Continuing to thrill audiences worldwide with his powerful voice and amazing performances, critics hail American Tenor Michael Wade Lee as “that rarity among operatic tenors, a really good-looking, virile, well-built and gifted thespian with a wide-ranging voice to match.” A seasoned performer on the operatic stage, he performs with some of the most respected companies in the world, including the Greek National Opera, New York City Opera, San Antonio Opera, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Staatstheater Mainz, Chautauqua Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Mississippi Opera, El Paso Opera, Musica Viva (Hong Kong) and the San Francisco Opera Center.
In 2010, Michael thrilled audiences in the UK and Poland with his renditions of great tenor arias, and wowed Texas audiences with his seductive performances as the Duke in Rigoletto. He followed that with successful performances as Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana with Kentucky Opera.
In 2009, Michael made his northern European debut in Mainz, Germany, as a “helden-voiced” Don José in Carmen with the Staatstheater Mainz. 2009-10 saw Michael singing with City Of Birmingham Symphony-Orchestra, El Paso Opera, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Greater Bridgeport Symphony, and returning to England for another engagement with the Glyndebourne Festival Opera. He returned later in 2009 to the United States for his featured solo concert debut with Midland Symphony following performances of Don José in Carmen in Dublin, Ireland. He will return to Dublin in 2011 to sing Manrico in Verdi’s Il trovatore.
A native of Texas, Michael received his BM from Stephen F. Austin State University under the guidance of Dr. Deborah Ann Dalton, and his MM from Indiana University. He was consistently a finalist in the Texoma region’s NATS competitions. He also won the Metropolitan Opera National Council encouragement award in Indiana in 2000 as well as being endowed with the prestigious Merola Career Grant and the Pacific Opera Career Grant, both since 2004.
To visit Michael’s website, click here: http://michaelwadelee.com/