Hailed by Opera News for his “handsome sound,” and described as a “standout” by the Wall Street Journal, tenor Derrek Stark is quickly establishing a reputation as an elegant performer with nuanced and stylish singing. In 2021, he debuted the role of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Opera Tampa and Eugene Opera and was set to reprise the title role in Idomeneo with Opera Fuoco (COVID19). In 2022, Mr. Stark returned to Eugene Opera as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, joined Gulfshore Opera for Alfred in Die Fledermaus, made a return to Opera Tampa as Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi, reprised the role of Rodolfo with Bar Harbor Music Festival, and was set to perform the title role in Idomeneo with Opera Fuoco (COVID19). In 2022/23, he joins The Metropolitan Opera roster where he covers the Trojan Man in Idomeneo and Lerma and the Royal Herald in Don Carlo. He will also return to Eugene Opera and Opera Tampa as Rodolfo in La bohème and Adolfo Pirelli in Sweeney Todd, respectively and he will make his New Jersey Festival Orchestra debut in their Holiday Concert.
In 2020, Mr. Stark reprised the role of Rodolfo in La bohème with the Imperial Symphony Orchestra, made a role debut as Percy in Baltimore Concert Opera’s Anna Bolena, and was slated to reprise the role of Alfredo in La traviata with Inland Northwest Opera (COVID19) and make his debut as the tenor soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with Kansas City Symphony Orchestra (COVID19 – rescheduled to 2022).
In 2019, Mr. Stark made his international debut with Opernhaus Zürich as the Italian Tenor in Der Rosenkavalier and returned to Palm Beach Opera as Alfredo in La traviata. Other engagements that season included a role premiere with Teatro Nuovo as Arturo in La straniera, and Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi with OperaFusion.
Previous season highlights include Giasone in Medea in Corinto with Teatro Nuovo, Rodolfo in La bohème with San Antonio Opera, The Governor in Candide with Palm Beach Opera, Harry in La fanciulla del West with Santa Fe Opera, Rodolfo in La bohème with Miami Lyric Opera, and Remendado in Carmen with Lyric Opera Kansas City. Other role highlights include Alfredo in La traviata, Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi, Peter Quint in The Turn of the Screw, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, and Fenton in Falstaff.
Equally at home in concert repertoire, Mr. Stark has performed with the Atlantic Classical Orchestra, the Boise Philharmonic, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of Saint Luke’s in repertoire ranging from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony to Orff’s Carmina Burana, and Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle.
In 2019, Mr. Stark won 2nd place in the Giulio Gari International Voice Competition, as well as 3rd place in the Opera Columbus Cooper-Bing Competition. A 2018 Sullivan Foundation Grant Winner, his past awards include a Campbell/Wacther Scholarship from Santa Fe Opera, a Bel Canto Vocal Scholarship Foundation award, and 3rd place in the LLangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.
Stark is an alumnus of many prestigious training programs including; the Benenson Young Artist Program at Palm Beach Opera, Bel Canto at Caramoor, the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and the Santa Fe Opera. He holds a B.M. from Mansfield University, PA, and a M.M. from The Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University.