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Baroque Architecture

BIOGRAPHY

Praised by Anthony Tomassini of The New York Times for his “winning singing and youthful bearing,” American tenor Richard Pittsinger is quickly establishing himself as a leading performer of both early and modern repertoire. 

 

An artist of rare versatility whose performance experience spans music across four centuries, Pittsinger’s principal operatic roles to date include Céphale in Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre’s Céphale et Procris with the Boston Early Music Festival, Aminta in Handel’s Atalanta with Juilliard Opera, Polinesso in Jonathan Dawe’s Being Ariodante at the Italian Academy, Orfeo in Luigi Rossi’s L’Orfeo with Juilliard Opera, Lysander in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Juilliard Opera, and “The Rocket” in Laura Karpman’s Wilde Tales at the Glimmerglass Festival. Additional stage credits include Verdi’s Falstaff at the Aspen Music Festival (Dr. Caius), Handel’s Acis & Galatea (Damon & Corydon), Virgil Thomson’s The Mother of Us All (Andrew Johnson), and Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld (Mercury). Recent stage credits also include excerpts from the title role in Rameau’s Platée and the ensemble of Verdi’s Un giorno di regno at the Garsington Opera Festival, where he subsequently won the esteemed Helen Clark Award. In addition, at the 2023 International Baroque Singing Competition of Normandy, Richard was awarded both the Young Artist Award and Audience Award. 

 

Equally comfortable on the concert stage, Pittsinger has additionally served as tenor soloist with Musica Sacra, ARTEK, Central City Chorus, The Cecilia Chorus of New York, The Co-Cathedral at St. Joseph’s, as well as Julliard415. He has collaborated with, or appeared under the direction of, such musicians as Paul Agnew, Louisa Muller, Christopher Alden, Mary Birnbaum, Avi Stein, Gilbert Blin, William Christie, Richard Egarr, Stephen Stubbs, Patrick Summers, Stephen Wadsworth, and Gary Wedow. 

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For the 2024/2025 season, Pittsinger is thrilled to be making many role and stage debuts. These include the title role in Monteverdi’s Il ritorno d’Ulisse with ARTEK, Grisóstomo in Telemann’s Don Quichotte and Fabius in Kaiser’s Octavia with Boston Early Music Festival, Messiah with the Charlotte Symphony, and Lurcanio in Handel’s Ariodante for Boston Baroque. This season also marks Pittsinger’s European opera debut at the Opéra Comique in Paris where he’ll be performing in Jean-Philippe Rameau’s Samson, created by Claus Guth and Raphaël Pichon. Pittsinger returns to France mid-summer to begin his residency with Le Jardin des Voix, performing in two short operas by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Les Arts Florissants & La Descente d’Orphée aux Enfers—in which he’ll be performing the title role—and the oratorio, Il giardino di rose by Alessandro Scarlatti. The Charpentier double bill will open the summer Festival dans les Jardins de William Christie, then both projects will tour internationally throughout the 2025/2026 season. 

 

Pittsinger’s expressive singing and powerful high register has earned him widespread acclaim from various leading publications throughout the United States. During his recent appearance in Handel’s Atalanta, Opera News noted that “As Aminta, Richard Pittsinger skated nimbly over his runs and demonstrated an impressive high extension,” while Voce di Meche described “such stunning vocal moments that we found ourselves holding our breath.” Following a Carnegie Hall recital associated with Renée Fleming’s SongStudio 2022, Operawire.com described how “Pittsinger had strength, particularly in the high register,” and Seen and Heard International lauded his “stage presence to burn… a mastery of Baroque style…and equal ease in Benjamin Britten’s ‘At Day-Close in November…”  

 

As a young treble, Pittsinger received early training at New York’s prestigious St. Thomas Choir School, recording or performing with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s under the baton of John Scott, the Dresden Symphony with Vladimir Jurowski and, alongside his father David Pittsinger, the Pittsburgh Symphony with Leonard Slatkin. He made his operatic debut at age 11 at the Castleton Festival, subsequently appearing at the Glimmerglass Festival.  

 

A graduate of The Juilliard School, Pittsinger received a Bachelor and Master of Music under the tutelage of Elizabeth Bishop, performing in masterclasses with Renée Fleming, Isabelle Leonard, and Nicholas McGegan. He pursued additional studies at the Tanglewood Institute, Amherst Early Music Festival, and Aspen Music Festival.

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