Jason Detwiler
Baritone
With nearly fifty roles to his credit, baritone Jason Detwiler has become well-known for his magnetic and energizing stage performances. His voice and acting have been described as "emotionally fervid", "richly expressive" and "commanding", as he possesses a diverse repertoire ranging from the comedic Papageno (Die Zauberflöte) and Guglielmo(Cosi fan tutte) to the dramatic Germont (La traviata) and Escamillo (Carmen). Among
"The baritone Jason Detwiler, in a performance of vocal weight and dramatic assurance, moved Fitzgerald’s narrator Nick Carraway from the periphery into the centre of the proceedings through sheer force of will"
--Opera Magazine - May 2012
his most widely acclaimed roles are the title roles of Il barbiere di Siviglia and Eugene Onegin, as well as Malatesta (Don Pasquale), Zurga (Les pêcheurs de perles), and John Proctor (The Crucible). His concert credits include: Bach's St. John's Passion, Haydn's Creation, Mozart's Requiem, Faure's Requiem, Handel's Messiah, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Dvorak's Te Deum, Saint-Säens' Christmas Oratorio, Mollicone's Beatitude Mass, Ahab in Bernard Herrmann's Moby Dick and Einhorn's Voices of Light.
This past season showed a number of local appearances in his hometown. With a return to the Boise Philharmonic to take part in their first Picnic at the Pops: music of Gerschwin, Mr. Detwiler then expanded his repertoire with Ford (Falstaff), Peter (Hansel and Gretel), a staged version of Schubert’s Winterreise and a reprise of Silvio in I pagliacci, all with Opera Idaho. In the spring, he returned to Stockton Opera and debuted with Wichita Grand Opera reprising Almaviva ( Le nozze di Figaro). In addition, he sang with Cinnabar Theater as Escamillo. Highlights of the 2013-2014 season include another Almaviva, Gianni Schicchi and his first Sam in Trouble in Tahiti with Opera Idaho. Along with his wife, Michele, Jason will also be touring throughout Idaho performing sacred music and sharing their love story in a concert entitled "With No Love Greater Than His".
The baritone has performed nationally with San Diego Opera, Virginia Opera, Opéra Théâtre d'Avignon, Opera Santa Barbara, Opera Parallèle, Center for Contemporary Opera, Syracuse Opera, Sacramento Opera, Spokane Opera, Opéra Louisiane, Shreveport Opera, Festival Opera of Walnut Creek, Opera Coeur d'Alene, Rimrock Opera, Sonoma City Opera, West Bay Opera, Trinity Lyric Opera, Vallejo Symphony Orchestra, the American Philharmonic Sonoma County, the Idaho State-Civic Symphony, the Boise Philharmonic, the Boise Master Chorale, the Masterworks Chorale of San Mateo and the Auburn Symphony. From 2002-2006, he was part of Irene Dalis' Opera San Jose as a Principal Resident Artist. While there, he sang Dandini (La cenerentola), Falke(Die Fledermaus), Papageno, Valentin, Silvio (I pagliacci), Escamillo,Marcello (La bohème), John Proctor, and the title roles of Mozart's Don Giovanni and Figaro among others. In 2009-2010, Mr. Detwiler became Opera Idaho's first Artist-in-Residence, singing lead roles, giving concerts, and leading master classes for the Resident Company. Other major roles include: Yeletsky (Pikovaya Dama), Mr. Gobineau (The Medium), Harlekin (Ariadne auf Naxos), Mr. Webb in Ned Rorem's Our Town, Nick Carraway (The Great Gatsby), Sharpless (Madama Butterfly), Renato (Un ballo in maschera), the title roles in Verdi'sMacbeth and Vaughan Williams' Pilgrim's Progress, and Billy Bigelow(Carousel).
Currently, Mr. Detwiler resides in Boise, Idaho with his wife, mezzo-soprano Michele Detwiler, and their two children.
Artist's website: www.jasondetwiler.net