© Simon Pauly
Joshua Hopkins
Baritone
Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins has established himself as a prominent leading artist throughout the United States, appearing regularly at the Metropolitan Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Houston Grand Opera. Most recently, his engagements have included Orpheus in Matthew Aucoin’s Eurydice at the Metropolitan Opera, the role he created in the world premiere for Los Angeles Opera, Belcore L’elisir d’amore for the Lyric Opera of Chicago conducted by Enrique Mazzola, Harlequin Ariadne auf Naxos at the Edinburgh International Festival and Figaro Il Barbiere di Siviglia for Santa Fe Opera. This season Joshua makes his company debut at La Monnaie De Munt, Brussels, as Apollo in the world premiere of newly commissioned opera, Cassandra by Bernard Foccroulle and Matthew Jocelyn, conducted by Kazushi Ono.
Profoundly committed to the art of song, Joshua recently commissioned a new song cycle with the support of the National Arts Centre Orchestra and Houston Grand Opera. Written in a collaboration between acclaimed American opera composer Jake Heggie and renowned Canadian author Margaret Atwood, the piece, titled Songs for Murdered Sisters explores violence and abuse against women, and is an extremely important and personal project for Joshua.
Artist Manager
Camilla Wehmeyer
camilla@wehmeyermanagement.com
Assistant Artist Manager
Oliver Titheridge-Stone
European Management
Camilla Wehmeyer Management
General Management
Matthew Horner - IMG Artists
Media
Repertoire Includes
OPERA
ADAMO
Little Women (Friedrich Bhaer)
Lysistrata (Kinesias)
ADAMS
A Flowering Tree (Narrator)
Doctor Atomic (Oppenheimer)
AUCOIN
Eurydice (Orpheus)
BELLINI
I Puritani (Riccardo)
BERLIOZ
Béatrice Et Bénédict (Claudio)
BERNSTEIN
A Quiet Place (Junior)
BIZET
Carmen (Escamillo)
Les Pêcheurs de Perles (Zurga)
BRITTEN
Albert Herring (Sid)
Billy Budd (Billy Budd)
Owen Wingrave (Owen Wingrave)
Peter Grimes (Ned Keene)
The Rape Of Lucretia (Tarquinius)
CHABRIER
L’étoile (Hérisson)
CORIGLIANO
The Ghosts Of Versailles (Figaro)
DEBUSSY
Pelléas Et Mélisande (Pelléas)
BIZET
Carmen (Escamillo)
Les Pêcheurs Des Perles (Zurga)
BRITTEN
Albert Herring (Sid)
Billy Budd (Billy Budd)
Owen Wingrave (Owen Wingrave)
Peter Grimes (Ned Keene)
The Rape Of Lucretia (Tarquinius)
CHABRIER
L’étoile (Hérisson)
CORIGLIANO
The Ghosts Of Versailles (Figaro)
DEBUSSY
Pelléas Et Mélisande (Pelléas)
DONIZETTI
Don Pasquale (Malatesta)
L’elisir D’amore (Belcore)
Falla La Vida Breve (Manuel)
FAIROUZ
The New Prince (Niccolò Machiavelli)
GLUCK
Iphigénie En Tauride (Oreste)
GOUNOD
Faust (Valentin)
Roméo et Juliette (Mercutio)
HEGGIE
Dead Man Walking (De Rocher)
It’s A Wonderful Life (Harry Bailey)
Moby-Dick (Starbuck)
The End Of The Affair (Bendrix)
HANDEL
Rinaldo (Argante)
KORNGOLD
Die Tote Stadt (Fritz)
LEHÁR
The Merry Widow (Danilo)
LEONCAVALLO
I Pagliacci (Silvio)
MASSENET
Manon (Lescaut)
Thaїs (Athanaël)
Werther (Albert)
MONTEVERDI
L’incoronazione Di Poppeo (Ottone)
L’orfeo (Orfeo)
Il Ritorno D’ulisse In Patria (Telemaco)
MOZART
Così Fan Tutte (Guglielmo)
Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni)
Le Nozze Di Figaro (Count Almaviva)
Die Zauberflöte (Papageno)
PORTMAN
