Nathan Stark
Praised by the Washington Post for his voice of “unearthly power,” The Houston Press as a “blow away singer,” and the San Jose Mercury News as a “natural comic actor,” the award-winning bass-baritone Nathan Stark has performed on opera, concert and recital stages throughout United States, Europe and China.
Mr. Stark has performed over 50 professional roles with opera houses throughout North America, including the Metropolitan Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Arizona Opera, Atlanta Opera, Virginia Opera and Opera San José. Some of his noted operatic roles have included Mustafà in L’Italiana in Algeri, both Don Basilio and Don Bartolo in il Barbiere di Siviglia, Leporello and il Commendatore in Don Giovanni, Monterone and Sparafucile in Rigoletto, Colline in La Bohème, Banco in Macbeth and Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Stark has performed as a concert soloist with the Symphony Orchestras of Boston, Detroit, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Holland, and San Diego, as well as with the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Long Beach Symphony, and Chicago Philharmonic.
During the 2020-2021 season, Stark was an artist in residence with Opera San José, writing and constructing online music programs and fundraisers for the company during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The season also saw his return to Dayton Opera for the role of Leporello in Don Giovanni; Opera Santa Barbara for Fasolt in Das Rheingold; and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for Simone in Gianni Schicchi. He also appeared in a digital recital with Opera Modesto. Cancellations included company returns to the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra as the bass soloist in The Defiant Requiem and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as Dr. Podsnap for the world premiere of Tobias Picker’s Awakenings.
In the 2021-2022 season, Stark is scheduled to make his company debut as Nerbulone in Cavalli’s Eliogabalo with West Edge Opera. He will return to Opera San José as the Sorcerer in Dido and Aeneas and Tulsa Opera as Henry Moser in Tobias Picker’s Emmeline.
Stark has given recitals throughout the United States and Germany, concerts at the Great Wall of China, the U.S. Colombian Embassy, U.S. French Embassy, U.S. Austrian Embassy and the Washington National Cathedral. In 2005 he was chosen to be the featured soloist for the nationally televised opening ceremonies of the Air Force One exhibit at the Ronald Reagan Library for former First Ladies, Laura Bush and Nancy Reagan, members of the United States Senate and Congress, and President George W. Bush.
Stark has been a recipient of awards from the 2010 Fort Worth Opera Marguerite McCammon Competition, the Opera Columbus Vocal Competition, the Brentwood Artist of Tomorrow Competition, the Sun Valley Opera Competition, the Westwood Vocal Competition, the Burbank Aria Competition, the Palm Springs Opera Guild Vocal Competition, the Pasadena Opera Guild Competition, and the Opera Buffs Competition. He took first place in the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music’s Corbett Scholarship Opera Competition and the Classical Singers Association Vocal Competition in Los Angeles, and was the 2006 San Diego District winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Competition.
A native of Hughson, California, Stark holds degrees in vocal & opera performance from California State University, Long Beach (B.M. & M.M.) and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (A.D.) His voice teachers have included Dr. Lewis Woodward, Dr. Cherrie Llewellyn, Ms. Shigemi Matsumoto, Ms. Marilyn Horne and Mr. Kenneth Shaw.
