Joshua Wheeker, a graduate of the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist program of LA Opera, is securing his place as an exciting lyric tenor in the opera world. The “warmth and clarity” of his voice lends itself to many of opera’s leading men, while his musical sensitivity is equally at home in recital and concert. 

 

He was last seen as Nemorino in Opera Maine’s L'elisir d'amore, Don Ottavio in Dayton Opera's Don Giovanni, the Duke of Mantua in Tulsa Opera’s Rigoletto, and Tamino in LA Opera’s Kosky production of Die Zauberflöte. Opera news described his Duke with Tulsa Opera as “showing complete technical mastery” and his Nemorino as "an unfailingly fluid Italianante tenor...producing a bright but warm tone that remained both solid and supple...". Prior to that, he made his debut as Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto at Opera Theater of Saint Louis. On his OTSL performances, Broadway World wrote that “his voice is so beautiful that one understands how a girl would be smitten with him.”

 

During his time in the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program at LA Opera, his performances spanned from varying operatic roles, including Malcolm in Macbeth, Cacambo in Candide, and covering Tito in La Clemenza di Tito, to performing concert series and new works with artist-in-resident composer/conductor, Matthew Aucoin.

 

His concert work includes engagements with LA Philharmonic, Dayton Philharmonic, LA Symphony, Dayton Bach Society, Colburn School of Music, Dream Orchestra, Palm Springs Opera in the Park, Opera Buffs, and Salastina Chamber Ensemble.

 

Joshua has received awards in several prestigious competitions. He is the recipient of the following honors: 4th place winner in the Loren L. Zachary National Vocal Competition (2021), Windsor Award at the Vero Beach Opera Competition (2021), 3rd prize in the Pasadena Vocal Competition (2021), Contract winner in the Giovanni Consiglio International Competition (2020), 2nd place in Mentoris competition (2020), Winner of the Western Region MONC competition (2019), 1st place in the Pasadena Opera Guild Competition (2017), and in March of 2019 Joshua competed as a Semi-finalist in the MONC competition in New York on the Met stage.

 

Joshua will next be covering in Lucia di Lammermoor at the Metropolitan Opera in 2022. He was engaged to sing Narraboth from Salome with Hawaii Opera Theatre, but it was unfortunately canceled due to the Covid19 crisis. Joshua has also appeared with Aspen Music Festival, Kentucky Opera, and Des Moines Metro Opera.

 

Joshua is from Dayton, Ohio but is now located in the Chicago area. He received his Bachelor’s of Music from University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music.