There are New York debuts
— and then there’s the New York debut of Eric Owens.
Last fall the bass-baritone appeared in his first Metropolitan Opera production, taking on the role of General Leslie Groves in John Adams’s critically acclaimed Doctor Atomic. “He had my voice in his head when he was writing it,” says Owens. “I was thrilled and humbled by it at the same time.” He followed that up with a role in Julie Taymor’s Met production of The Magic Flute. This spring, he’ll be onstage at Carnegie Hall several times, including two performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra. And at the end of this month, Owens will also have his Carnegie Hall recital debut, accom- panied by pianist Bradley Moore. “It’s been a big year for me,” says the singer.
Unlike many major opera stars, Owens, who hails from Philadelphia’s inner city, wasn’t trained in Europe. “Opera is a European art form,” he says. “But it’s not something they have any monopoly on.” Yet he doesn’t see himself as an outsider. Owens has been an opera fan since child- hood, when he first heard it on the radio. “It really grabbed me and spoke to me even at an early age,” he remembers. He eventually trained as an undergraduate at Temple University and then as a graduate student at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music.
Though Owens is still a resident of Philadelphia, he’s been spending quite a bit of time in the Big Apple. “I’m flirting with the idea of moving to New York,” he admits. “I just really enjoy being here.” Eric Owens’ solo recital takes place at Carnegie Hall on April 24 at 7:30 P.M. For tickets, visit carnegiehall.org.
