Stefan Szkafarowsky
Bass
Bass Stefan Szkafarowsky has emerged as one of America's leading artists, praised for the beautiful quality of his bass voice as well as for his impeccable technique. He is highly sought after by opera companies and orchestras in this country and abroad.
In 2009/2010, Mr. Szkafarowsky made his debut with the Nashville Opera performing both Sacristan and Sciarrone in their production of Tosca, followed by his debut in the Macau International Music Festival as Dr. Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro. Upcoming engagements include a return to the Metropolitan Opera to take part in their new production of The Nose as well as Boris Godunov; his debut at the Savonlinna Opera Festival in Finland as the Sacristan in Tosca; Vodnik in Rusalka with Opera Colorado; and Mitiukh in Boris Godunov with Dallas Opera.
In the 2008-2009 season, he returned to the Metropolitan Opera for their productions of La Gioconda and Eugene Onegin. He performed at the West Palm Beach Opera Company in La Bohème, where he portrayed both Benoit and Alcindoro. He also made his debut with Dayton Opera as Timur in Turandot, and he played both Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Kuno in Der Freischütz at Des Moines Metro Opera.
In 2007-2008, Stefan played Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte for Indianapolis Opera; the King in Aida with Nevada Opera; the lackey Havrilo in War and Peace at the Metropolitan Opera; and at Florida Opera he performed the Sacristan in Tosca, and Benoit/Alcindoro in La Bohème.
In 2006-2007 Stefan sang the role of Il Commendatore with Opera Pacific in Don Giovanni, followed by his debut with the Florida Grand Opera in Samson et Dalila as the Old Hebrew. He made his debut with the Lake George Opera in their rendition of La Bohème singing the roles of Benoit/Alcindoro, and sang Friar Lawrence in Roméo et Juliette at Toledo Opera.
In 2005-2006, Stefan sang the role of Prince Gremin in Eugene Onegin with Tulsa Opera; Banquo in Macbeth with Florentine Opera; The King in Aida with Opera Pacific; Benoit/Alcindoro in La Bohème with Fort Worth Opera; Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte with the San Antonio Opera; Bonze in Madama Butterfly at Opéra de Québec; Commendatore in Don Giovanni with Opera Pacific; and Benoit/Alcindoro in La Bohème and Dr. Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro with the Metro Lyric Opera under the baton of Maestro Coppola.
The 2003-2004 season had Mr. Szkafarowsky returning to the Metropolitan Opera in La Rossigno, Werther, and Salome. In the fall of 2004, Stefan made his Atlanta Opera debut in the role of the Commendatore in Mozart's Don Giovanni.
His Italian debut in Tchaikovsky's Oprichnik at the Cagliari Opera House was a highlight of Mr. Szkafarowsky's 2002-2003 season. In addition, he debuted with Minnesota Opera as the Grand Inquisitor in Don Carlo. Other performances include Ferrando in Verdi's Il Trovatore and Crespel in The Tales of Hoffman with Washington Opera; Zaccaria in Nabucco with Florentine Opera and Santiago, Chile; and Ramfis in Aida with New Jersey Opera. He has also performed with many other renowned opera companies such as the Lyric Opera of Chicago, New York City Opera, Grand Rapids Opera, New Orleans Opera, Arizona Opera, San Diego Opera, Dallas Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Hamilton, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Winnipeg, and Vancouver in such roles as Ramfis, Banquo, Sparafucile, Wurm, Prince Gremin, and Daland in The Flying Dutchman.
As a concert artist, Stefan has been a featured soloist with the Pittsburgh Symphony, National Symphony in Washington D.C., Minnesota Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Hartford Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony and the Vancouver and Montreal Symphonies. He has worked under the batons of Plácido Domingo, Michael Lankaster, Mstislav Rostrapovich, Leonard Slatkin and Michael Tilson Thomas.
A native of New York, Mr. Szkafarowsky attended the American Opera Center at Julliard and the Westchester Conservatory of Music. He is a recipient of grants from the Sullivan Foundation and the Tito Gobbi Award from the Rosa Ponselle Foundation. He is also a regional winner of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions.