Harold Wilson’s 2021-22 season features a return to the Metropolitan Opera for multiple productions, including Boris Godunov, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, The Rake’s Progress, and Elektra, in which he sings the Guardian. During the summer of 2022, he sings the leading role of Sir Morosus in a new production of Strauss’ Die Schweigsame Frau at Bard Summerscape. Future seasons will see his return to the Metropolitan Opera and Opera Colorado in multiple productions.
During the COVID-19 impacted 2020-2021 season, Harold Wilson returned to the Metropolitan Opera as Faust in The Fiery Angel (cancelled) and covered the roles of Sarastro in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and Zaccaria in Verdi’s Nabucco (cancelled). He also returned to Dayton Opera as the Commendatore in Don Giovanni and was scheduled to sing Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Dayton Philharmonic (cancelled).
In his first live performances since the pandemic began, bass Harold Wilson returned to the stage as Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni with Dayton Opera. He looks forward to the 2021-2022 season at the Metropolitan Opera, when he will cover Pimen in Boris Godunov and Pogner in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, sing The Guardian in Elektra, and cover Father Trulove in The Rake's Progress. During the COVID-19 impacted 2020-2021 season, his canceled engagements included: Faust in The Fiery Angel, Sarastro (cover) in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, and Zaccaria (cover) in Verdi’s Nabucco with the Metropolitan Opera; Four Villains in Les contes d’Hoffmann with Opera Delaware; and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Dayton Philharmonic and the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra.
During the 2019-2020 season, Mr. Wilson sang the Doctor in Macbeth, and covered Baron Ochs in Der Rosenkavalier and Daland in Der fliegende Holländer at the Metropolitan Opera. With Opera Colorado, he sang Basilio in their production of Il barbiere di Siviglia.
In 2018-2019, Mr. Wilson sang Bertrand in Iolanta and covered Fasolt in Das Rheingold with the Metropolitan Opera. At Opera Southwest he sang King Heinrich in Lohengrin, and he appeared with Dayton Opera as Sparafucile in Rigoletto.
His 2017-2018 season included a company debut with Arizona Opera as Fasolt in Das Rheingold, and a return to Dayton Opera as both Timur In Turandot and Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia. The previous season included a return to Opera Colorado, singing Ashby in La fanciulla del West, his role debut of Mustafa in L’italiana in Algieri with Sarasota Opera, Oroe in Semiramide with Baltimore Concert Opera and Opera Delaware, and his company debut with the Caramoor Festival singing Ernesto in Il Pirata.
The 2015-2016 season included returns to several companies for the bass: covering Timur in Turandot with the Metropolitan Opera, Ramfis in Aida with Opera Colorado, and the roles of Rocco and Marcovaldo in productions of Fidelio and La battaglia di Legnano, respectively, with Sarasota Opera. Additionally, he debuted the role of Polonio in Opera Delaware’s anticipated production of Amleto. In concert, he made a company debut with the Grand Junction Symphony as the bass soloist in Verdi’s Requiem, and as the bass soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with MCP at Carnegie Hall.
Mr. Wilson’s 2014-2015 season began with the Dayton Opera singing works by Mussorgsky and Tchaikovsky in a Gala Concert. Subsequently, the American bass debuted with Opera Memphis, as the Commendatore in Don Giovanni, joined the Metropolitan Opera for its production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and made appearances with Tulsa Opera, for Frère Laurent in Roméo et Juliette, and Opera Colorado, for Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte.
Mr. Wilson’s 2013-2014 calendar featured debuts with Hawaii Opera, as Timur in Turandot, Sarasota Opera as Daland in Der Fliegende Holländer, and Dayton Opera for Ramphis in Aida, as well as a return to the Metropolitan Opera to cover the Police Commissioner in Der Rosenkavalier.
Mr. Wilson’s 2012-2013 season included his debut with Portland Opera as the Commendatore in Don Giovanni; The French General in Kevin Puts’ Pulitzer Prize winning opera Silent Night with Opera Philadelphia; and returns to the Metropolitan Opera, to cover Panthus in Les Troyens, Opera Birmingham, for Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, and Tulsa Opera for Ramphis in Aida. During the summer of 2013, he sang Emile de Becque in South Pacific with New Hampshire’s Opera North.
Mr. Wilson began the 2011-2012 season as Prince Gremin (Eugene Onegin) with Madison Opera, returned to the Metropolitan Opera to cover Angelotti in Tosca and sang Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Greensboro Symphony, as well as Verdi’s Requiem at Carnegie Hall.
Mr. Wilson spent much of the 2010-11 season with The Metropolitan Opera, participating in productions of Tosca, Armida, Roméo et Juliette, Boris Godunov and Don Carlos. Additionally, he sang with Tulsa Opera (Oroveso in Norma), Palm Beach Opera (High Priest of Baal in Nabucco), Chautauqua Opera (Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte) and made his debut with the Opera Orchestra of New York (High Priest of Brahma in L’Africaine). The 2009-2010 season saw his debuts with Tulsa Opera (Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor), Madison Opera (Zuniga in Carmen), and Birmingham Opera (Ramphis in Aida), as well as returns to Lyric Opera of Kansas City (Monterone inRigoletto) and Santa Fe Opera (Luther and Crespel in Les contes d’Hoffmann and the Bonze in Madama Butterfly).
As a member of the Deutsche Oper Berlin for five seasons, he sang over 30 roles with the company, including: Arkel in Pelléas et Mélisande, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Zuniga in Carmen, and the Hermit in Der Freischutz. The bass also participated in La traviata, Il trittico, Tannhäuser, La fanciulla del West, Die Frau ohne Schatten, Un ballo in maschera, Tosca, Boris Godounov, Lohengrin, Idomeneo, Salome, Andrea Chenier, and Germania.
Mr. Wilson joined the Opernhaus Halle in the 2007-2008 season for performances of Pogner in Die Meistersinger, Oroveso in Norma, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Gremin in Eugene Onegin and The King of Scotland in Ariodante. He was heard on a new recording of Kurt Weill’s Eternal Road, and also sang Handel’s Messiah with the Seattle Symphony and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Brandenburgische Philharmonie Frankfurt. Other European credits include his debut at the Teatro Liceo in Barcelona singing in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (available on DVD from Decca), Tannhäuser at the Staatsoper Berlin, Salome at the Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse, and Aufstieg und Fall des Stadt Mahagonny in Basel (Switzerland).
Equally comfortable on the concert stage, Mr. Wilson recently sang the bass solo in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Tulsa Symphony. Among the orchestras he has performed with in concert are Indianapolis Symphony, Yakima Symphony, Deutsche Oper Orchester, Hallesche Philharmonie, Brandenburgische Philharmonie Frankfurt, Seattle Symphony and Staatskappelle Orchester Berlin.
Previous US engagements have included contracts with Santa Fe Opera (Don Giovanni, La Traviata), Opera Carolina (Nabucco and Lucia di Lammermoor), Lyric Opera of Kansas City (Lucia di Lammermoor), Florentine Opera (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Palm Beach Opera (Tannhäuser), Minnesota Opera (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Opera Theatre of St. Louis (The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein and Miss Havisham’s Fire), and Glimmerglass Opera (Salome).
Mr. Wilson earned his Masters Degree from Indiana University, where he studied with renowned bass Giorgio Tozzi.
