Arizona Opera Cast Members & Creatives

Craig Irvin brings a vibrant sound and commitment to character to a wide variety of repertoire. Opera News has praised his “rich, resonant baritone” while the Dallas Morning News has noted his “truly commanding baritone.” This season, Irvin makes exciting returns to Utah Opera as Jack Torrence in The Shining and Opera Tampa as Papageno in The Magic Flute. In addition, he makes house debuts with Virginia Opera as Travis Briggs in Intelligence and Florida Grand Opera as the French General in Silent Night. Last season, Irvin made his Glimmerglass Opera debut singing the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance and Giove in La Callisto. He also brought his Pirate King to Knoxville Opera’s The Pirates of Penzance, made a role and house debut as Kenny Kencaid in Shawn Okpebholo and Mark Campbell’s The Cook Off with Nashville Opera, made his role debut as Tonio in Pagliacci, performed Maximillian and Captain in Candide with Opera Tampa, sang Thalasso in the premiere of The Pigeon Keeper with Opera Parallèle, and made concert appearances with the Des Moines Symphony, Madison Symphony Orchestra, and Grand Rapids Symphony.

Irvin recently returned to The Atlanta Opera in his role debut as Jack Torrance in The Shining, to Madison Opera as Scarpia in Tosca, and reprised his Older Thompson in Glory Denied with Annapolis Opera and his Pirate King in The Pirate of Penzance with Kentucky Opera. Recent engagements also include his role debut as Jochanaan in Salome with Madison Opera, his role debut as Older Thompson in Glory Denied with Knoxville Opera and Permian Basin Opera, Maximillian in Candide with The Atlanta Opera, and the Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods with Tulsa Opera.

In recent seasons, he reprised The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance at both The Atlanta Opera and Utah Symphony and Opera. Other recent engagements include the revival of his Dan Packard in Dinner at Eight with the Wexford Festival, Lt. Horstmayer in Silent Night with Austin Opera, Valentin in Faust with Opera Omaha, singing Dominik and covering Mandryka in Arabella with Canadian Opera Company, Stubb in Moby Dick with Utah Opera, Dandini in La Cenerentola with Opera Orlando, and Frank in Die Fledermaus with Des Moines Metro Opera.

A native of Iowa, Irvin completed his undergraduate study at the Simpson College in Indianola under the tutelage of Dr. Robert L. Larsen.