Bold. Brave. Brilliant.

Arizona Opera Cast Members & Creatives

Michael Mayes

With a “powerful” voice and an “arresting stage presence”, baritone Michael Mayes enjoys a busy operatic career in both traditional and contemporary operatic roles with theaters throughout the United States and Europe. He is well known for his critically acclaimed portrayal of Joseph De Rocher in Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking with multiple US theaters including Washington National Opera and made his debut in that same role in 2018 with Teatro Real and the Barbican. Of his De Rocher, Opera News hailed “Michael Mayes, in his sixth production of the opera, embodied the conflicted character of Joseph De Rocher with an almost eerie intensity. . . this was a consummate performance, powerfully sung and acted” and The Tulsa World described his portrayal as “an experience those who saw it will never forget.” Other Jake Heggie operas Mayes has performed include Manfred in Out of the Darkness with Music of Remembrance, Charlie in Three Decembers with UrbanArias, and the world premiere of Great Scott with Dallas Opera and San Diego Opera. Mayes is known for his portrayals in other contemporary operas including Older Thompson in Glory Denied with Nashville Opera, Opera Memphis, and Fort Worth Opera, Lawrence in The Wreckers with Bard SummerScape, Adam in The Canticle of the Black Madonna with Anima Mundi Productions, Kinesias in Mark Adamo’s Lysistrata with Fort Worth Opera, Adam in Baden-Baden 1927 with Gotham Chamber Opera, and Edward Gaines in Margaret Garner opposite mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves with the Opera Company of Philadelphia and Opera Carolina.

Mayes moved into more dramatic repertoire in the 2017/18 Season, including Conte di Luna in Il trovatore with Central City Opera. Additionally, he joined Teatro Real in Madrid and the Barbican in London for Dead Man Walking, Beth Morrison Projects for REV23, Lyric Opera of Kansas City as Doug in Everest, Pittsburgh Opera as Starbuck in Moby Dick, and Atlanta Opera as Sweeney Todd. His 2018/19 Season included Sharpless in Madame Butterfly with Pittsburgh Opera, Alfio/Tonio in Cavalleria rusticana/Pagliacci with Madison Opera, Older Thompson in Glory Denied and Wozzeck with Des Moines Metro Opera, Conte di Luna in Il trovatore in his Seattle Opera debut, a reprise of his Dead Man Walking with Atlanta Opera, and the title role in Nixon in China in his debut with Staatsoper Stuttgart. His 2019/20 Season sees him as Tonio in Pagliacci with Boston Lyric Opera, Rigoletto with Houston Grand Opera, Sweeney Todd with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, Dead Man Walking with New Israeli Opera, Thoas in Iphigénie en Tauride with Staatsoper Stuttgart, Rigoletto with Nashville Opera, and Beck in Everest with the Barbican.

Mayes continues to build an impressive resume in leading traditional opera roles including Jack Rance in La fanciulla del West with Opera Omaha, Scarpia in Tosca with Central City Opera, Escamillo in Carmen with Kentucky Opera and Boston Lyric Opera, Sharpless in Madame Butterfly with Michigan Opera Theatre, the title role in Rigoletto with Boston Lyric Opera for which Opera News hailed “This gifted baritone was never less than compelling dramatically, but his performance of "Cortigiani, vil razza dannata" was superb", Papageno in The Magic Flute with Michigan Opera Theatre, Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus with Syracuse Opera, Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro with Des Moines Metro Opera, the title role in Don Giovanni with Des Moines Metro Opera, and Silvio in Pagliacci with Kentucky Opera and Nashville Opera, among many other important roles.