The rising, young baritone has performed the roles of Marcello, Valentin, Guglielmo, Figaro (IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA), Conte Almaviva, Malatesta, Schaunard and premiered the role of the Reverend John Wilson in Margaret Garwood's THE SCARLET LETTER. His repertoire also includes roles such as Belcore, Aeneas and Colonel Calverly in PATIENCE.
Mr. Benoliel covered Yamadori in New York City Opera's recent production of MADAMA BUTTERFLY after spending the summer with Lyrique en Mer in Belle-Ile, France performing Malatesta in DON PASQUALE. He was Marcello for Opera East Texas's LA BOHEME and sang Schaunard at both Opera Omaha and Tulsa Opera. Mr. Benoliel received critical acclaim for his performance of Guglielmo in COSI FAN TUTTE with Granite State Opera. He made his New York City Opera debut this past April as Sciarrone in TOSCA. Last year he sang Schaunard with Madison Opera and Ash Lawn Opera Festival in LA BOHEME. Mr. Benoliel was featured at Glimmerglass Opera in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, JENUFA, and the world premiere of Stephen Hartke's THE GREATER GOOD. Mr. Benoliel has performed with Chautauqua Opera as Thomas Putnam in THE CRUCIBLE. He has also performed with the New York Philharmonic, Portland Opera, the Pine Mountain Music Festival and the Lake George Opera Festival, with the latter covering Harlekin in ARIADNE AUF NAXOS. He performed the role of Ben in Menotti's THE TELEPHONE and also premiered the lead baritone role in a newly commissioned Italian opera, CAFE 900, for his European debut in Rome, Italy. He has been a featured recitalist with both Ocean City Pops and Opera of the Hamptons.
Mr. Benoliel was a 2008 Liederkranz Foundation Vocal Competition prize winner and a 2008 New England Finalist in the Metroplitan Opera National Council auditions. He was an international finalist in Placido Domingo's 2006 Operalia competiton, held in Valencia, Spain and was a semi-finalist in the 2006 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions New England Region. Mr. Benoliel was a finalist of the 2006 and 2005 Jensen Foundation Competition, a finalist of the 2004 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions New England Region, a 2004 and 2003 recipient of an encouragement award from the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation, a 2000 national semifinalist of the MacAllister Awards for Opera Singers and a 1998 finalist of the Friedrich Schorr Memorial Prize in Voice.
Mr. Benoliel's off-broadway credits include Jim in the world premiere Wallace Shawn play/opera THE MUSIC TEACHER at the Minetta Lane Theater in New York City.
Ross Benoliel is a graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia and holds a music degree in vocal performance from the University of Michigan. He is a grant winner from the Career Bridges foundation.