Anthony Michaels-Moore was the first British winner of the Luciano Pavarotti Competition and has since become a firmly established guest artist with the world’s leading opera houses. A specialist in Verdi and Puccini roles, he is renowned for his portrayal of Rigoletto, Scarpia, Falstaff, Lago in Otello, Simon Boccanegra and Germont in La Traviata. His recent European debuts of Falstaff at Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and Rigoletto at English National Opera have brought much critical acclaim.
Since his debut in 1987, Anthony has continued to enjoy a long and fruitful relationship with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden where he has appeared in L’elisir d’amore, La bohème, I Pagliacci, Die Fledermaus, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, The Cunning Little Vixen, Massenet Manon, Stiffelio, Tosca, Simon Boccanegra in concert, Macbeth, Le nozze di Figaro, Andrea Chénier, La Battaglia di Legnano, Il Trovatore, Falstaff, Attila, Lucia di Lammermoor and La Traviata. He has also performed with many of Britain’s other major theatres such as English and Welsh National operas, Opera North and Scottish Opera, as well as at the Glyndebourne Festival.
Anthony’s European engagements have taken him to Wiener Staatsoper (Don Carlos, Rigoletto, Tosca, Nabucco, Manon Lescaut, L’elisir d’Amore, Stiffelio, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, I Vespri Siciliani and La Forza del Destino), Teatro alla Scala (La Vestale and Linda di Chamounix), Opéra National de Paris (Madama Butterfly, Iphigénie en Tauride, Le nozze di Figaro, Eugene Onegin, Falstaff, Il Trovatore and Les Vepres Siciliennes), Bayerische Staatsoper (Le nozze di Figaro, Tosca, La Traviata, Madama Butterfly, Nabucco), Deutsche Oper (Eugene Onegin and La Traviata), Staatsoper Berlin (La forza del destino), Gran Teatre del Liceu (Il Trovatore, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Andrea Chenier, Lucia di Lammermoor and Simon Boccanegra), Châtelet (Otello and Falstaff), Grand Théâtre de Genève (Don Carlos), La Monnaie (I due Foscari and Rigoletto) and Teatro Real in Madrid (Rigoletto).
Equally successful in North America, Anthony appears regularly at The Metropolitan Opera in New York and has performed at San Francisco Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Colorado and Florida Grand Opera. He has also appeared at the historic Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires.
Anthony is also in demand on concert platform and has performed with such conductors as Vladimir Jurowski, Sir Colin Davis, Riccardo Muti, Michael Tilson-Thomas, Sir Andrew Davis, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, André Previn, Leonard Slatkin, Bernard Haitink and Sir John Eliot Gardiner, with a repertoire ranging from Haydn Creation to Mahler Symphony No.8. He has appeared at the First Night of the BBC Proms on several occasions, and performed with the Royal Concertgebouw Orkest, London Symphony Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Concentus Musicus and the Orchestra of La Scala Milan. In the beginning of this season he sang Mahler Symphony No.8 at the Edinburgh International Festival under Donald Runnicles.
Highlights in 2010/11 include Rigoletto for Opéra de Montréal, Sharpless Madama Butterfly at Opéra National de Paris and at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Francesco Foscari I due Foscari at Théatre des Champs Elysées, and the title role in Falstaff at Opernhaus Zurich under Daniele Gatti. Concert highlights include Marquis de la Force Les Dialogues des Carmélites for Palau de la Musica, Valencia and Conte di luna Il Trovatore for Oper Köln.
Anthony Michaels-Moore is represented by Intermusica (excluding North America).
May 2011 / 532 words. Not to be altered without permission. Please destroy all previous biographical material.
Baron Scarpia in Tosca / English National Opera
Cond. Stephen Lord / Dir. Catherine Malfitano
“… the central performance by Anthony Michaels-Moore as Scarpia makes the evening a remarkable experience. Some baritones have viewed the role primarily in terms of thuggery. Michaels-Moore, however, offers us a study in the sexuality of power and the psychopathology of evil.
We are conscious from the outset of his malign charisma and eerie physical grace. His voice is in terrific shape and his singing wonderfully baleful and incisive.
Go and see it for Michaels-Moore, though, whatever you think of the rest of it.”
Tim Ashley, The Guardian, November 2011
“As for Scarpia himself, Anthony Michaels-Moore – the only principal to return from the production’s original cast – has everything the part demands. Blest with a nice line in reptilian venom, his compelling portrayal of a predator who luxuriates in the erotic power of evil.”
Mark Valencia, Classical Source, November 2011
“As Cavaradossi's nemesis Scarpia, Anthony Michaels-Moore (…) was the ultimate stage villain, with a commanding presence, scarily believable as the stereotypical evil police chief.”
