Michael Wade Lee

The San Francisco Classical Voice hails tenor Michael Wade Lee as a singer "most impressive...with a well-articulated voice of clarity and remarkable color".  A seasoned performer on the operatic stage, he has sung with some of the most respected companies in the world including the Greek National Opera, Staatstheater Mainz, Glyndebourne Festival, New York City Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis and the San Francisco Opera.  During the 2007-2008 season he made his international debut in an engagement with the Greek National Opera, performing the role of Don José CARMEN opposite Denyce Graves.  In quick succession, Mr. Lee reprised the role of Don José CARMEN with Lyric Opera Productions Dublin, Chautauqua Opera, Opera in the Heights and most recently for the season opening at the Staatstheater Mainz in Germany.  Also that season Mr. Lee triumphed in Hong Kong as Pinkerton in MADAMA BUTTERFLY with Musica Viva as well as with Midland Symphony.  During the 2009-2010 season, he returned to the San Antonio Opera to perform the role of Duke RIGOLETTO and debuted as soloist with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven Ninth Symphony.  During the 2010-2011 season, Mr. Lee is slated to reprise the role of Turiddu CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA, a role he performed to great acclaim at Chelsea Opera.

The San Francisco Classical Voice hails tenor Michael Wade Lee as a singer "most impressive...with a well-articulated voice of clarity and remarkable color".  A seasoned performer on the operatic stage, he has sung with some of the most respected companies in the world including the Greek National Opera, Staatstheater Mainz, Glyndebourne Festival, New York City Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis and the San Francisco Opera.  During the 2007-2008 season he made his international debut in an engagement with the Greek National Opera, performing the role of Don José CARMEN opposite Denyce Graves.  In quick succession, Mr. Lee reprised the role of Don José CARMEN with Lyric Opera Productions Dublin, Chautauqua Opera, Opera in the Heights and most recently for the season opening at the Staatstheater Mainz in Germany.  Also that season Mr. Lee triumphed in Hong Kong as Pinkerton in MADAMA BUTTERFLY with Musica Viva as well as with Midland Symphony.  During the 2009-2010 season, he returned to the San Antonio Opera to perform the role of Duke RIGOLETTO and debuted as soloist with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven Ninth Symphony.  During the 2010-2011 season, Mr. Lee is slated to reprise the role of Turiddu CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA, a role he performed to great acclaim at Chelsea Opera.

Mr. Lee has recently added the roles of Cavaradossi TOSCA, Nemorino L'ELISIR D'AMORE and Froh DAS RHEINGOLD to his performed repertoire, adding to a wide variety of roles which include Der Hauptmann WOZZECK which was performed with Indiana Opera Theatre, Nanki-Poo THE MIKADO with Nashville Opera, and Raymond Pocket MISS HAVISHAM'S FIRE with Opera Theatre of St. Louis.  Mr. Lee has performed the Duke RIGOLETTO at Connecticut Lyric Opera and Opera in the Heights.  In 2004, he performed the Male Chorus RAPE OF LUCRETIA to great acclaim with San Francisco Opera's Merola Opera Program.  Of his performance the San Francisco Chronicle wrote, "The best singing came from...tenor Michael Wade Lee, who combined heroism and honeyed tenderness in equal measure".

Gaining a reputation for his vivid characterizations, Mr. Lee created the role of The Actor in the world premiere of Kitty Brazelton's opera FIREWORKS! at American Opera Projects and he has additionally been a member of Pacific Opera's roster since 2002.  He was personally chosen by Stephen Schwartz to premiere the role of Charles Clayton in the American Opera Project's first public reading of his new opera SÉANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON.  In 2006, Mr. Lee sang the First Guest in Dargomyzhsky THE STONE GUEST with the American Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Leon Botstein at Avery Fisher Hall.

In January 2008, Mr. Lee performed the tenor solo in the North American Premier of Scherbachyov Symphony Blokovskaya with Leon Botstein and the American Symphony Orchestra at Avery Fisher Hall.  The New York Times said, "[Mr Lee] sang with attractive tone and stamina in the final movement, a lurid Dantean fantasy..."He also sang the tenor solo in the Mozart Requiem and Jenkins The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace at Carnegie Hall and has appeared in concert with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and on the stages of Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall and Merkin Hall in New York City.  During the 2010-2011 season, he will perform with the Kalamazoo Symphony as the tenor soloist in Verdi Requiem. 

Mr. Lee was a finalist in the Texoma region's NATS competition and won the Metropolitan Opera National Council encouragement award in Indiana in 2000.  Additional awards include a prestigious Merola Career Grant and the Pacific Opera Career Grant.