JAMES McLEAN
Tenor

Bio

"McLean was very effective both in his bitterness and in the lyrical set piece he sang with toy piano accompaniment... McLean again excelled as a man whose grief and rage shook his entire being."

Robert Everett-Green, The Globe and Mail
Pub Operas, Tapestry New Opera Works


"One standout was tenor James McLean whose penetrating voice showed amazing depth, expressivity and power over a wide range of emotion."

Stephen Preece, K/W Record
October 2008 Mendelssohn's Lobgesang Review
Kitchener Waterloo Symphony & Grand Philharmonic Choir


James McLean is one of Canada’s most distinguished vocal artists, known for his compelling interpretation of the works of Bach, Mozart and Britten in an illustrious career on the operatic and concert stages of Europe. James began his solo career with the Toronto Symphony, under the baton of Sir Andrew Davis, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the Canadian Opera Company. In Germany, he established himself as a lyric tenor, specializing in the repertoire of Mozart. He has performed the roles of Tamino, Belmonte and Ferrando, in Nürnberg with Christian Thielemann, in Münich at the Gärtnerplatz Theater, and in Düsseldorf at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein. In recent years his repertoire has expanded to include such varied roles as; Lensky in Eugene Onegin (Theater und Philharmonie Essen), Alfredo in La Traviata (Niedersächsische Staatstheater Hannover and Städtische Bühne Heidelberg), Tom Rakewell in The Rake's Progress (Landestheater Coburg), Steva in Jenufa (Opéra Toulon Provence Méditerranée and Opèra Royal de Wallonie, Liège) and the Prince in Rusalka (Städtische Bühnen Münster). James recently premiered the role of Alexander Herzog in Ganna by Kraus-Hübner at Stadttheater Fürth. Appearances on concert stages throughout Europe, Russia and Israel include works ranging from Bach's Evangelist roles to McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio and include Haydn's Creation, Mendelssohn's Elijah, Britten's War Requiem, Rossini's Stabat Mater and Petite Messe Solennelle as well as Dvorak's Stabat Mater and Verdi’s Requiem. Now based in his hometown of Toronto, Canadian appearances for this accomplished singer include Montreal’s Choeur Saint-Laurent (Petite Messe Solennelle), Grand Philharmonic Choir (Mendelssohn’s Lobgesang) and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Thunder Bay Symphony. James is a frequent guest artist with Aldeburgh Connection, and has shared his artistry as the Evangelist of St. Matthew Passion (Guelph Chamber Choir) and St. John Passion (Chorus Niagara).

James recently joined Ottawa's Opera Lyra as Pang in Turandot, followed by his debut with L'Opera de Rouens as Steva in Janacek's Jenufa.

Highlights of the current season feature Pub Operas with Tapestry New Opera Works, St. Nicolas Cantata with both Ottawa Choral Society and Toronto’s Pax Christi Chorale, and Haydn’s Creation with Kingston Symphony Orchestra.


For more information, please visit www.jamesmclean.de