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photo: John Hart |
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David Ossenfort he has been enthusiastically praised for his performances as concert soloist and on the opera stage in an array of leading roles including Alfredo, Edgardo, Ferrando, Nemorino, Roméo and the Baron von Eisenstein. A truly versatile artist, he has performed in the unique Heinrich Heine Doppelgänger with American Opera Projects, Stravinsky's Renard with EOS Orchestra, and in the Kennedy Center premiere of Glass' Symphony No. 5 with the Choral Arts Society of Washington, DC. He has been featured soloist in numerous concerts at Carnegie Hall.
Last season, Mr. Ossenfort appeared with Three Tenors: A New Generation and sang his first Don José in Peter Brook's The Tragedie of Carmen with Opera on the James. He returns to OOJ as Roméo opposite star soprano Talise Trevigne (Nov) and débuts as special guest vocalist in the engaging Bernstein on Broadway with the Phoenix Symphony (Nov) and the Minnesota Orchestra (Apr '08). He débuts with Seattle Symphony (Dec) as tenor soloist in The Messiah, and sings Edgardo in a joint production of Lucia with Asheville Lyric and Opera Company of Carolina (Jan '08).
In addition to his concert appearances abroad, he performed in an all-Russian music program with the Cathedral Choral Society at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC, and in Duluth Festival Opera's inaugural gala. He also débuted with Opera on the James and Dayton Opera, and made a triumphant return to Opera Birmingham as Nemorino, a favorite role.
He also has appeared in principal and featured roles with San Francisco Opera, New York City Opera, Opera Orchestra of New York, Mississippi Opera, Anchorage Opera, Bel Canto at Caramoor, Opera Theatre of Connecticut, Connecticut Grand Opera & Orchestra, Opera Providence, and the Sanibel Music Festival. Future opera appearances include débuts as Don Ottavio, Tamino, and Fenton.
Mr. Ossenfort attended the prestigious Tanglewood Music Center where he participated in the Phyllis Curtin Seminars and performed numerous leading roles under the direction and nurturing tutelage of Maestro Seiji Ozawa.
His ever increasing discography includes the world premiere recordings of An Angel Oratorio and Music of the Titanic for EMI. His latest CD of Kurt Weill's Eternal Road with Maestro Gerard Schwarz and Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, is soon to be released by Naxos American Classics.
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As Edgardo in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: |
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"Tenor David Ossenfort as Edgardo was the ideal nineteenth-century romantic lover consumed by many passions, loving Lucia but able to turn on her when he thinks she has betrayed him, and willing to die by his own hand when he learns of his beloved's death. His fine voice made all Edgardo's torments very real, and he was especially effective in his angry encounters with the men who would separate him from Lucia." |
Martha A. Fawbush - Classical Voice of North Carolina - Jan 19, 2008 |
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As Soloist in Händel's Messiah: |
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"Triumphant Messiah" |
Seattle Times - Dec 2007 |
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"'Messiah' brings out the best in SSO" |
P-I - Dec 2007 |
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As Don José in Carmen: |
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"David Ossenfort brought gritty, dramatic realism and beautifully controlled vocalism to this role. He brings both the poignancy and excitement of opera to life. I will watch for this rapidly maturing young artist to make his way to the top of the heap!" |
C. Fields - Virginia - Apr 2007 |
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As soloist in Mozart's Scena - Se ai labbro mio, K.295: |
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"The evening began with a Mozart work, 'Se ai labbro mio' K.295, with lyric tenor David Ossenfort. Basically a love song, the composition is indeed compelling, but was given extraordinary rendering by the strong and vibrant voice of the soloist. From the first sound of his voice, the audience was aware of Mr. Ossenfort's superb artistry and ability to transform notes and words on paper into beautiful music." |
