Thomas Potter Biography Page

ThomasPotterOnline.com

- BIOGRAPHY PAGE -

DON CARLO in Trieste, Italy with tenor Alberto Cupido

Baritone Thomas Potter made his professional opera debut in 1986 singing "Giorgio Germont" in matinee performances of LA TRAVIATA for the San Francisco Opera Center. Prior to his Adler Fellow apprenticeship in San Francisco, Thomas earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from Indiana State University, followed by a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance at Indiana University. His voice teachers there were Signor Nicola Rossi-Lemeni and Madame Virginia Zeani.

Thomas' operatic repertoire centers around the great Verdi baritone roles such as "Renato" in UN BALLO IN MASCHERA, "il Conte di Luna" in IL TROVATORE, MACBETH, and RIGOLETTO. He has also had a great deal of success as "Baron Scarpia" in TOSCA, and as "Jochanaan" in Strauss' SALOME. See link on the sidebar for a complete list of Potter's Operatic Repertoire.

Potter has sung leading roles with numerous International music festivals, including the Spoleto Music Festival in both Italy and the USA venues [Philip Glass' opera HYDROGEN JUKEBOX], the Ravenna (Italy) Music Festival [ATTILA], the Bregenzer (Austria) Festspiele [NABUCCO], the La Biennale Festival [Ivan Vandor's APPARITIONS] in Venice, Italy, and the Festival de Inverno - Campos do Jordão [William Walton's BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST] in Brazil.

A few of the opera companies with which Potter has performed include the Teatro Comunale 'Giuseppe Verdi' in Trieste [DON CARLO], Palm Beach Opera [SALOME, RIGOLETTO, & CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLIACCI], Nashville Opera [TURANDOT], Opera Cordoba [TOSCA], Opera São Paulo [CARMEN & NABUCCO], Opéra du Rhin in Strasbourg [DON CARLO], Badisches Staatstheater in Karlsruhe [ATTILA], Atlanta Opera [RIGOLETTO & UN BALLO IN MASCHERA], Utah Opera [SAMSON ET DALILA], and Indianapolis Opera [LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, HÄNSEL UND GRETEL, MACBETH, IL TROVATORE, SAMSON ET DALILA, TURANDOT, LA BOHÈME, THE CRUCIBLE, and FALSTAFF].

As a winner of the Luciano Pavarotti International Vocal Competition in Philadelphia Potter was awarded the opportunity to sing alongside Mr. Pavarotti in the resulting production of Verdi’s opera UN BALLO IN MASCHERA. In 1992 he was a recipient of a study grant from the Licia Albanese - Puccini Foundation.

Concert work continues to play an important role in Potter's career, with credits such as performances of Britten’s WAR REQUIEM in the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, Italy, Walton's BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST with the São Paulo [Brazil] State Symphony and Chorus, Verdi’s MESSA DA REQUIEM and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, each with the Florida Orchestra, and several soloist appearances in New York City's Carnegie Hall [including the North American premiere of Sir David Willcock’s CEREMONY OF PSALMS, a five movement piece for baritone soloist, orchestra, and chorus.], the Italian premiere of Michael Torke’s MASS at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Haydn’s THE CREATION with the Elgin Choral Union in Illinois, and a concert of ROGERS & HAMMERSTEIN and LERNER & LOEWE favorites with the San Francisco Symphony.

From 1994 to 2000, Mr. Potter was engaged by the Stadttheater St. Gallen in Switzerland, singing the roles of "Scarpia" in TOSCA, "Jochanaan" in SALOME, "Alfio" in CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA, "Ezio" in ATTILA, "Amonasro" in AIDA, and "Giorgio Germont" in LA TRAVIATA, among others.

In the Fall of 2000 Potter moved back to the United States to begin a new career as a university professor. He taught for five years in Indiana before joining the University of Central Florida in August of 2005, where he teaches voice and is the Director of UCF Opera. Professional affiliations include membership in Opera America, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, and Pi Kappa Lambda.