The Little Prince (The Pilot)
POULENC
Les Mamelles De Tirésias (Le Mari)
PUCCINI
La Bohème (Marcello)
Madama Butterfly (Sharpless)
PURCELL
Dido And Æneas (Æneas)
RAMEAU
Castor Et Pollux (Pollux)
RAVEL
L’heure Espagnole (Ramiro)
RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN
Carousel (Billy Bigelow)
ROSSINI
Il Barbiere Di Siviglia (Figaro)
La Cenerentola (Dandini)
L’italiana In Algeri (Taddeo)
SAARIAHO
L’amour De Loin (Jaufré Rudel)
J. STRAUSS
Die Fledermaus (Falke)
R. STRAUSS
Capriccio (Olivier)
TCHAIKOVSKY
Eugene Onegin (Onegin)
Pikovaya Dama (Yeletsky)
WAGNER
Tannhäuser (Wolfram)
WEINBERG
The Passenger (Tadeusz)
Concert
ADAMS
The Wound-Dresser
J.S. BACH
Christmas Oratorio
Mass in B-minor
St. John Passion
St. Matthew Passion
BARBER
Dover Beach
BERLIOZ
Lélio
Les Nuits d’Été
BERNSTEIN
Mass
BRAHMS
Ein deutsches Requiem
BRITTEN
War Requiem
BRUCKNER
Te Deum
CHARPENTIER
Messe de Minuit
COPLAND
Old American Songs
DEBUSSY
Trois Ballades de François Villon
DURUFLÉ
Requiem
FAURÉ
Requiem
FINZI
In Terra Pax
GRIEG
Peer Gynt
HANDEL
Messiah
Judas Maccabaeus
Dettingen Te Deum
HAYDN
The Creation
IBERT
Chansons de Don Quichotte
KAPILOW
Polar Express
LIEBERSON
Songs of Love and Sorrow
MAHLER
Des Knaben Wunderhorn
Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
Symphony No. 8
MARTIN
Six Monologues from “Jedermann”
MENDELSSOHN
Elijah
NIELSEN
Symphony No. 3
ORFF
Carmina Burana
RAVEL
Don Quichotte à Dulcinée
ROSSINI
Petite Messe Solennelle
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
Five Mystical Songs
Sea Symphony
VIVALDI
Beatus Vir
Selected Discography
Press
Bernard Foccroulle CASSANDRA / La Monnaie de Munt
“The well-voiced baritone of Joshua Hopkins gives a lot of authority to the character of Apollo”
Alfred Caron, Avant Scéne Opera (September 2023)
"Apollo (Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins) has a beautiful vocal vigour in relation to the dark and predatory side of the character"
Benedict Hévry, ResMusica (September 2023)
"Joshua Hopkins is particularly radiant in the rather dark role of Apollo"
Claude Jottrand, Forum Opera (September 2023)
"Joshua Hopkins brings to life that detestable god Apollo with conviction and authority."
Xavier Rivera, Opera World, (September 2023)
"To these characters join the disarming magnitude of breath of Apollo (Joshua Hopkins)"
Thibault Vicq, Opera Online (September 2023)
"Joshua Hopkins excels in the role of Apollo"
Par Cinzia, Classic Agenda (September 2023)
Matthew Aucoin EURYDICE / Los Angeles Opera
“Orpheus the everyday guy — clueless if also endearing — is sung by Mr. Hopkins, with firm voice and youthful swagger. ”
Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times (February 2020)
“The production features a sterling cast led by the lithe and endearing soprano Danielle de Niese (Eurydice); the robust baritone Joshua Hopkins (Orpheus); countertenor, John Holiday (as Orpheus’s spirit double); tenor Barry Banks (Hades); with LA Opera veteran baritone Rod Gilfry as Eurydice’s father”
Jim Farber, San Francisco Classical Voice (February 2020)
“Sung by baritone Joshua Hopkins with stentorian presence and a beautifully coherent sound, Orpheus is distant and one-dimensional, unable to express himself despite his unparalleled gift of music.”
