Bass JOHN AMES, a San Francisco Opera Adler Fellow from 1998 through 2000, made his San Francisco Opera debut last season as Tom in Un ballo in Maschera and as Colline in La bohème. He recently appeared as Warden George Benton in the company's world premiere of Dead Man Walking and as Montano in Otello in the Viva! Domingo Gala. He also appeared in the company's 2000/2001 production of Die Zauberflöte. Ames sang the role of Superintendent Budd in San Francisco Opera Center’s 2000 Showcase presentation of Albert Herring and appeared as Dan Alfonso in the 1999 Showcase presentation of Così fan tutte.
The Reno native was a participant in the 1999 Merola Opera Program, in which he sang the role of Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte. A recipient of the Anna Ross Foundation Scholarship for Apprentice Artists, Ames studied voice while performing nearly a dozen roles at Nevada Opera, including Angelotti in Tosca, the Speaker in Die Zauberflöte, and the Old Hebrew in Samson et Dalila.

As a recipient of the Elsie Sweeney Scholarship, Ames spent two years in Indiana, where his credits include Sparafucile in Rigoletto and the Commendatore in Don Giovanni. Since leaving Indiana University, Ames has made debuts with Indianapolis Opera and Kentucky Opera, and toured with the Nevada Opera Studio as Sulpice in Donizetti’s The Daughter of the Regiment. Concert credits include Mozart’s "Coronation" Mass and Requiem with the Reno Philharmonic. The February 2-4 performances mark his Los Angeles Philharmonic debut.