John Chest Explained

John Chest
Birth Date:6 July 1985
Birth Place:Greenville, South Carolina, United States
Occupation:Opera singer (baritone)
Years Active:2009–present

John Chest (born July 6, 1985) is an American baritone opera singer performing with leading opera companies around the world.

Career

John Chest was born in Greenville, South Carolina, to parents Sandra Marie Chest and Robert Davis Chest.[1] He started his professional voice studies at Bob Jones University where he got his Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from 2003 to 2007.[2] He then studied at CCPA (Chicago College of Performing Arts) at Roosevelt University, where he graduated with a Master of Music (Voice Performance) in 2009 after two years. Following that he joined the Apprentice Program at Santa Fe Opera for the summer of 2008 where he covered the Bosun in Benjamin Britten's Billy Budd (an introduction to the opera that he is known for playing the title role in today.[3]) Chest joined the Merola Opera Program at the San Francisco Opera in the summer of 2009 where he performed Guglielmo in Così fan tutte.[4] He concluded his formal studies in the professional at the Bavarian State Opera from 2009 to 2011 where he sang in over 80 performances.[5]

Chest continued to train with the Chicago Opera Theater, in addition to joining the ensemble of Deutsche Oper Berlin, where he remained until 2016. His roles in Berlin included the title role of Billy Budd in a new production by David Alden; Valentin (Faust), Ford (Falstaff), Silvio (Pagliacci), Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Gugliemo (Così fan tutte) and Il Conte Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro).[6]

A finalist in the BBC Singer of the World Art Song Competition, he has also appeared in recital at the Aix-en-Provence Festival,[7] the Philharmonie de Paris,[8] and Wigmore Hall.[9] He has made appearances on three Fauré CD's with pianist Malcolm Martineau.[10]

Repertory

YearRoleComposerOperaLocation
2024AristoboloHändelBereniceThéâtre des Champs-Elysées
2024MarcelloPucciniLa bohèmeTrondheim Symfoniorkester & Opera
2023FigaroRossiniIl barbiere di SivigliaKraków Philharmonic
2023GuglielmoMozartCosì fan tutteOpera Theatre of St Louis
2023Il Conte di AlmavivaMozartLe nozze di FigaroBayerische Staatsoper
2023FigaroRossiniIl barbiere di SivigliaTeatro Regio di Torino
2022MelissoHändelAlcinaAngers Nantes Opéra
2022Il Conte di AlmavivaMozartLe nozze di FigaroThéâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg
2022RodrigueVerdiDon CarlosTheater Basel
2021ValensHändelTheodoraTeatro alla Scala
2021Il Conte di AlmavivaMozartLe nozze di FigaroGrand Théâtre de la Ville de Luxembourg
2019Billy BuddBenjamin BrittenBilly BuddSan Francisco Opera
2018[11] PelléasDebussyPelléas et MélisandeGlyndebourne
2018MarcelloPucciniLa bohèmeSemperoper Dresden
2017GuglielmoMozartCosì fan tutteBayerische Staatsoper
2017Billy BuddBenjamin BrittenBilly BuddDeutsche Oper Berlin
2017Nick CarrawayJohn HarbisonThe Great GatsbySemperoper Dresden
2017Conte AlmavivaMozartLe nozze di FigaroOpera Philadelphia
2017ValentinGounodFaustDeutsche Oper Berlin
2017EngelScartazziniEdward II (world premiere)Deutsche Oper Berlin
2016–17PapagenoMozartDie ZauberflöteDeutsche Oper Berlin
2016–17GuglielmoMozartCosì fan tutteDeutsche Oper Berlin
2016–17FigaroRossiniIl barbiere di SivigliaDeutsche Oper Berlin
2016ValentinGounodFaustThéâtre du Capitole
2016NazarenerStraussSalomeGrand Théâtre de la Ville de Luxembourg
2016Ein KappadozierStraussSalomeGrand Théâtre de la Ville de Luxembourg
2016AlbertMassenetWertherThéâtre des Champs-Elysées
2016Don GiovanniMozartDon GiovanniAngers-Nantes Opéra
2016Marchese d'ObignyVerdiLa traviataDeutsche Oper Berlin
2016BelcoreDonizettiL'elisir d'amoreDeutsche Oper Berlin
2015Nick CarrawayJohn HarbisonThe Great GatsbySemperoper Dresden
2015–16FigaroRossiniIl barbiere di SivigliaDeutsche Oper Berlin
2015Il Conte di AlmavivaMozartLe nozze di FigaroDeutsche Oper Berlin
2015PapagenoMozartDie ZauberflöteDeutsche Oper Berlin
2015RosalindeStraussDie FledermausVancouver Opera
2015SilvioLeoncavalloPagliacciDeutsche Oper Berlin
2015DemetriusBenjamin BrittenA Midsummer Night's DreamFestival d'Aix-en-Provence
2015FritzKorngoldDie tote StadtOpéra national de Lorraine
2015FritzKorngoldDie tote StadtAngers-Nantes Opéra
2015FigaroRossiniIl barbiere di SivigliaDeutsche Oper Berlin
2014–15PapagenoMozartDie ZauberflöteDeutsche Oper Berlin
2014FordVerdiFalstaffDeutsche Oper Berlin
2014MarcelloPucciniLa bohèmeDeutsche Oper Berlin
2014SprecherMozartDie ZauberflöteDeutsche Oper Berlin

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Robert Chest. Bob Jones University. 5 August 2018.
  2. Web site: Greenville native John Chest competes in BBC music contest. Donna. Walker. 9 June 2017. www.greenvilleonline.com.
  3. Web site: Emerging Barihunk: John Chest. Barihunks. 20 August 2009 . 6 July 2018.
  4. Web site: La Cieca. Chest Desserts. parterre box. December 2010 . 6 July 2018.
  5. Web site: John Chest Biography. www.staatsoper.de. 6 August 2018.
  6. Web site: John Chest. BBC Singer of the World. 5 August 2018.
  7. Web site: Pictures from American Baritone John Chest's recent Festival d'Aix-en-Provence Recital. Bowman Media. 5 August 2018.
  8. Web site: Maguelone. Philharmonie de Paris. 12 October 2017 . 5 August 2018.
  9. Web site: A Winter Journey with John Chest and Marcelo Amaral at Wigmore Hall. Bachtrack. 5 August 2018.
  10. Web site: Fauré: The Complete Songs Vol. 3. Presto. 5 August 2018.
  11. http://operabase.com/a/John_Chest/8525 "John Chest Schedule"

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