Arizona Opera Cast Members & Creatives

Tenor David Margulis has established himself as a strong lyrical singer and actor on domestic and international opera stages alike. He has been called “radiant voiced,” and been praised for his “clear, pleasing tenor.” Of his portrayal of Tamino in Die Zauberflöte in his mainstage début at Arizona Opera, Opera Today raved: “David Margulis was an energetic Tamino who was only momentarily laid low by Pollard’s iconic monster. He sang with sumptuous lyrical sounds conveyed on a well-honed legato.”

In 2022, Margulis will make his Carnegie Hall debut in a program with the National Opera Chorus. He also features in A Streetcar Named Desire in his house debut with Florida Grand Opera, and returns to Arizona Opera as Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos. In 2020, he was scheduled to perform as Almaviva with Opera on the James (COVID-19), and was featured as Alfred in Opera Orlando’s innovative production of Die Fledermaus. During the 2019-20 Season, Mr. Margulis covered the role of Timothy Laughlin in Fellow Travelers, reprised his signature role of Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Vero Beach Opera and Opera on the James, and rejoined the Carolina Philharmonic for their annual Gala Concert. In the 2018-19 Season, Margulis made several company and role debuts, portraying Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Cleveland Opera Theater, Kronprinz in Silent Night with Austin Opera, and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni with Palm Beach Opera. He also appeared twice with the Carolina Philharmonic, joining them as the tenor soloist in Messiah and in their annual Gala Concert.

In the summer of 2018, Margulis debuted with Teatro Nuovo in their inaugural season as Argirio in Tancredi rifatto. Earlier in the season, Margulis also sang in Ballet Tucson’s concert, Bernstein and Ballet, as part of the Tucson Desert Song Festival, performed as the tenor soloist with Buffalo Philharmonic in selections from Cosí fan tutte, Don Giovanni, and Le Nozze di Figaro and returned to Arizona Opera as Almaviva for Il Barbiere di Siviglia. During the 2016-17 season, Mr. Margulis appeared as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Opera Grand Rapids, Will in Middlemarch in Spring with Charlottesville Opera, Florville in Il signor Bruschino with Zurich Chamber Orchestra, and Gherardo in Gianni Schicchi and Torquemada in L’heure espagnole in a double-bill for Opéra National de Lorraine in Nancy, France.

During the 2015/16 Season, Margulis joined the prestigious Internationales Opernstudio at Opernhaus Zürich where he demonstrated his refined dramatic sensibilities in a variety of operas including Jonathan Dove’s musical fairy tale The Enchanted Pig, Rossini’s colorful comic opera Le comte Ory, Haydn’s rarely seen “heroic-comic drama” Orlando paladino, Mozart’s hilarious comic singspiel Der Schauspieldirektor, and Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame. Additional engagements include the role of Borsa in Rigoletto in his main stage debut with Opera Santa Barbara; the inaugural New York Festival Song at North Fork program, led by Steven Blier; and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Phoenix Symphony. He also was seen at Tuscon Desert Song Festival performing on a program for the Ravinia Steans Music Institute on Tour with Kevin Murphy.

Margulis has earned a reputation as a champion of new works after being a part of numerous workshops including Theodore Morrison’s first opera, Oscar, at The Santa Fe Opera, the workshop performance of The Gospel According to Nana by Liliya Ugay and Lorene Cary with American Lyric Theater, and the workshop première of Bohmler's Riders of the Purple Sage at Arizona Opera. He has also premièred several new works including the tenor solo in Robert Kyr's Pacific Sanctus.

Additionally, Margulis has been engaged by some of the finest training programs in the country, where his assignments have included: Goro in Madama Butterfly and Léon in The Ghosts of Versailles at Wolf Trap Opera; Third Japanese Envoy/Stagehand in Le Rossignol/Der Schauspieldirektor with Santa Fe Opera; Ernesto in Don Pasquale, Alfredo in La traviata, Steuermann in Die fliegende Holländer, Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S. Pinafore, Basilio/Curzio in Le nozze di Figaro, and Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor at Arizona Opera; Young Servant in Elektra at Des Moines Metro Opera; Selimo in Maometto II at Santa Fe Opera; Molqi in The Death of Klinghoffer at Opera Theatre St. Louis; and Tybalt in Roméo et Juliette at Seagle Music Colony. While a fellow at the Ravinia Steans Music Institute, he was privileged to work with some of the most respected coaches and conductors in the world, including Kevin Murphy, Malcolm Martineau, and James Conlon.

Margulis holds degrees from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, The University of Washington, and Florida State University. David is a three-time Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and was a finalist in the Giulio Gari 2017 International Vocal Competition.