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As Soloist in Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings: |
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"Mr. Ossenfort gave very moving expression to each of the movements displaying his ability to add strength, tenderness and intense emotion where needed." |
Nat Bauer - The Rockford Star - April 4, 2006 |
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As Nemorino in Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore: |
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"Ossenfort brilliantly projected his character's naiveté and obsessive love for Adina. His passionate, show-stopping rendition of 'Una furtive lagrima' was rewarded with shouts of 'bravo.'" |
Opera Birmingham - April, 2005 |
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As Tenor Soloist in Rachmaninoff's The Bells: |
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"The luster of David Ossenfort's bel canto tenor captivated the ear." |
The Washington Post - Tuesday, March 8, 2005 |
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Début as Roméo in Gounod's Roméo et Juliette: |
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"good choice for the title role" |
Seth Williamson special to the Roanoke Times - March 27, 2004 |
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As Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor: |
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"Tenor David Ossenfort matched up well as Lucia's lover, Edgardo, tenderly expounding his love in the Act 1 duet. His tenor was smooth as silk as he moved fluidly about the stage." |
The Birmingham News - Feb 8, 2004 |
In Concert |
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"Ossenfort has all the vocal goods, as he showed last year as Alfredo in Opera Birmingham's La Traviata: rich emotive singing that projects even in the softest passages and a top register that could easily fill any opera house." |
Michael Huebner - The Birmingham News - Jan 26, 2003 |
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As Don Ramiro in Rossini's La Cenerentola: |
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"For the more discerning adult listener, the production offers some crisp, elegant coloratura work from Nicolosi, and more than a few ringing high C's from tenor David Ossenfort, who plays Don Ramiro, the prince smitten by Cinderella's charm and kindness. Ossenfort, who has sung with New York City Opera, possesses a bright, clear tenor voice." |
Channing Gray - Providence Journal - Sep 20, 2002 |
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As Ernesto in Donizetti's Don Pasquale: |
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"The role of Ernesto, the Don's nephew, was sung by tenor David Ossenfort with unforced sweetness and a catch in the voice that went straight to the heart. His sound, while young, offers hints of impressive brilliance. Ossenfort's rendition of the well-known serenade goes to the top of my list of enchanting performances." |
The Journal News (NY) |
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As Nemorino in Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore: |
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"The great voice of the evening came from tenor David Ossenfort in the leading role. To advance 'L'Elisir' beyond the dramatic stature of 'Dumb and Dumber,' Nemorino must deliver his serious second-act aria, 'Una furtiva lagrima,' with perfect poise, great vocal beauty and wrenching emotion. Ossenfort triumphed on all counts and drew the loudest cheers from the crowd. Here's hoping we hear more from this guy in the future." |
Anchorage Daily News |
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As Alfredo in Verdi's La Traviata: |
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"Even more impressive was tenor David Ossenfort, who, as Alfredo, exuded confidence, anger, and remorse, as required. His spirited first act 'Libiam ne lieti calici' and affectionate duets with Bender (Violetta) were some of the opera's high points. He possesses a sweetly elegant voice, finely honed in the top register which easily filled the Alabama Theatre (2,500 seats). He also has fine musical instincts, which in this performance helped to keep the orchestra in check and the action from wavering." |
