Nathan Gunn American operatic baritone Date of Birth: 26.11.1970 Country: USA

1. Biography of Nathan Gunn
2. International Success
3. An Accomplished Artist
4. Athleticism and Sex Appeal
5. Teaching and Family
6. Leading Performances
7. Concert Performances
8. Awards and Recognition

Biography of Nathan Gunn

Nathan Gunn is an American operatic baritone and one of the most sought-after baritones in the world today. He was born on November 26, 1970 in South Bend, Indiana.

International Success

Gunn has performed on the stages of renowned opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Paris Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Glyndebourne Opera Festival, Theater an der Wien, Teatro Real in Madrid, and La Monnaie in Brussels. In the United States, he regularly appears at the Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Opera, Dallas Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, and Opera Company of Philadelphia. He is also a popular guest at the Mostly Mozart Festival.

An Accomplished Artist

Gunn's wide repertoire includes leading roles in "Billy Budd," "Eugene Onegin," "Il Barbiere di Siviglia," and "Hamlet," as well as characters like Guglielmo in "Così fan tutte," Almaviva in "Le Nozze di Figaro," Tarquinius in "The Rape of Lucretia," Malatesta in "Don Pasquale," Lancelot in "Camelot," Papageno in "Die Zauberflöte," and Belcore in "L'elisir d'amore," among many others.

Athleticism and Sex Appeal

In addition to his vocal and acting talents, Gunn is known for his athletic physique, which is quite unusual for an opera singer. In 2008, he unexpectedly made it onto People magazine's list of "Sexiest Men," where movie stars and professional athletes are predominantly featured.

Teaching and Family

Since the fall semester of 2007, Gunn has served as a professor of voice at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. His wife, Julie Jordan Gunn, is also a faculty member at the same university, teaching piano.

Leading Performances

As a passionate supporter of contemporary opera, Gunn has participated in the world premiere of Daron Hagen's opera "Amelia." He has also premiered roles such as Alec Harvey in André Previn's "Brief Encounter," Father Delura in Peter Eötvös's "Love and Other Demons," and Clyde Griffiths in Tobias Picker's "An American Tragedy." In the summer of 2013, he returned to the San Francisco Opera for the premiere of "The Gospel of Mary Magdalene" by Mark Adamo. In 2015, he is set to premiere Jennifer Higdon's "Cold Mountain" at the Santa Fe Opera.

Concert Performances

As an outstanding concert performer, Gunn has collaborated with some of the world's most renowned symphony orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and London Symphony Orchestra.

Awards and Recognition

Gunn has received numerous accolades throughout his career. He was the first recipient of the annual Beverly Sills Artist Award and was honored with the Pittsburgh Opera Renaissance Award. He is a graduate of the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artists Program and won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Competition in 1994.