Bass-Baritone Soloist Brad Walker

American bass-baritone Brad Walker is currently a member of the Yale Opera Studio studying to receive his Artist Diploma, following a summer with Chautauqua Opera. As a member of The Chautauqua Opera company, Mr. Walker sang The Bonze in a national radio broadcast of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Jake in Douglas Moore’s The Ballad of Baby Doe, as well as being a featured soloist with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra. One of the 2014 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Boston District Winners, he also made his Lincoln Center debut last May in Dvorak’s Stabat Mater. The 2013-2014 season saw Mr. Walker return to the role of Colline in Puccini’s La Bohème, as well as debut Don Magnifico in Rossini’s La Cenerentola, both with Yale Opera. In addition, he debuted with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, and performed as King Melchior in Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors with the Bridgeport Youth Symphony. The Chicagoland native is pursuing an Artist Diploma from the Yale School of Music after having received a Bachelor’s from Michigan State University and a Master’s Degree from the University of Kansas. In previous seasons, Mr. Walker has performed with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Des Moines Metro Opera. The many roles he has brought to life on stage include Orgon in Mechem’s Tartuffe, Mr. Peachum in Gaye’s The Beggar’s Opera, Olin Blitch in Floyd’s Susannah, Sir Roderick in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Ruddigore, and Guglielmo in Mozart’s Così fan tutte.