Praised for his “healthy and soaring tenor voice” (Herald Times) and “brilliant physical grace, timing, and precision” (Broadway World), Korean-American tenor Brad Bickhardt is becoming known for his versatility in both opera and musical theatre. In the 2024-2025 season, he sang the role of Podesta in La finta giardiniera with Arizona Opera. He also made a return to Opera Theatre of St. Louis to sing Glenn in the world premiere of This House by Ricky Ian Gordon and Lynn Nottage, and cover Snout in A Midsummer Night's Dream and Dr. Blind in Die Fledermaus. Upcoming engagements include covering Goro in Madama Butterfly at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, performing the role of Alfredo in La traviata with Livermore Valley Opera, singing Goro with the St. Barthélemy Music Festival, and joining Anchorage Opera as Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi. On the concert stage, he will perform as the tenor soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with the Santa Barbara Symphony.

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During the 2023-2024 season, Mr. Bickhardt created the role of Felix in the world premiere of Greg Kallor’s Frankenstein, and appeared as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni and as Tybalt in a new production of Roméo et Juliette directed by Patricia Racette with Arizona Opera, and in the summer, he made a company debut with Opera Theatre of St. Louis as A Priest in Philip Glass’ Galileo Galilei directed by James Robinson. 

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Recent roles with Arizona Opera include Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, and role debuts as the Tanzmeister & Scaramuccio in a new production of Ariadne auf Naxos and Jumper in The Falling and the Rising. Mr. Bickhardt also reprised his Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore with Muddy River Opera and created the role of Colin in the world premiere of We Wear the Sea Like a Coat and sang Basilio/Curzio in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera Ithaca.

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In 2021, Mr. Bickhardt made a company debut with Opera Naples as Gastone in La traviata, as well as singing Big Deal/Diesel and covering Alfredo and Tony in West Side Story. Other memorable performances include Alfredo in La traviata, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, and Tony in West Side Story (IU Opera Theater), Captain/Tenorio in Man of La Mancha and Njegus in The Merry Widow (Opera Saratoga), and Hanif in Gluck’s L'île de Merlin (Wolf Trap Opera).

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In concert, Mr. Bickhardt has sung Schubert’s Mass in G, Mozart’s Missa Brevis in Bb, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, and Handel’s Messiah with The Phoenix Symphony. Notable awards include District Winner (Wisconsin) and an Encouragement Award (Central Region) from the Laffont Competition, Third Place for the “Men in Opera (College Division)” with The American Prize, and the Shirley-Rabb Winston Award from the Society of Arts and Letters.

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Mr. Bickhardt is an alumnus of the young artist programs of The Marion Roose Pullin Studio at Arizona Opera, The Gerdine Young Artist Program at Opera Theatre of St. Louis, The Glimmerglass Festival, Tri-Cities Opera, Opera Naples, Wolf Trap Opera, Opera Saratoga, and Charlottesville Opera.

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Mr. Bickhardt holds both his Bachelor and Master degrees in Vocal Performance from Indiana University. During his graduate studies, Mr. Bickhardt served as an Associate Instructor of Voice.