John Cheek American operatic bass-baritone Country: Great Britain

Biography of John Cheek

John Cheek is an American operatic bass-baritone. Born in Greenville, South Carolina, he grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina, where he studied at the North Carolina School for the Arts. It was there that Cheek began his vocal training, and after graduating, he continued his studies in Siena, Italy, and at the Manhattan School of Music.

His debut at the Metropolitan Opera took place in 1977, and since then, John Cheek has been a member of the opera company, performing numerous leading roles for a bass-baritone. Some of his notable performances include "Don Giovanni," "La Bohème," "Die Zauberflöte," "Le nozze di Figaro," "Così fan tutte," "Aida," "Pelléas et Mélisande," "Faust," and "La clemenza di Tito." In total, Cheek has performed on the Metropolitan Opera stage over 360 times.

In the New York City Opera, he sang three leading roles in one season: Mephistopheles in Boito's "Mefistofele," Attila in Verdi's "Attila," and Rasputin in the world premiere of Jay Reise's opera "Rasputin." In the following season, he performed the title role in a new production of "Don Giovanni." Cheek has also appeared as a soloist in a wide range of oratorios and symphonic works with almost all major North American orchestras, collaborating with renowned conductors such as Leonard Bernstein, Andrew Davis, Sir Colin Davis, Charles Dutoit, Erich Leinsdorf, James Levine, Zubin Mehta, Leonard Slatkin, and Sir Georg Solti.

Additionally, he regularly gives solo concerts, and on four notable occasions, James Levine accompanied him on the piano in New York City, Chicago, and at the Ravinia Festival. European centers of opera such as London, Paris, Berlin, Salzburg, Stuttgart, and Zurich unanimously recognize John Cheek as a world-class bass-baritone.

Reflecting his rare versatility as an artist, Cheek's repertoire includes both rare operas by Baroque composers and world premieres of works by contemporary composers, including Sir Michael Tippett, David Diamond, and Ned Rorem. He was the first performer of the role of Lawyer Royal in Stephen Paulus' opera "Summer" and the lead role in Romeo Cascarino's "William Penn" at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia. His discography includes recordings of Igor Stravinsky's "Renard" with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Leonard Bernstein's vocal cycle "Songfest" with the St. Louis Symphony, "The Rake's Progress" with the Orchestra of St. Luke's, Antonín Dvořák's "Stabat Mater" with the New Jersey Symphony, Arnold Schoenberg's cantata "Gurre-Lieder," and Haydn's oratorio "The Creation" with the Atlanta Symphony chorus and orchestra.

John Cheek currently resides in the Berkshires with his wife, Lee Cheek.