Baritone William Raskin, praised for his “vocal agility and tenderness” (Cleveland Classical), communicates authenticity in every performance.

William is fresh off a successful summer at The Glimmerglass Festival, displaying his “flexible and engaging” (Opera News) voice in performances of The House on Mango Street as Casanova. He also covered the roles of Mr. and Lee Randolph in Sunday in the Park with George.

This fall, William is set to star in the world premiere of Glen Cortese’s 221B: A Sherlock Holmes Opera in the role of John Watson, presented by the University of Northern Colorado.

Last season, he covered the Official in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Sarasota Opera, sang Schaunard in La bohème with the Janesville Choral Union, and joined Ohio Light Opera as Giuseppe Palmieri in The Gondoliers and Armand Brissard in The Count of Luxembourg. Other recent roles include Billy Bigelow (Carousel), Giove (La Calisto), Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), and Dandini/Don Magnifico (La Cenerentola).

William studied both piano and vocal performance at the University of Wisconsin–Madison before deciding to pursue voice full-time. Despite a demanding course-load, he took ballet and jazz classes through the UW-Madison Dance Department. “A real terpsichorean talent” (Operetta Research Center), William has appeared as a featured dancer in The Rake’s Progress (The Glimmerglass Festival) and Jake Heggie’s Two Remain (UW–Madison). He has also appeared in The Nutcracker as the Party Father/Russian Corps (Madison Ballet) and the Harlequin/Cavalier (The Dance Factory). In addition to ballet and jazz, his training includes tap, hip-hop, and modern.

William appeared as the baritone soloist in Dr. Bill Banfield’s Symphony No. 14: Revelation. Working directly with the composer marked a defining moment in his artistic journey, revealing his passion for both innovative repertoire and collaborative artistry.

He earned his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he studied under baritone Paul Rowe. He is dedicated to community engagement through the arts, often collaborating with the Janesville Choral Union, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and the Madison Savoyards.