Nathan Gunn to Headline 2012 NATS National Conference
Monday, 18 April 2011 10:33

NATS 52nd National Conference Guest Artist Nathan Gunn

One of the most exciting and in-demand baritones of our time, Nathan Gunn, will present a recital and master class as part of the 52nd National Conference of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, June 29-July 3, 2012 in Orlando, Florida. Gunn will be joined by his longtime collaborator in music and life, Julie Gunn, in recital on July 1st at 8:00 PM at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld. Their joint master class will take place at 10:30 AM on July 2nd. "We are very happy that both Nathan and Julie Gunn are able to join us at our National Conference. Their presence will top off a strong line-up of presenters and performers in Orlando," says Allen Henderson, NATS Executive Director.

Nathan has appeared in internationally renowned opera houses such as the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Seattle Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Paris Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Glyndebourne Opera Festival, Bilboa, and the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels. His many roles include the title roles in Billy Budd, Eugene Onegin, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and Hamlet, Guglielmo in Cosí fan tutte, the Count in Le Nozze di Figaro, Tarquinius in The Rape of Lucetia, Malatesta in Don Pasquale, Belcore in L'Elisir d'Amore, and Ottone in L'incoronazione di Poppea.

A frequent interpreter of new works, Mr. Gunn created the role of Paul in the world premiere of Daron Hagen's Amelia at the Seattle Opera. He also created the roles of Alec Harvey in André Previn's Brief Encounter at the Houston Grand Opera, Father Delura in Peter Eötvös' Love and Other Demons at the Glyndebourne Opera Festival, and Clyde Griffiths in Tobias Picker's An American Tragedy at the Metropolitan Opera.

Mr. Gunn has recently ventured outside the standard opera repertoire with appearances in performances of Camelot with the New York Philharmonic (broadcast live on PBS's Great Performances) and Showboat at Carnegie Hall. He was also a featured soloist in the New York Philharmonic's 80th birthday gala celebration for Stephen Sondheim and appeared with Sting and Trudie Styler in the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center in Twin Spirits, a work that explores the relationship between Clara and Robert Schumann.

Mr. Gunn's solo album, Just Before Sunrise, was released on Sony/BMG Masterworks. Other recordings include the title role in Billy Budd with Daniel Harding and the London Symphony Orchestra (Virgin Classics), which won the 2010 Grammy Award; the first complete recording of Rogers & Hammerstein's Allegro (Sony's Masterworks Broadway), Peter Grimes with Sir Colin Davis and London Symphony Orchestra (LSO Live!) which was nominated for a 2005 Grammy Award, Il Barbiere di Siviglia (SONY Classics), Kullervo with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (Telarc), and American Anthem (EMI). He also starred as Buzz Aldrin in Man on the Moon, an opera written specifically for television and broadcast on the BBC in the UK. The program was awarded the Golden Rose Award for Opera at the Montreux Festival in Lucerne.

This season, Mr. Gunn returned to the Metropolitan Opera for Cosí fan tutte and The Magic Flute, and made his debut at the Theater an der Wien in The Rape of Lucretia. Upcoming engagements include cabaret shows at the famous Café Carlyle in New York City and at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Orange County, an evening of song with Kelli O'Hara and the New York Philharmonic, a concert with Mandy Patinkin at the Ravinia Festival, and his debuts at the Teatro Real in Madrid in Le Nozze di Figaro and the Cincinnati Opera in Eugene Onegin. Next season he returns to the Metropolitan Opera for Billy Budd, the Lyric Opera of Chicago for Showboat, the Houston Grand Opera for Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and the San Francisco Opera for Die Zauberflöte.