JAMES PATTERSON, whose "beautifully expressive bass just keeps getting better and better" (San Francisco Examiner), has been praised by some of the most respected critics in the' United States, including Andrew Porter, who called him "a bass to watch - sonorous and beautiful in timbre" (New Yorker), and John Rockwell of The New York Times, who gave Mr. Patterson special praise for his performance as Fafner in the Seattle opera production of Wagner's Ring.

Since beginning his career as an Adler Fellow with the San Francisco Opera in 1983, Mr. Patterson has given over 150 performances with that company, including the roles of Sparafucile in Rigoletto, Fafner in the widely acclaimed Ring cycle, and the King of Egypt in Aida with Leontyne Price.

He has performed extensively throughout Canada, singing a variety of major roles with Canadian Opera Company and the opera companies of Manitoba, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton, and Ottawa. Mr. Patterson's career has also taken him throughout the United States, with highlights including roles with Chicago Lyric Opera, Seattle Opera, New York City Opera, San Diego Opera, Miami Opera, and Michigan Opera Theatre. International highlights include roles with the Netherlands Opera, performances of Peter Sellars' controversial Don Giovanni in France, and concerts in Madrid for the New York City Opera.

Mr. Patterson's concert repertoire is extensive, and includes engagements with the Boston Symphony, the Seattle Symphony, the San Jose Symphony, the Detroit Symphony, The Hollywood Bowl, and at Carnegie Hall in a concert performance of Handel's Semele with Marilyn Horne and Kathleen Battle.

Recent performances included the role of Johann in Michigan Opera Theatre's production of Werther with Andrea Bocelli and Denyce Graves, and the Comte des Grieux in Manon for Montreal Opera. Other recent performances with Michigan Opera Theatre included the Bonze in Madame Butterfly, the Old Hebrew in Samson and Delilah, Prince Gremin in Eugene Onegin, and Angelotti in Tosca. In addition, this year marked Mr. Patterson's first staged performances of Rocco in Fidelio with Triangle Opera in Durham, North Carolina. He was also heard this year as the King with Lucianno Pavarotti in Michigan Opera Theater's performance of Aida, and sang Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor with L’Opera Montreal. Upcoming performances the Commendatore in Don Giovanni with Pittsburgh Opera, Angeloltti in Tosca, and Swallow in Peter Grimes for Montreal Opera.