Tenor, George Ross Somerville, in Sarasota Opera's production of Tosca "was an excellent spidery Spoletta, his versatile tenor holding us like Velcro." (Brooklyn Daily Eagle / Nino Pantano). He was praised for his "animated portrayal" of Laca in Janácek's Jenufa (New York Times / Allan Kozinn), and is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. In Die Zauberflöte, Mr. Somerville was a "strong, clear-voiced Tamino," (Cleveland Classical / Daniel Hathaway), and in La clemenza di Tito, he "was an imposing presence as Tito and negotiated his extensive role with authority and stamina," (Cleveland Classical / William Fazekas). As Jeník in The Bartered Bride, Mr. Somerville "proved easily adept at navigating the trickier musical moments...with a clear tone and powerful voice," (The Oberlin Review / Daniel Walden). He was a Gerdine Young Artist with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and for two summers was a CoOperative Fellow with The CoOperative Program. Last summer he was an Apprentice Artist with Des Moines Metro Opera. As Rev. Horace Adams his "characterful tenor provided a nice variety," to their production of Peter Grimes (Opera Today / James Sohre). While at the Des Moines Metro Opera summer festival, he also covered the title role of Peter Grimes. He was an Apprentice Artist with Sarasota Opera where he understudied Gaston in their production of Jérusalem. This Summer, he was an Apprentice Artist with Opera Saratoga where he sang First Armored Man in Die Zauberflöte. While in Saratoga, he also premiered the role of Alex Fitzgibbon in Evan Mack's new opera, based on the William Kennedy novel "Roscoe". This upcoming Winter, he will sing Spoletta in Sarasota Opera's production of Tosca.
An active church musician with Nassau Presbyterian Church of Princeton New Jersey, Mr. Somerville's concert and oratorio work has included The Evangelist in Bach's St. John Passion; Susan Youens' Lecture Recital - Wolf and Wagner: Homage, Appropriation, and Contention; Benjamin Britten's Canticle I: My Beloved is mine; the J.S. Bach Cantata BWV 142; the Schumann Bicentennial Recital Series; the Vivaldi Magnificat; and the Stravinsky Mass. He is on the roster of the Opera Philadelphia opera chorus, and he is a member of the Extra Chorus with the Metropolitan Opera. He is a frequent cantor at various Catholic churches in the Tri-State Area. He recently sang in the ensemble of Roméo et Juliette and Elektra with Des Moines Metro Opera and also sang in the opera chorus of Francesca da Rimini with The Princeton Festival in 2012. In the summer of 2011, he sang in the opera choruses of Don Giovanni, Pelléas et Mélisande, La Fille Du Regiment, and The Death of Klinghoffer with Opera Theatre Saint Louis.
He is a founding member of The Thirteen, an elite vocal ensemble of twelve professional singers based in South Jersey, specializing in music of the Renaissance and Baroque. South Jersey's only professional choir, The Thirteen, directed by Matthew Robertson, performs throughout the mid-Atlantic region. He is also a member of The Princeton Singers, which in recent years has earned a reputation as one of the nation's preeminent chamber choirs. This group, under the direction of Steven Sametz, is strongly committed to the creation of new choral repertoire with its strong commissioning program and by participating in workshops for aspiring composers. In major choral works, George Ross Somerville has appeared in the ensemble with The Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Ashkanazy, The Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, The New York Philharmonic conducted by Peter Schreier, The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jacques Lacombe, and The Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Simon Rattle.
Mr. Somerville won 1st place last year in the Westminster Voice Scholarship Competition and recently completed his Masters degree in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy at Westminster Choir College. Significant influences in Mr. Somerville's career include Laura Brooks Rice, Salvatore Champagne, Allen Perriello, Edward J Crafts, Victor DeRenzi, Susan Ashbaker, and Howard Lubin.
(Production photos by John Seyfried)