Tenor
Jacob Feldman has been repeatedly praised for his superb stage presence,
musical sensitivity, and compelling characterizations. Jake recently
appeared as Fayvl (Frederic) in the National Yiddish Theater-Folksbiene's
off-Broadway production of Di Yam Gazlonim, a Yiddish adaptation of The
Pirates of Penzance, which was nominated for Best Revival of a Musical by
the Drama Desk Awards. The New York Times called Gazlonim
"... bright, brisk and funny." Performances this season have
included appearing as a Guest Artist with Opera New Jersey as Monostatos
in Die Zauberflöte, reprising Monostatos with Harrisburg Opera,
King Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Opera Company of the
Highlands, a double bill of the Stephen Paulus operas The Three Hermits
and Hester Prynne at Death (world stage premiere) at The Quick
Center for the Arts at St. Bonaventure Univeristy, St. Brioche in The Merry Widow
with Liederkranz Opera, and as Beppe in Pagliacci with Opera Company of the Highlands and Bronx Opera. In
addition, Jake was Stage Director for Don Giovanni with Amsterdam Concert Opera in January, 2008.
Upcoming,
Jake will return to Opera Company of the
Highlands as Goro in Madama Butterfly
and premiere as both the Sergeant in Il
Barbiere di Siviglia and Gherrardo and Tinca in Il Trittico with Opera
Theater of Lakeland, in Lakeland, FL. Additionally, he will act as Stage Director for
La Boheme and Assistant Stage
Director for Il Barbiere di Siviglia
for Opera Theater of Lakeland.
Jake made his
European debut in August of '06 as Bardolfo in Falstaff at the Festival Lyrique-en-Mer in Belle-Ile en Mer,
France. Other recent engagements include Dr Caius
in Falstaff and Gherrardo in the Double Bill of Gianni
Schicchi/Buoso's Ghost at Opera New Jersey; Charlie/Family in
Mahagonny Songspiel/The Seven Deadly Sins with Liederkranz Opera, Adam
in Youth, a John Eaton opera adaptation of the Garden of Eden story; Scaramuccio
in Ariadne auf Naxos with Ensemble du Monde at Merkin Hall; covering
two roles with Gotham Chamber Opera in their production of Il
Signor Bruschino and Pinye in Sholem Aleichem Dir, Amerike, a
Maurice Rauch opera based on the Sholem Aleichem story “Motl Peyse Dem
Khazns”.
Jake received
great acclaim for his portrayal of the title role in Britten's Albert
Herring in 2004 at Opera New Jersey. He has also appearred
frequently with Liederkranz Opera in New York, including performances as Vasek in The Bartered
Bride, and both Phillipe and Alexander in Romberg's The New Moon.
Jake spent the summer of 2002 at Seagle Music Colony, where he performed
Pirelli in Sweeney Todd and Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof. He also
attended the Natchez Opera Festival that spring, as Beppe in a cover
performance of Pagliacci and as répétiteur for Seymour Barab's The Toy Shop.
In addition, Jake has been seen at Opera Mississauga in Toronto
(Remendado in Carmen), the Orford Music Festival in Quebec
(Scaramuccio in Ariadne auf Naxos), Summer Opera Lyric Theater of
Toronto (Bardolfo in Falstaff) and College Light Opera Company in
Cape Cod, MA (various roles including Nanki-Poo in Mikado).
Jake received a Bachelor of Music Degree with High
Distinction in 2001 from McGill University, having begun a degree in Biology before
concentrating solely on music. His performance experience at McGill included
Don Basilio in Le Nozze di Figaro and Spalanzani and Frantz in Les
Contes d'Hoffmann with Opera McGill, Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors
with McGill Player's Theater, and Jack Point in The Yeomen of the Guard with The McGill
Savoy Society. He also served as vocal coach and répétiteur at the McGill Savoy
Society for The Mikado, HMS Pinafore, and Iolanthe.
Jake resides in Woodside, Queens
and currently studies with former Metropolitan Opera Baritone Mark Oswald