The Birmingham News - Jan 27, 2002 |
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As Nemorino in Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore: |
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"Ossenfort (Nemorino) has a delicious dynamic control in his higher range and lingered lovingly on those notes which he knew he was producing especially beautifully. 'Una furtiva lagrima' was deeply moving as he savored the beautiful melody. Ossenfort is an exciting young tenor." |
The Roanoke Times |
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As Nemorino in Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore: |
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"Ossenfort's Nemorino is not so much the clownish redneck as a handsome, sad-eyed and sensitive kid who is so infatuated that you can actually believe he'd mistake 'corn likker' for a magic love potion. Ossenfort has a delicious dynamic control in his higher range and lingered lovingly on those notes which he knew he was producing especially beautifully. 'Una furtiva lagrima,' the tenor's highpoint, was deeply moving as he savored the beautiful melody. Ossenfort is an exciting young tenor who one day may become too expensive for Opera Roanoke, so hear him now when you can." |
The Roanoke Times |
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As Alfred in Strauss's Die Fledermaus: |
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" Alfred, played by David Ossenfort, whose melodious, mellow tenor is gorgeously suited to the operatic arias he voiced to win Rosalinde's heart." |
The Herald |
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"The opera tenor, Alfred, played by David Ossenfort, had all the operatic attributes to captivate Rosalinde's romantic fantasies, including a Pavarotti high 'C' and hanky." |
The Middletown Press |
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"Of the male protagonists, tenor Eisenstein and baritone Falke, together with would-be lover Alfred (David Ossenfort) who carries the first act with aplomb and a wonderful tenor voice, combine the magical talents of singing, acting and movement. Besides, they are handsome (can't best that). |
Main Street News |
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photo: John Hart |
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David Ossenfort as Roméo | |
Opera Company of North Carolina | Edgardo - Lucia |
Asheville Lyric Opera | Edgardo - Lucia |
Opera on the James | Don José - The Tragedie of Carmen |
Dayton Opera (company début) | Eisenstein (role début) Die Fledermaus |
| Opera Birmingham | Nemorino - L'Elisir d'Amore |
| San Francisco Opera (company début) | Andrew Johnson - The Mother of Us All |
| Mississippi Opera | Ralph - HMS Pinafore |
| Opera Birmingham | Edgardo - Lucia di Lammermoor |
| Opera Roanoke | Romeo - Roméo et Juliette |
San Francisco Opera | Don Ramiro - La Cenerentola |
Caramoor International Music Festival | Ernesto - Don Pasquale |
Anchorage Opera | Nemorino - L'Elisir d'Amore |
Opera Birmingham | Alfredo - La Traviata |
Anchorage Opera | Edgardo - Lucia di Lammermoor |
Opera Roanoke | Nemorino - L'Elisir d'Amore |
New York City Opera | Il Viaggio a Reims, Ariodante, Carmen, Falstaff,
Central Park, |
American Opera Projects | Heinrich Heine Doppelgänger |
Opera Orchestra of New York | Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia - Carnegie Hall |
Opera Orchestra of New York | Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots - Carnegie Hall |
EOS Orchestra | Tenor I - Stravinsky's Renard |
Sanibel Music Festival | Ferrando - Così fan tutte |
Opera Providence | Don Ramiro - La Cenerentola |
Opera Theater of Connecticut | Lindoro - L'Italiana in Algeri |
News 12 New York (TV Broadcast) | "Celebrity Spotlight" |
Minnesota Orchestra | Guest Artist - Bernstein on Broadway |
Seattle Symphony | SOLOIST - Messiah |
The Alabama Theatre in Birmingham | GUEST SOLOIST - An Alabama Christmas Concert |
Phoenix Symphony | Guest Artist - Bernstein on Broadway |
The Minneapolis Symphony | SOLOIST - The Three Tenors: A New Generation! |
Opera on the James | SOLOIST - The Three Tenors: A New Generation! |
| Duluth Festival Opera | SOLOIST - The Three Tenors: A New Generation! |
| Opera Roanoke | SOLOIST - The Three Tenors: A New Generation! |
