A rich, sonorous vocal quality and incisive involvement characterize baritone Teppei Kono's performances on opera and concert stages. He first gained international recognition when he débuted with Singapore Lyric Opera as Figaro in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. He has since performed this role with DuPage Opera Theater, in Cleveland, and with Chamber Opera Chicago with the Northbrook Symphony. He sang his first Don Giovanni with the American Opera Group, Belcore with Elgin Opera, Muddy River Opera and Union Avenue Opera, and Escamillo also with Chamber Opera Chicago.

This season he appears as Dr. Malatesta with Houston's Opera in the Heights, and makes his company début with Hawaii Opera Theater in Carmen (Feb 2009).

Mr. Kono has performed the roles of Hermann in Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Papageno and Escamillo with Cleveland Opera, Seneca's Pupil in L'Incoronazione di Poppea with Chicago Opera Theater, and as Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte with Music by the Lake.

As an apprentice artist he was a member of the prestigious Merola program at the San Francisco Opera Center, and Lyric Opera Cleveland and Chicago Opera Theater young artists programs where he prepared and performed major roles including The Count in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro and Chou En-Lai in Adam's Nixon in China.

Mr. Kono made his symphonic début with the Erie Philharmonic in Dvořák's Te Deum. Other concert work as soloist has included performances in Mozart's Requiem, Fauré's Requiem, Vaughan-Williams' Five Mystical Songs and an appearance at Cleveland's illustrious Art Song Festival.

He won the Metropolitan Opera National Auditions in both Cleveland and Northern Illinois districts, and was a finalist in both the Great Lakes and Central regional competitions. He also received the Encouragement Award from the Gerda Lissner Foundation.

Teppei Kono received his Bachelor of Music and Professional Studies in Vocal Performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music. He also holds a Professional Diploma in Opera from the Chicago College of Performing Arts.