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American-born baritone DAVID PITTMAN-JENNINGS began his musical studies in oboe and voice at the University of Oklahoma and continued vocal studies with Elisabeth Parham in Los Angeles. After winning first prize in the prestigious Loren Zachery vocal competition, he was awarded the position of baritone soloist with the opera house in Graz, Austria. From this period he began a formidable international opera and concert career performing an extensive repertory.
In former seasons the baritone’s engagements have included Agamemnon in IPHIGENIE EN In AULIDE at La Scala, Milan, Mandryka (ARABELLA) in Vienna, Dresden , Santa Fe and Nancy, Scarpia (TOSCA) in Buenos Aires, Verona, Strasbourg, Jochana’an (SALOME) in Bonn and Berlin, Amfortas and Klingsor(PARSIFAL) in Berlin, Strasbourg and Barcelona, Kurwenal (TRISTAN) in Barcelona and Bordeaux, the Dutchman in Warsaw, the Count (LE NOZZE DI FIGARO) in Vienna, Amsterdam and Nice, Don Alfonso(COSI FAN TUTTI) in Hamburg, and the Count (Strauss' CAPRICCIO) in Madrid. He has performed Renato (UN BALLO IN MASCHERA) in Munich, Verona and at the Frankfurt Opera, Amonasro(AIDA) in Naples, Germont (LA TRAVIATA)in Dresden, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Paris (Chatelet) and Sao Paolo, Basilio (Respighi's LA FIAMMA) for the Rome Opera (also recorded), and Rigoletto in Leipzig and Berlin.
Noted for his versatility in contemporary repertory, David Pittman-Jennings has performed and recorded the role of Moses in Schoenberg's MOSES UND ARON (with Peter Stein and Pierre Boulez) at the Netherlands Opera and at the Salzburg Festival and with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the title role in WOZZECK in Parma, Buenos Aires, Strasbourg, Santiago di Chile and at the USA Spoleto Festival. He has sung Dr. Schoen (LULU) for the Flanders Opera, the title role in Tippet's KING PRIAM in Antwerp and Nancy, Balstrode in Genoa and Strasbourg and Dallapiccola's IL PRIGIONIERO both with the Swedish Radio Orchestra and at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris under Esa Pekka Salonen conducting the Orchestra de Paris; also with the Montreal Symphony in Montreal and at Carnegie Hall in New York , and with the NHK Orchestra in Tokyo, all under the direction of Charles Dutoit. In addition, he has sung the title role in Peter Greenaway’s production of Milhaud’s CHRISTOPHE COLOMB at the Deutsche Staatsoper in Berlin.
A Noble Baritone
Robert Hilferty wrote in the OPERA NOW (August 1999) : “What makes Pittman-Jennings so effective a presence on stage is the maturity with which he approaches each role, allowing the roles to “bake “within himself before unleashing them into the world. He allows himself to grow into the roles, studying them from every angle with intelligence and sensitivity, Pittman-Jennings paces himself in order to get the best out of himself and above all, the music. Conductor Anthony Papano has called him a ‘noble?baritone. While this seasoned nobility in voice and demeanor makes him ideal for Mandryka in ARABELLA or Germont in LA TRAVIATA ?two roles that he has performed with great success around the world –it doesn’t keep him from leaping into the unknown trenches of contemporary music. Pittman-Jennings is therefore called upon to tackle modern roles. Moses in MOSES UND ARON is one of his signature pieces-his convincing and moving portrayal fully capturing the tragic scope of this complex character. His ‘sprechstimme?is so expressive, so musical that it seems like full-fledged singing.
Other engagements in his formidable career include Britten's “War Requiem?with the Berlin Symphony and Eliahu Inbal, the title role in Krenek's KARL V with the Beethovenhalle Orchestra in Bonn and Cologne(also recorded) . Golaud (at the Hamburg Staatsoper and the Cincinatti Summer Festival, Wolfgang Rihm's DIE EROBERUNG VON MEXICO for the Frankfurt Opera, Oreste(ELEKTRA) with the NHK Orchestra in Tokyo and in Bordeaux, the Forester in Janacek's CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN for the Flanders Opera, Henze's WE COME TO THE RIVER in Hamburg. the title role of Verdi’s Nabucco in the Veneto region of Italy, Montemezzi’s L’AMORE DEI TRE RE at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam; Zimmermann’s “Requiem?with the Hamburg Orchestra in Lucerne and Zimmermann’s ”Ich wandte mich?with the Hamburg Orchestra in Hamburg, both under the baton of Ingo Metzmacherthe ,role of Frank in Korngold’s DIE TOTE STADT in Berlin (under Christian Thielemann) at the Deutsche Oper, a concert of Zemlinsky”s “Lyrische Symphonie?with the Beethovenhalle Orchestra in Bonn, the role of Pizarro in Beethoven’s FIDELIO in Genoa and in Berlin , the leading role in the world premier of J. Guinjoan’s GAUDI at the Teatro Liceu in Barcelona , the title role of “K?in Albert Reimann’s DAS SCHLOSS for the Deutsche Opera Berlin.
During the season 2006-2007 David Pittman-Jennings sings performances of Shostakovich’s 13th symphony with the Orchestra Petrobas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil., the role of Salieri in Rimsky Korsakov’s MOZART AND SALIERI with the Beethovenhalle Orchestra in Bonn, the role of Michael Danilov in the world creation of I HATE MOZART by Bernhard Lang with the Vienna Klangboden Orchestra, Pizarro in a new production of Beethoven’s FIDELIO in Bordeaux, the title role of Verdi’s FALSTAFF at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Brahms’REQUIEM in Paris and additional Scarpia’s with the Opera Halle in Germany.
Beginning in September 2007 the baritone has been appointed Associate Profesor of Voice for the Crane School of Music on the Potsdam campus of the State University of New York. As time permits he will continue engagements on the opera and concert states of the world.
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