Matthew Polenzani, tenor

American tenor Matthew Polenzani is one of the most gifted and distinguished lyric tenors of his generation. His elegant musicianship, innate sense of style, dramatic commitment, and timeless artistry have established his continued presence at leading operatic, concert, and recital venues worldwide.

Matthew Polenzani begins the 2022-23 season starring as Giasone in Cherubiniโ€™s rarely performed masterpiece Medeaย at the Metropolitan Opera. After his successful role debut as Verdiโ€™s titular Don Carlos last season, he performs the role in Italian at Teatro di San Carlo and later sings the title role of Massenetโ€™sย Wertherย at Houston Grand Opera. At Staatsoper Hamburg, he stars as The Duke of Mantua in Verdiโ€™sย Rigolettoย and Hoffmann in Offenbachโ€™sย Les Contes dโ€™Hoffmann. He makes two highly anticipated role debuts: first as Jean in a concert performance of Massenetโ€™sย Hรฉrodiadeย at Deutsche Oper Berlin and then as Orombello in Belliniโ€™sย Beatrice di Tendaย at Teatro di San Carlo. On the concert stage, Mr. Polenzani reunites with tenors Michael Fabiano and Bryan Hymel for their โ€œThree American Tenorsโ€ program with the Fort Worth Symphony, led by Robert Spano.

Last season, Mr. Polenzani returned to the Metropolitan Opera for Verdiโ€™sย Requiem, led by Yannick Nรฉzet-Sรฉguin, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Additionally, he starred in three productions at the Met Opera: Mozartโ€™sย Die Zauberflรถteย (Tamino), Pucciniโ€™sย La Bohรจmeย (Rodolfo), and the title role ofย Don Carlos, marking his role debut.ย New York Classical Reviewย praised his performance saying, โ€œthis star tenor managed to combine pure beauty and sweetness with a sense of maturity and even heroism,โ€ and the production was featured on PBSโ€™ Great Performances. Mr. Polenzani returned to the Opรฉra national de Paris as Nemorino in Donizettiโ€™sย Lโ€™Elisir dโ€™amoreย and later made his debut at the Canadian Opera Company as Alfredo in Verdiโ€™sย La Traviata. Heย made his debut as Cavaradossi in Pucciniโ€™sย Toscaย at the Savonlinna Opera Festival. He concluded the season with performances as Tito in Mozartโ€™sย La clemenza di Titoย at the Ravinia Festival under the baton of James Conlon.

Career highlights from previous Metropolitan Opera seasons include the premieres of Bartlett Sherโ€™s production ofย Lโ€™Elisir dโ€™Amore, which opened the 2012 season, Sir David McVicarโ€™s production ofย Maria Stuardaย (issued on DVD by Erato), as well as McVicarโ€™s new production of Donizettiโ€™sย Roberto Devereux, which was featured on PBSโ€™ Great Performances at the Met. Further highlights include his role debut as Vaudรฉmont in Tchaikovskyโ€™sย Iolanta, Penny Woolcockโ€™s production ofย Les Pรชcheurs de Perlesย (issued on DVD by Erato), Willy Deckerโ€™s production ofย La Traviata, Robert Carsenโ€™s production ofย Der Rosenkavalierย (issued on DVD by Decca), Julie Taymorโ€™s legendary staging ofย Die Zauberflรถteย (DVD available from The Metropolitan Opera), and revivals ofย Les Contes dโ€™Hoffmann,ย Rigoletto,ย Don Pasqualeย (Deutsche Grammophon DVD release),ย Don Giovanni,ย Romรฉo et Juliette,ย Il Barbiere di Siviglia,ย Cosรฌ fan tutte,ย Falstaff,ย Die Meistersinger von Nรผrnbergย (DVD available from Deutsche Grammophon), andย Lโ€™Italiana in Algeri. To date, he has starred in more than 300 performances at The Met.

Mr. Polenzani is continuously in demand for concert engagements with the worldโ€™s most influential conductors, including James Conlon, Sir Colin Davis, Riccardo Frizza, Rafael Frรผhbeck de Burgos, Louis Langrรฉe, Jesรบs Lรณpez-Cobos, Riccardo Muti, Sir Antonio Pappano, Sir Simon Rattle, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Leonard Slatkin, Sir Jeffrey Tate, Michael Tilson Thomas, Franz Welser-Mรถst, David Zinman, Riccardo Chailly, and Daniel Harding. He frequently performs with premiere ensembles in the United States and Europe, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Orchestra del Santa Cecilia, Orchestre National de France, and the Mรผnchner Philharmoniker.

In recital, Matthew Polenzani has appeared in numerous venues across America with pianist Julius Drake and at Londonโ€™s Wigmore Hall (available on CD from the Wigmore Hall label). He has also appeared with noted pianist Richard Goode in a presentation of Janรกฤekโ€™sย The Diary of One Who Vanishedย at Carnegieโ€™s Zankel Hall and in recital at the Verbier Festival with pianist Roger Vignoles (commercially available on CD from VAI). Mr. Polenzani was honored to have sung on all three stages of Carnegie Hall in one season: in concert with the MET Chamber Ensemble at Zankel Hall, in a solo recital in Weill Hall, and a Schubert Liederabend on the stage of Isaac Stern Auditorium.

Matthew Polenzani was the recipient of the 2004 Richard Tucker Award, The Metropolitan Operaโ€™s 2008 Beverly Sills Artist Award, and a 2017 Opera News Award. An avid golfer, he makes his home in suburban New York with his wife, mezzo-soprano Rosa Maria Pascarella, and their three sons.