Argentinian bass-bartione Federico De Michelis, praised by Opera News as a “singer with a deep-voiced authority,” continues to make an indelible impression in the classical music industry with his gorgeous timbre, artistry and stage presence. In the 2024–2025 season, De Michelis will make his Metropolitan Opera debut as Maestro in Ainadamar, Mark in Cruzar la Cara de la Luna with Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Amarillo Opera, and in concert, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the San Antonio Symphony, a Christmas Pops concert with the Las Colinas, and the first workshop of a new work by composer Gabriela Lena Frank, written for him, with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.
In the 2023–2024 season, Federico De Michelis reprised the role of Laurentino in El Milagro del Recuerdo with San Diego Opera, the Imperial Commissioner in Madame Butterfly with Houston Grand Opera, Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Opera San Antonio, and joined the Houston Chamber Choir in the world premiere of The Joyful Mysteries by Daniel Knaggs.
During recent seasons, he returned to the Houston Grand Opera as Colline in La bohème, Achilla in Giulio Cesare, Dr. Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore with Jane Glover, Laurentino in El Milagro del Recuerdo, Balthazar in La Favorite, and Nourabad in Les pêcheurs de perles, a role he reprised in his debut at the Gran Teatre del Liceu. Other appearances include Mr. Flint in Billy Budd with Central City Opera, Central City Opera as Elmiro in Otello, Sacristan in Tosca at Dutch National Opera, Palm Beach Opera in the title role of Le nozze di Figaro, Frère Laurent in Roméo et Juliette with San Antonio Opera, Leporello in Don Giovanni with Florida Grand Opera, Brander in La damnation de Faust at the Aspen Music Festival, Colline in La bohème at Seattle Opera and the Gran Teatre del Liceu, and Timur in Turandot at Des Moines Metro Opera.
On the concert stage, De Michelis debuted with the Philadelphia Orchestra as Sciarrone in Tosca under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin, sang Mozart’s Mass in C minor and Handel’s Messiah with the North Carolina Symphony, the opening night gala with Opera Louisiane, and presented a series of concerts in Key West, Florida, as part of the Florida Keys Concert Association. Internationally, he performed in a tour of Spain organized by the Fundación Albéniz, in a Christmas concert for the Royal Family of Spain at the Palacio Real de Madrid, and in concerts with the Nürnberger Symphoniker in Nürnberg and Zindorf, Germany.
As a member of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, De Michelis sang Thomas Betterton in the world premiere of Carlisle Floyd’s Prince of Players, conducted by Patrick Summers, Angelotti in Tosca, Zaretsky in Eugene Onegin, the King in The Little Prince, the cover of the title role and Antonio in Le nozze di Figaro, and selected scenes as Tiridate in Radamisto. He also debuted at the Aspen Music Festival, performing Colline in La bohème. At the Auditorio Sony Madrid, he sang Leporello in Don Giovanni, the title role in Don Pasquale, and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola. While at the Opera Studio of Teatro Argentino de La Plata, he performed Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte, Antonio in Il viaggio a Reims, El Hombre Mayor in Gandini’s contemporary opera La ciudad ausente, Johann in Werther, Narrator in Rota’s I due timidi, Plutone in Monteverdi’s Il ballo dell’ingrate, and Tempo in Monteverdi’s Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria.
Born in Buenos Aires, De Michelis received 3rd prize in the Eleanor McCollum Competition at Houston Grand Opera, and was named “Outstanding Student” by Her Majesty Queen Sofía of Spain. Outside of singing, he is a composer and founder of “The New Song Project,” and is well versed in the works of Latin American chamber and folk music, jazz, the great American songbook, as well as the compositions of contemporary songwriters. He is based in Houston and holds a Green Card for the United States.