Current & Upcoming Performances
Past Performances
An American Soldier
“After the trial, after the sergeant is cleared of the most serious crimes, the judge (the earthy bass Nathan Stark) and a chorus of male and female soldiers sing “E pluribus unum; from the many, one.” – Anthony Tommasini, New York Times, June 2018
“Nathan Stark booms imposingly as the Military Judge.” – Scott Candrell, The Dallas Morning News, June 2018
“Nathan Stark lends his deep bass to the part of the presiding military judge.” – Mark Bretz, Ladue News, June 2018
“(Nathan) Stark leads the “E pluribus unum” number – the” finale” if you will – and he does it richly and beautifully.” – Steve Callahan, Broadway World, June 2018
Il Barbiere di Siviglia
“Nathan Stark deep-voiced, sonorous Don Basilio has something Mephistophelian about him. He tell everyone he would sell his services to the highest bidder and he seemed to delight in changing sides. He cavorted around the stage with the lithe movements of a dancer as he sang about providing “Fake News” in “La Calunnia.”” – Maria Nockin, Broadway World, February 2018
Cinderella
“The King, played by bass-baritone Nathan Stark, adds both comedy to his rich vocal display in the unfolding narrative.” – Opera Wire, December 2017
“At the palace, Nathan Stark hammed it up in the comic bass role of the King, his chatter demeanor contracting with Jonas Hacker’s fiery, sweet sound as the Prince.” – San Francisco Classical Voice, December 2017
“Nathan Stark as the King is dramatically goofy, punctuating his regal whimsy with a deep baritone.”- Metro Active, December 2017
Macbeth
“The supporting cast hewed to a high level, with especially fine work by bass-baritone Nathan Stark, whose warmth and honeyed tone projected a sympathetic Banquo. ” – Mike Greenberg, Music Incident Light, September 2017
“Bass-Baritone Nathan Stark brings a round, lustrous tone to Banco.” – Thomas Jenkins, San Antonio Current, September 2017
“Nathan Stark was excellent as Banco.” – David Hendricks, My San Antonio, September 2017
Fidelio
“Also appealing was the Rocco of Nathan Stark, whose rich voice and genial stage presence made it easier to overlook some of the character’s shortcomings.” – Joe Law, Opera News, October 2016
“Nathan Stark brought complexity to Rocco, the jailer, playing his humanity tinged with his fear of Pizarro without resorting to caricature.” – Heidi Waleson, Wall Street Journal, August 2016
“Bass Nathan Stark was a sturdily sung Rocco.” – John van Rhein, Chicago Tribune, July 2016
“There was also the very human, compassionate Rocco, the chief jailer, of Nathan Stark. He was consistently believable as he argued against the job he was assigned.” – Janelle Gelfand, Cincinnati Enquirer, July 2016
The Poe Project
“Mr. Stark was a menacing Montresor.” – Anthony Tommasini, New York Times, April 2016
“Nathan Stark was marvelous as the mysterious man who lures Sylvia to her doom in the Holland Tunnel.”
“Nathan Stark added a touch of reality as a gravedigger, sitting on the edge of the stage the whole time, waiting for everything to be over so he could finish filling in the grave and go home” – Gregory Sullivan Isaacs , TheaterJones.com, April 2016
Nathan Stark’s richly textured bass wraps the terrorist Montresor in sonic menace. “- Scott Cantrell, Dallas Morning News, April 27th, 2016
Midsummer Night’s Dream
“Nathan Stark made an auspicious role debut as an uncommonly fine Bottom. His stage demeanor was by turns pompous, genial, blustering, and endearing and he captured every bit of the part’s humor, especially when portraying the overwrought Pyramus. His well-schooled bass-baritone has a steely thrust, and its easy amplitude allowed it to ring out in the house. Mr. Stark’s authoritative impersonation made us love to be annoyed by this meddlesome tinker.” – Opera Today, February 22nd, 2016
Samson et Dalila
“Two other lynchpin characters were well-sung … the satrap (governor) of Gaza, who gets killed off by Samson in Act I, and bass Nathan Stark as an old Hebrew man whose repeated advice against fooling around with Dalila was ultimately ignored by Samson.” – Arts Atlanta, June 6th, 2015
Verdi Requiem
“… in the ‘Hostias,’ Stark entered with his richly hued, unforced production.”— San Diego Story, May 2015
Rigoletto
“Bass, Nathan Stark, made a noble Monterone.”– Arts Atlanta, March 2nd, 2015
L’Italina in Algeri
“Stark is the stand-out comic performer in the piece. His buffoonish Mustafa growls and whines, blusters and gapes, while engaging in a barrage of physical schtick that words cannot capture. Among a weaker cast, he would easily steal the show, but his costars give him a run for his money.” – Metroactive Arts, November 18th, 2014.
“Stark’s acting chops absolutely made this performance.” – The Stark Insider, November 18th, 2014.
