David Okerlund

Bass-baritone David Okerlund has performed over 100 operas, symphonic works and oratorios with major opera houses and symphony orchestras for the past 20 years in North America, Europe and Asia. Highlights of his career include performances with The San Francisco Opera, The National Theater of Tokyo, The Hyogo Performing Arts Center, The San Francisco Symphony, Vancouver Opera, L’ Opera National du Rhein (France), Teatro Carlo Felice (Italy), Opera de Lyon (France), Pittsburgh Opera, The Pittsburgh Symphony, Connecticut Opera Theater, Arizona Opera and Opera Carolina. Recent engagements have included: Sharpless in Madama Butterflyfor the Hyogo Performing Arts Center in Kobe, Japan; Personaje Mysterioso in the world premiere recording of Leonardo Balada’s La Muerte de Colon for the Naxos label; a World Premiere of Kirke Mechem’s From The Heartland with the Topeka Symphony, Don Alfonzo in Così fan tutte with Opera Grand Rapids and The Cantor in Ernest Bloch’s Sacred Service with the Memphis Symphony.

Professor Okerlund’s students have won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions at the District, Regional, Semi-final, and Grand Final levels in addition to being semi-finalists and finalists at the Palm Beach Opera, the Tucker Awards and National Opera Association Competitions.

Professor Okerlund’s students have held positions at major young artist programs in North America including Kentucky Opera, Nashville Opera, Minnesota Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Central City Opera, Opera Colorado, Chautauqua Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Santa Fe Opera, the San Francisco Opera Merola and Adler Fellowship programs and the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program.