Young American baritone Kenneth Mattice is earning international praise for his poignant singing, handsome appearance and his natural stage presence. Besides performing throughout the United States, this Wisconsin native has recently been making many important international debuts. In this, his third season as the principal baritone at Theater Hagen in Germany, Mr. Mattice will perform Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro, Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor, Edwin in Die Csárdásfürstin and Alfred in Die Geschichten aus dem Wiener Wald.
In previous seasons at Theater Hagen, Mr. Mattice performed the title roles in both Eugene Onegin and Jonny Spielt Auf, as well as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, Valentin in Faust, Don Fernando in Fidelio and Miles Gloriosus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Die Spinnen, die Römer). Previously, he made his German operatic debut with Oper Dortmund as Larry King in the European Continental Premiere production of Anna Nicole (with his wife, soprano Emily Newton, in the title role).
A collaboration with opera composer Carson Kievman has so far resulted in two World Premieres: Hamlet (as Hamlet) and Fairy Tales: Songs of the Dandelion Woman (as the Bank Examiner) in Miami. Kenneth Mattice also performed the role of Petruccio in Efrain Amaya’s World Premiere production of La Bisbetica Domata at the Festival Internazionale della Cultura (Italy). Other performances have taken him to the Macau International Music Festival (China), Opera San José (two seasons as Resident Principal Baritone), Chicago Opera Theater, Opera Tampa, Lyric Opera Baltimore, Opera Delaware, Opera Providence, Shreveport Opera, Opera Saratoga, Union Avenue Opera and Opera Orlando.
Mr. Mattice has been a semi-finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (New England Region), a national finalist in the Liederkranz Competition in NYC and a semi-finalist in the Armel Opera Competition in Hungary. He was also a winner in the Palm Beach Opera Competition, the Bel Canto Italian Opera Competition and the Quad Cities Opera Competition.
