FRANK PORRETTA (Calaf) is rapidly gaining international recognition as an important new spinto tenor. In the fall of 2002 Porretta made his European debut singing the title role in Verdi's Otello in Seville. He subsequently made his debut at the Teatro Real in Madrid in the world premiere of Albéniz's Merlin in the role of King Arthur. In the summer of 2003 Porretta won special acclaim in the Australian Opera's new production of Otello under Simone Young. He then debuted in France as Cavaradossi in Tosca at the Opéra National in Paris, followed by a return to the Baltimore Opera as Manrico in Il trovatore. His German operatic debut followed in March of 2004, when he appeared at the Deutsche Oper Berlin as Radames in Aida.

Porretta began the 2005/2006 season as Alvaro in the Berlin State Opera's new production of La forza del destino and subsequently appeared with the company as Otello. Porretta made his debuts at the Vienna State Opera, Hamburg State Opera, and the SemperOper Dresden as Cavaradossi, among other peformances. He makes his Hollywood Bowl debut in Tosca.

In the 2006/2007 season Frank Porretta will make his debut at the Metropolitan as Turridu in Cavalleria rusticana. He will also make his debut at the Teatro Regio in Turin as Calaf and returns to the Deutsche Oper Berlin as Canio and to Hamburg as Cavaradossi.

Frank Porretta is the son of two American opera singers, Frank Porretta Jr. and Roberta Palmer. He completed his musical studies at the Juilliard School of Music and began his career in the lyric repertoire. His move into the heavier wings of the Italian repertoire began with performances of Aida with the Eugene Opera. He then added several roles to his repertoire for the Virginia Opera in productions including Andrea Chénier, Un ballo in maschera, and Tosca.

06/06