David Karlin, Bach Track, November 2011
“Anthony Michaels-Moore's effortless projection in the grand "Te Deum" a cocktail of lust and religion (…)”
David Nice, The Arts Desk, November 2011
“As Scarpia himself, Anthony Michaels-Moore reprised the role he sang in the first run of this production in May 2010. This attractive but deadly man evinces real desire for Tosca, combined with cool-headed cunning. I find the representation by Michaels-Moore to be spot on.”
Mark Ronan, Word Press, November 2011
“Anthony Michaels-Moore brings his customary musical intelligence to bear on the role of Scarpia…”
Barry Millington, London Evening Standard, November 2011
“Tosca needs, above all else, a good villain, and Michaels-Moore is as venomous as they come in the role of Scarpia, positively oozing malice as the evil despot-torturer-rapist.”
William Hartston, Express, November 2011
Sharpless in Puccini Madama Butterfly
Opera de Paris / Cond. Maurizio Benini / Dir. Robert Wilson
“In the role of Sharpless, Antony Michaels-Moore performed well… his acuity with text and sensitive acting made for a very rewarding portrayal.”
Ditlev Rindom, Mundoclasico.com, August 2011
“Anthony Michaels-Moore portrayed a suitably rumpled and kindly Sharpless. In the long letter scene in Act II he ably balanced the sense of anger at the situation he has been forced into with compassion for Butterfly’s fate… [Michaels-Moore] delivered a compelling and rewardingly detailed performance.”
Opera Britannia, July 2011
“... [Michaels-Moore] sang with warmth throughout the evening."
What's On Stage, July 2011
"Anthony Michaels-Moore looks and sounds the part as the US Consul Sharpless..."
Edward Seckerson, The Independent, July 2011
“...Anthony Michaels-Moore was a bluff, warm-hearted and sympathetic Sharpless.”
Seen & Heard International, July 2011
“The role of the Consul Sharpless was ably and assertively sung by Anthony Michaels-Moore, and was especially touching during the letter-reading scene; his exasperation with Cio-Cio-San’s refusal to listen, and with Pinkerton’s abandonment of her, was brought tangibly to the fore.”
Kevin Rogers, Classical Source, June 2011
“Anthony Michaels-Moore's Sharpless was the only stand-out performance beyond Opolais's Butterfly.”
Igor Toronyi-Lalic, The Arts Desk, June 2011
“Anthony Michaels-Moore is a[n]… endearingly compassionate Sharpless.”
Christian Hoskins, Music OMH, June 2011
“Anthony Michaels-Moore… managed skilfully to negotiate the role's demand to be both (Imperially) mighty and sympathetic.”
Flora Willson, Musical Criticism, June 2011
“Anthony Michaels-Moore was unsurprisingly excellent as Sharpless, with his full-bodied voice and intelligent interpretation.”
Gerard Mannoni, Altamusica.com, January 2011
Title role in Verdi Rigoletto
Opéra de Montréal / Cond. Tyrone Paterson / dir. François Racine
“Baritone Anthony Michaels-Moore attracted attention in the title role. Performing with amazing presence, his dark voice suited the character perfectly… brought a remarkable breadth of expression to the role.”
Jacques Hétu, Musique Classique, October 2010
“Anthony Michaels-Moore is a powerful and intelligent performer who sings a convincing Rigoletto.”
Alan Conter, The Globe and Mail, September 2010
Scarpia in Puccini Tosca
English National Opera / cond. Edward Gardner / dir. Catherine Maltifano
“Anthony Michaels-Moore was a plausibly saturnine and incisive Scarpia.”
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph, May 2010
“Anthony Michaels-Moore carefully avoids panto-villain caricature in his coolly menacing Scarpia.”
Intermezzo, May 2010
“Anthony Michaels-Moore...slithers around Scarpia's oleaginous threats with gruesome flair.”
The Times, May 2010
“Anthony Michaels-Moore's Scarpia stood out.”
Dominic McHugh, Musical Criticism, May 2010
“And Anthony Michaels-Moore’s Scarpia – whose black-caped entourage swoop down on the church choristers in act one like malevolent birds of prey (nice touch) and thereafter remain a sinister presence – does exactly what it says on the tin: he is obsequiously, sadistically, loathsomely mellifluous.”
Edward Seckerson, The Independent, May 2010
“Superb bass Anthony Michaels-Moore excels as Scarpia – with his malignant cocksure, hubristic love of power and, beneath it all, shabby seediness, is a million miles away from the pantomime villain the role can sometimes become.”
