American tenor Norman Reinhardt is a graduate of the prestigious Houston Grand Opera Studio. He was district winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2001 and 2003, and finalist in the Eleanor McCollum Competition in Houston in 2004.
Past engagements include Brighella Ariadne auf Naxos (Teatro Real Madrid), Tamino Die Zauberflöte (Opera Colorado), Alfredo La Traviata (Opéra National de Lille) and Ferrando Cosi fan tutte (Israeli Opera), a role he also sang at the Santa Fe Festival in the summer of 2007, where he also sang performances of Platée. Other performances have included Ernesto Don Pasquale (Opera Colorado), Jaquino Leonore (Teatro Real Madrid), Belmonte Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Boston Lyric Opera) and Fenton Falstaff (Santa Fe Opera).
In 2008/9, Reinhardt returned to Houston Grand Opera as Bénédict Béatrice et Bénédict and Lysander A Midsummer Night`s Dream, also singing the role of Ferrando Cosi fan tutte with Opera Colorado.
2009/10 was the first season of Norman’s Fest contract at the Leipzig Opera, where his roles have included Tamino Die Zauberflöte, Don Ottavio Don Giovanni, Don Narciso Il Turco in Italia, Evandre Alceste and Almaviva Il Barbiere di Siviglia. During this season, he also sang the role of Fritz La Grande Duchesse de Gérolstein with Basel Opera opposite Anne Sofie von Otter. Reinhardt’s 2010/11 Leipzig Opera season included Count Almaviva Il barbiere di Siviglia and Lensky Eugene Onegin. He also appeared at Central City Opera as Rinuccio Gianni Schicchi and Brother Die Sieben Todsünden.
In the current season, which is his final year as a member of the ensemble at Leipzig Opera, Reinhardt will sing the role of the Earl of Essex in a new production of Benjamin Britten’s Gloriana at the National Theatre in Prague. Looking further ahead, Reinhardt’s engagements include his UK debut singing Belmonte Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Garsington Opera) and Tamino in a new prodiction of Die Zauberflöte on the floating stage at the Bregenz Festival in the summers of 2013 and 2014.
Norman Reinhardt is represented by Intermusica.
January 2012 / 329 words. Not to be altered without permission. Please destroy all previous biographical material.
Benedict in Berlioz Beatrice et Benedict
Houston Grand Opera
“Reinhardt, dashing and witty, handled the role of Benedict with just the right amount of swagger and vulnerability."
Nancy Wozny, www.culturevulture.net, October 2008
“Reinhardt's Benedict and Joyce DiDonato's Beatrice are often laugh-out-loud funny. And their singing is swoon-worthy.”
D.L Groover and Lee Williams, Houston Press, November 2008
"And Reinhardt, tall, handsome and virile of voice, is a perfect partner for her."
Wes Blomster, Opera Today, November 2008
"Reinhardt brought not only a smooth, agile tenor but a gifted comedian's mugging and timing to the witty cool of Benedict."
Gregory Barnett, Opera News, October 2008