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The New York Times gave extraordinary reviews of Gary Lehman's recent Metropolitan Opera debut as Tristan in Tristan und Isolde, stating, "Something of a savior has risen from the rubble... Mr. Lehman is handsome and athletic... Wagnerians long hardened to diminished expectations for this strenuous role had every reason to be happy on Tuesday night... Surviving Tristan is in itself an accomplishment. Mr. Lehman did more than survive, and the Met must be pleased to have him." Mr. Lehman made both his house and role debuts that night opposite the Isolde of Deborah Voigt. As a result of his successful debut, the Metropolitan Opera immediately engaged him to sing the role of Alwa in Berg's Lulu in 2010.
Mr. Lehman's exciting future engagements include Erik in Der Fliegende Holländer with the Savonlinna Festival in Finland; Don José in Carmen for Hawaii Opera Theatre; Tannhäuser with Norwegian National Opera; and Alwa in Lulu for the Metropolitan Opera and Croatian National Opera. He will also be returning to the Metropolitan Opera next season to cover both Tristan and Siegmund.
In addition to Mr. Lehman's Metropolitan Opera debut, his 2007/08 season has included performances as Florestan in Fidelio with Opera Roanoke, his return to Los Angeles Opera as cover artist for both Tristan and Florestan, and the tenor soloist in Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the Columbus Symphony. In Mr. Lehman's three short years singing the Heldentenor repertoire he has amassed a stunning amount of critical acclaim in Wagner's most challenging roles, including Tannhäuser with Theater Erfurt in Germany; his Heldentenor debut as the title role in Parsifal with Los Angeles Opera; his first Siegmund in Die Walküre in Long Beach Opera's production of Graham Vick and Jonathan Dove's version of Wagner's Ring Cycle; and also as Samson opposite Denyce Graves in Samson et Dalila with Orlando Opera.
Before moving into the Heldentenor repertoire Mr. Lehman enjoyed great success for nearly a decade performing leading baritone roles with such companies as New york City Opera, Montreal Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh Opera, Boston Lyric Opera and Opera Theatre of St. Louis. His repertoire included Marcelo in La Bohéme, Ford in Falstaff, Eugene Onegin in Eugene Onegin, Germont in La Traviata, The Count in Le Nozze di Figaro and Eisenstein in Die Fledermous.He has also appeared on the concert stage with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, St. Louis Symphony and Dallas Symphony Orchestra.
As a member of the Chicago Lyric Opera Center for American Artists, he appeared in more than 90 performances in three seasons on the main stage, in addition to singing the roles of Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Falke in Die Fledermaus. Gary Lehman was the recipient of a Robert Jacobsen Study Grant from the Richard Tucker Foundation, and appeared in the PBS broadcast of the Richard Tucker Gala that same year. He also appeared in the PBS broadcast of Lyric Opera of Chicago’s production of Antony and Cleopatra, and can be heard as the Son in Hugo Weisgall’s Six Characters in Search of An Author on New World Records.
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