Graham Rogers, Classical Source, May 2011
Title tole in Verdi Falstaff
Théatre des Champs-Elysées / cond. Daniele Gatti / dir. Mario Martone
“...Based on a high quality of singing, agile and highly secure, the English baritone Anthony Michaels-Moore does not overplay the thickness and vulgarity of Falstaff, and so he becomes touching and credible – particularly when, on returning from his forced bath, he recalls with bitterness the burden of old age and the passage of time."
Concertonet, February 2010
“... Falstaff profits from the natural elegance and class of Anthony Michaels-Moore...His voice is capable of doing justice to the great demands of Verdi”
Utmisol, February 2010
“The premiere of Giuseppe Verdi´s opera Falstaff with the brilliant Anthony Michaels-Moore in the title role. This elegant gentleman is first class as Falstaff, he is singing much better than many Falstaff´s I have heard through many years…”
Kulturkompasset, February 2010
Title role in Verdi’s Rigoletto
English National Opera / cond. Stephen Lord / dir. Jonathan Miller
“As befits such a dark opera, deep voices dominate. Anthony Michaels-Moore’s Rigoletto is in a class apart because he somehow manages to be gloriously lyrical and terrifyingly baleful at the same time. He joins the notes together in beautifully sustained lines: a masterclass for young singers. Yet the power he musters is properly monstrous, and that is matched by his sinister lurches across the stage.”
Richard Morrison, The Times, September 2009
“Anthony Michaels-Moore’s Rigoletto is a believable standout turn — his magnificent, theatrical baritone that of a man who can topple the mighty by jest alone. Later, the same voice rages at fate and makes you tremble”
Kieron Quirke, Evening Standard, September 2009
"Miller is aided immeasurably by remarkable performances from Anthony Michaels-Moore as Rigoletto...Michaels-Moore's embittered joker masks self-loathing with vicious humour, and in his scenes with Katherine Whyte's Gilda takes us into territory in which tenderness and obsession are brought into juxtaposition"
Tim Ashley, The Guardian, September 2009
“…the evening belonged unequivocally to veteran Michaels-Moore. Eschewing the outward contortions so often brought to the role, his Rigoletto was a much more inward creature, beautifully produced and only occasionally employing the full force of his emotive Verdi baritone to potent effect. His is a more than welcome return to ENO.”
Alexandra Coghlan, Musical Criticism, September 2009
"Indeed with such an excellent cast, this is one of the finest performances of Rigoletto that London has seen in quite a while... (Anthony Michaels-Moore) his first UK appearance as Rigoletto was eagerly anticipated and he did not disappoint. He was firing on all cylinders and managed to make the character repulsive and sympathetic in equal measure, which is no easy feat, and provided an object lesson in how to really sing Verdi and his diction, like most of the cast, was faultless. One of the evening's unbridled pleasures was hearing a proper Verdi baritone in full flood, which had no problem filling the cavernous spaces of the Coliseum. He's certainly the finest exponent of the role to be heard in London in years and it whets the appetite for his take on Scarpia in Tosca later this season."
Keith McDonnell, Music OMH, September 2009
“It seems quite extraordinary that Anthony Michaels-Moore has never sung the title role in Britain, but this was his UK debut as Rigoletto, a part that fits him like a glove (unlike his misshapen, ill-fitting jacket), as the renowned Verdian singer that he undoubtedly is. He has the power as well as the pathos to carry the character and he quite rightly grabs our attention and makes us feel for the tragic situation he creates for himself.”
Nick Breckenfield, What’s On Stage, September 2009
“Anthony Michaels-Moore is Rigoletto. He has been singing the role throughout Europe (presumably in Italian) and brings spite, burden and dignity to the role as well as a finely-rounded baritone.”
Colin Anderson, Opera Critic, September 2009
“The main reason for going to see this run of performances though is for Anthony Michaels-Moore's portrayal of Rigoletto… His characterisation of the hunchback is perfect; as the barman he has quite clearly riled each and every one of the Duke's mob; they've all been on the sharp end of his acid tongue and are quick to get one over on him in return. His leering mockery of Monterone in Act I, whose daughter is the Duke's latest ‘victim’ is in sharp contrast to the nervy, suspicious father we see later. Michaels-Moore has a rich voice of leonine strength and refulgent tone; he spins a great legato, especially in the "Piangi, fanciulla" (`Ah, weep now, my daughter') duet in Act II. Rigoletto, the father, is over-protective rather than tender here; in the Act I duet, he makes no physical contact with Gilda at all, whilst in Act II he cannot face her as she makes her revelation, only taking her hand after their duet. It's at the end of the opera, when he's clasping his dying daughter in his arms, that he finally allows Rigoletto's emotions to show and it's all the more powerful as a result. This is baritone singing of the highest quality from Anthony Michaels-Moore."
Mark Pullinger, Opera Brittania, September 2009