns to the Metropolitan Opera in a new Willy Decker production of La Traviata marking the Met's New Year's Eve gala. Other opera performances in the 2010-2011 season include Nemorino in L'Elisir d'amore (opposite the Adnia of Anna Netrebko) at both the Met and the Bayerische Staatsoper; Ferrando in Così fan tutte at Opéra National de Paris, conducted by Philippe Jordan; and a tour of Japan with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in Laurent Pelly's production of Manon, again opposite Anna Netrebko, under the baton of Antonio Pappano. A dedicated recitalist, he and frequent collaborator Julius Drake appear together at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, at Jordan Hall under the aegis of Celebrity Series Boston, with the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and at Eastern Illinois University.
During the past season, Mr. Polenzani reprised the role of Tamino at the Metropolitan Opera in Julie Taymor's production of Die Zauberflöte, conducted by Adam Fischer. The artist made his debut in the title role of Idomeneo at Teatro Reggio Torino under the baton of Gianandrea Noseda, and debuted at Wigmore Hall in recital with pianist Julius Drake. Additional operatic performances of the season included Die Entführung aus dem Serail at San Francisco Opera, the title role of Berlioz's La damnation de Faust at Oper Frankfurt, and a tour to Japan with the company of Teatro Reggio Torino in La Traviata singing Alfredo opposite the Violetta of Natalie Dessay. His concert calendar included Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with James Levine and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
In the 2008-2009 season, Mr. Polenzani appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in Don Giovanni and made his Los Angeles Opera debut under the baton of James Conlon in Die Zauberflöte. He returned to the stage of the Lyric Opera of Chicago to sing Die Entführung aus dem Serail with Sir Andrew Davis and bowed at Oper Frankfurt in Lucia di Lammermoor opposite Christine Schäfer. At the Vienna State Opera, the artist sang performances of Die Zauberflöte and Lucia di Lammermoor with Edita Gruberova. Concert performances of the season included La damnation de Faust with David Zinman and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, the Berlioz Te Deum with Sir Colin Davis and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Rossini's Stabat Mater with Riccardo Frizza and the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris at the Saint Denis Festival, and Haydn's The Creation with Louis Langrée and the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra at Lincoln Center.
Among the many highlights from recent Metropolitan Opera seasons were performances of La Traviata, opposite Renée Fleming, the title role of Roméo et Juliette, opposite Anna Netrebko, and Die Entführung aus dem Serail, opposite Diana Damrau, as well as the premieres of Julie Taymor's production of Die Zauberflöte, Francesca Zambello's production of Les Troyens (both with James Levine), Marthe Keller's production of Don Giovanni with Sir Andrew Davis, Jürgen Flimm's production of Salome with Valery Gergiev, and revivals of Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Così fan tutte, Falstaff, and Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Commitments outside New York have included productions of La Traviata at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, also with Ms. Fleming, as well as at the Teatro Comunale di Firenze and at the Aix en Provence Festival (commercially available on DVD); I Capuleti e I Montecchi at the Paris Opera, again with Ms. Netrebko; L'elisir d'amore at the Vienna State Opera, Teatro San Carlo, and Rome Opera; Così fan tutte at Covent Garden with Sir Colin Davis and at Seattle Opera; and debuts at La Scala in La Traviata as well as at the Salzburg Festival in Don Giovanni under the baton of Bertrand de Billy in a new production by Klaus Guth.
Mr. Polenzani has been acclaimed in symphonic appearances with Lorin Maazel and the New York Philharmonic, Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony, Pierre Boulez and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Franz Welser-Möst and the Cleveland Orchestra, Wolfgang Sawallisch and the Orchestra della Santa Cecilia, James Levine and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Jesús López-Cobos and the Orchestre National de France, James Conlon and the Cincinnati Symphony, Louis Langrée and the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, Sir Jeffrey Tate and the Minnesota Orchestra, Leonard Slatkin and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, David Zinman and the Aspen Festival Orchestra, and with Riccardo Muti and the Orchestra Giovanile "L. Cherubini" at the Salzburg Whitsun Festival.
In recital Matthew Polenzani has appeared with Roger Vignoles at the Verbier Festival (commercially available on CD), with Julius Drake under the auspices of Lincoln Center and the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and with noted pianist Richard Goode in a presentation of Janáček's The Diary of One Who Vanished at Zankel Hall with pianist Richard Goode. In a single recent season, he was honored to have appeared on all three stages of Carnegie Hall: with the MET Chamber Ensemble at Zankel Hall; in solo recital with pianist James Levine at Weill Hall; and in a Schubert Liederabend on the stage of Isaac Stern Auditorium.
Matthew Polenzani was the recipient of the 2004 Richard Tucker Award and Metropolitan Opera's 2008 Beverly Sills Artist Award. He makes his home in suburban New York with his wife and two sons. Date Last Edited: 28th September 2010