“Much of the remaining laughter was generated by bass Nathan Stark, who plays the Mustafà with a stout voice and an impressive package of comic skills: pratfalls, dance moves, striptease, hisses, gasps, barks, and a series of rubberized facial expressions that make one suspect that he is, in fact, a cartoon character.” – Operaville, November 18th, 2014
“Stark proved that his characterization and comedic skills are on a par with his impressive voice.” – Peninsula Review, November 19th, 2014.
“In particular, there is one blow-you-away performance, by bass Nathan Stark, singing the role of Mustafa, the Bey of Algiers. At Sunday’s performance — the second of six, through Nov. 30 — his stentorian voice was impressive, for sure. But more than that, Stark, also debuting with the company, is a natural comic actor with a memorably plastic face that puts his characterization of this wildly rich, lecherous, spoiled and foolhardy ruler over the top.”
– San Jose Mercury News, November 17, 2014.
Rigoletto
“The other blow-away singer is bass Nathan Stark, as thug Sparafucile. The role is short, but meaningful, and Stark’s cistern-deep voice is chilling with menace and evil life force. Never once do you doubt that this hired assassin is the real thing.(I missed his first appearance at OH during the 2011 season when he sang the conflicted Philip in Verdi’s masterpiece Don Carlo – that’s the trouble with double casting – but I’m honored to have heard him now.)” – Houston Press, September 29th, 2014
“Bass Nathan Stark cut a chilling figure as the assassin Sparafucile, not only because of his voice’s ominous black sound, but also because of the cold-bloodedness conveyed in his face: the pride as he discussed his skill with a knife, the fake courtliness as he greeted a victim, and the stoniness as he demanded payment. ” – Houston Chronicle, September 30th, 2014
“Stark’s voice is intoxicating. It is as toasted and oaken as the bourbon cask it was surely matured in.” – Katricia Lang, BroadwayWorld.com, 2014
La Calisto
“The sonorous bass Nathan Stark [was an] outrageously funny goat-footed satyr.” — Rafael de Acha, Seen and Heard International, 2014
“Nathan Stark was a marvelous Sylvano, with his rich, sonorous bass.”— MAuer, OperaLively, 2014
Carmen
“Bass Nathan Stark made a strong, blustery Zuniga.” — Mary Ellyn Hutton, Music in Cincinnati, 2014
“Nathan Stark was fine as Zuniga, and his fight in the tavern with Don José was impressive.” — Janelle Gelfand, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2014
“Cincinnati Opera regular Nathan Stark brought his familiar big, rich bass to Zuniga.” — Mauer, OperaLively, 2014
“As always in Cincinnati, secondary roles were strongly cast. Nathan Stark, who has been heard here as the Commandatore in Don Giovanni, was a Zuniga (in Carmen) of real stature.” – Opera News, September 2014
La Fille du Regiment
“Although more often than not tasked with portraying serious bass roles such as the Commendatore in Don Giovanni, Mr. Stark was perfectly charming as the oafish Sulpice, leader of the regiment that has raised Marie, and primary father figure to the lass. He made Sulpice lovable, believable and amusing. One wonders whether singing basso buffo roles might prove to be a gold mine for Mr. Stark. He was certainly very successful with this one!” – Taminophile, February 8th, 2014
“Tall and stocky veteran baritone (bass) Nathan Stark is ideal as the blustering but warm-hearted Sulpice” – Isthmus – The Daily Page, February 2014 (
Galileo Galilei
“As Pope Urban VIII, a.k.a. Cardinal Barberini, as well as the philosopher Simplicio in Scene 5, Nathan Stark made a strong impression with his rich, authoritative bass and his portrayal of the fundamentally selfish man beneath the genial intellectual.” – Opera Lively, July 2013 (
Die Walküre
“Stark, Dayton Opera’s Hunding in our Die Walküre, is a major voice and stage presence.” – Burt Saidel, Oakwood Register, July 2013
Don Giovanni
“Nathan Stark made a stentorian Commendatore.” – Cincinnati Enquirer, June 2013
“His sidekick, Leporello, was hilarious as the long-suffering servant. You don’t often get real belly laughs in opera, but Nathan Stark, an accomplished patter singer, did while delivering perfect dialogue in a booming bass.” – Michigan Live, February 2013