| Cathedral Choral Society | SOLOIST - Rachmaninoff's The Bells |
| BachWorks, NYC | TENOR SOLOIST - Judas Maccabeus |
Princeton University Concert Series | SOLOIST (début) - Bach St. John Passion |
Opera Birmingham | SPECIAL GUEST SOLOIST - GALA CONCERT |
St. John the Divine Cathedral | SOLOIST - Händel's Messiah |
Carnegie Hall | TENOR SOLOIST - The Nativity |
Roanoke, VA | Gala Duo Recital Concert with Michelle Areyzaga |
| The Kennedy Center | SOLOIST - Glass' Symphony No.5 (Kennedy Center début) |
Carnegie Hall | SOLOIST - Mozart's Coronation Mass & Schubert's Mass in G |
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photo: John Hart |
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Barber | Vanessa | Anatol | 3 |
Bizet | Carmen | Don José | 2 |
| Les Pêcheurs de Perles | Nadir | 3 |
Bizet/Brook | The Tragedie of Carmen | Don José | 1 |
Britten | Peter Grimes | Rector Horace Adams | 1 |
Delibes | Lakme | Gérald | 3 |
Donizetti | L'Elisir d'Amore | Nemorino | 1 |
| Lucia di Lammermoor | Edgardo | 1 |
Gounod | Faust | Faust | 2 |
| Roméo et Juliette | Romeo | 1 |
Massenet | Manon | Chevalier des Grieux | 2 |
| Werther | Werther | 3 |
Mozart | La Clememza di Tito | Tito | 3 |
| Così fan tutte | Ferrando (English & Italian) | 1 |
| Die Entführung | Belmonte | 3 |
| Don Giovanni | Don Ottavio | 1 |
| Die Zauberflöte | Tamino (German & English) | 2 |
Poulenc | Les Dialogues de Carmelites | Chevalier de la Force | 3 |
Puccini | La Bohème | Rodolfo | 2 |
| Gianni Schicchi | Rinuccio | 2 |
| La Rondine | Ruggero | 2 |
Strauss, J. | Die Fledermaus | Gabriel von Eisenstein | 1 |
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| Alfred | 1 |
Stravinsky | The Rake's Progress | Tom Rakewell | 3 |
Tchaikovsky | Eugene Onegin | Lensky | 2 |
Thompson | The Mother of Us All | Andrew Johnson | 1 |
Verdi | Falstaff | Fenton | 2 |
| Macbeth | Macduff | 2 |
| Otello | Cassio | 2 |
| Rigoletto | The Duke | 2 |
| La Traviata | Alfredo | 1 |
Weill | Street Scene | Sam Kaplan | 2 |
1 | performed |
2 | completely prepared |
3 | future role |
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photo: John Hart |
Andriessen | Hadewich |
Bach, C.P.E. | Magnificat |
Bach, J.S. | Christmas Oratorio |
| Magnificat |
| Mass in b minor |
| St. John Passion |
| St. Matthew Passion |
Beethoven | Choral Fantasy |
| Mass in C |
Brahms | Liebeslieder Waltzes |
| Neue Liebeslieder |
Britten | Serenade |
Dvořák | Stabat Mater |
Glass | Symphony No.5 (Washington premiere, Kennedy Center) |
Händel | Judas Maccabaeus |
| Messiah |
Haydn | The Seasons |
| The Creation |
Honegger | King David |
Mendelssohn | Elijah |
Mozart | Coronation Mass |
| Great Mass in C |
| Requiem |
Rachmaninoff | The Bells |
Rodgers Robinson | The Nativity (world premiere, Carnegie Hall) |
Rossini | Petit Messe Solennelle |
| Stabat Mater |
Schubert | Mass in A-flat |
| Mass in G |
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photos: Oliver Korshin |
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David Ossenfort as Nemorino (Anchorage Opera March 2002) | ||
The Eternal Road by Kurt Weill | [To be released in 2007 - Naxos Classics] |
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Released: | |
Music of the Titanic | EMI |
An Angel Oratorio | EMI |
Splendor of the High Holy Days | VOX |
Nicole | Albany Records |
The Eternal Road by Kurt Weill | Naxos Classics |
"From the Naxos American Classics series, there is a subseries, American Jewish Music from the Milken Archive. The latest addition is "The Art of Yiddish Song," which celebrates the Yiddish art songs of Lazar Weiner (1897-1982). Here are 32 selections ranging from 45 seconds to 4.5 minutes, sung by such artists as Raphael Frieder, Ida Rae Cahana, Meir Finkelstein, Robert Abelson and the outstanding tenor David Ossenfort. Some heartbreaking, all lovely, these songs provide fascinating insight into how this people's experience in America reflects all of their history. Complete texts and translations are provided." | |
Classical Music Reviews | |
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photo: John Hart |
Fellowship Program | Tanglewood Music Center |
The Phyllis Curtin Seminar | Tanglewood Music Center |
B.A. Fine Arts (in Opera Performance) | State University of New York at Purchase |
Neil Rosenschein |
Click to visit Mr. Ossenfort's page at the The Milken Archive of American Jewish Music.