Matthew Richard Martinez, Bachtrack (February 2020)
“It features a sterling cast led by the lithe and endearing soprano, Danielle de Niese (as Eurydice); the robust baritone of Joshua Hopkins (as her music-obsessed boyfriend, Orpheus)…”
Jim Farber, Los Angeles Daily News (February 2020)
Mozart THE MAGIC FLUTE / The Metropolitan Opera
“And the hearty-voiced baritone Joshua Hopkins stole the show as Papageno, the hapless bird-catcher who reluctantly becomes Tamino’s sidekick on his quest. Mr. Hopkins’s antics and pratfalls had the audience giggling all afternoon.”
Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times (December 2019)
“Stellar performances were delivered by all the players. Joshua Hopkins, baritone, provided a modern take on Papageno. His singing is pure perfection and his clownish capers lit up the stage. Hopkins is a brilliant physical comedian as well as master of the singer’s art.”
Linda Holt, Bachtrack (December 2019)
“As Papageno, Joshua Hopkins brought an abundance of laughter through his time onstage. His introductory aria, “Der Vogelfanger bin ich ja” carried a bright and firm energy which lasted through most of the strophic number, slowing with a relishing draw at the thought of one day finding a mate. This vocal brightness lent itself to his taking of the credit for killing the serpent, with a humorous, resounding “Strangled it!” Hawkin’s [sic] lines were often delivered with skillful timing, and he showed great control of his support as through his many dynamic actions. This energy also helped with his interactions with much of the onstage puppetry, such as when he and Tamino receive food from Sarastro, as Papageno has his finger pinched by a lobster and tries to pull spaghetti from a floating bowl. These qualities nicely came together for his Act two number “Ein madchen oder Weibchen, as his upbeat, longing sentiments were joined by his dance moves, including a brief use of the “Floss” dance from the popular children’s game “Fortnite.”
Logan Martell, Operawire (December 2019)
Massenet THAÏS / Toronto Symphony Orchestra
"Joshua Hopkins’s outstanding Athanaël. His is a remarkable, unforgettable performance, sung with consistently expressive beauty, and quite superbly characterised, with every second of Athanaël’s progress from prurient fanaticism to desire, atheism and despair registering with quite astonishing vividness."
Tim Ashley, Gramophone (June 2020)
“Joshua Hopkins sang the enormous role of Athanaël with stunning skill. His character’s bold, even bullying personality was spot on, depicting a monk who is often called too proud in his single-minded pursuit of winning the soul of the courtesan Thaïs. In the end, Athanaël discovers he is in love with Thaïs, and renounces his faith at her death-bed, while she, unaware of his worldly obsession with her, sees a vision of angels and saints welcoming her into the afterlife. Hopkins was remarkable in stamina, musicality, and sheer force in his performative stage presence, but above all, he presented a clear artistic grasp of the French singing idiom. He was an ideal casting for the role, and a prudish sharp contrast to the worldly Alexandrians he must unwillingly court if he is to win Thaïs’s soul as his prize.”
Stephan Bonfiel, Ludwig Van Toronto (November 2019)
“Athanaël (sung wonderfully by Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins) is a monk who casts aside all worldly pleasures, instead choosing divine love and its promise of eternal life…Hopkins brings a warm and stoic sound to Athanaël, walking the line between the learned composure of a monk and the white-knuckled battle of a man in conflict with his own virile body.”
Jenna Simeonov, The Globe and Mail (November 11 2019)
“Appearing as Athanaël, Joshua Hopkins’ steely stage manners proclaimed his character’s eternal inflexibility, clutching his thick binder of music like some treasured holy book…Hopkins’ assertive reach somewhat lightened by his translucent mid range provided an engaging platform for his maniacal monk. Largely deprived of opportunities to spotlight style and technique by virtue of Massenet’s penchant for declamation rather than aria, the rising young Canadian baritone gave more than ample expression to a succession of smouldering recits and ariosos.”
Ian Ritchie, Opera Going Toronto (November 2019)
“Baritone Joshua Hopkins has a beguiling, lyric tone to his voice, but it was powerful enough to hold its own against the orchestra as he portrayed Athanaël.”
John Terrauds, The Toronto Star (November 2019)
“The Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins was the perfect counterpart to Wall as the monk Athanaël. His vibrant voice had enormous power when required and yet co