Vasily Barkhatov 
Aleksei Isaev
Thorsten Grümbel
Sergey PolyakovKünstlerdetails
TenorTimothy Oliver  |
Biographie / biography
“Vocally brilliant and intelligently sly” -Das Opernglas, on Oldenburg’s Rheingold
“Timothy Oliver distinguishes himself as a clever countryman Loge with intelligent elocution.” - Opernwelt
Timothy Oliver returns to the world-famous Semperoper as a guest in the 2021-2022 season to perform in TOSCA, DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, CARMEN and LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, as part of the Mozart Festival Days. During his previous 13-year tenure as a member of their prestigious ensemble, Mr. Oliver performed in over 60 operas, singing over 70 roles, including the Steuermann (DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER), Brighella and the Tanzmeister (ARIADNE AUF NAXOS), Arbace (IDOMENEO), Pedrillo (DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL), the Fool-in-Christ (BORIS GODUNOV) and Camille de Rosillon (DIE LUSTIGE WITWE). His portrayal as the 2nd Soldier in the Dresden premiere of Henze’s WE COME TO THE RIVER was praised in Die Welt as "the strongest vocal performance of the evening.”
Next season also sees Oliver make his Oper Magdeburg debut as Bardolfo (FALSTAFF), a role he originally premiered at the Bayerische Staatsoper in 2020, two months after jumping in last-minute to make his surprise house debut there as Don Basilio (LE NOZZE DI FIGARO).
Later in the season, Oliver heads back once more to the Komische Oper to premiere the leading role of Váňa Kudrjaš (KÁT'A KABANOVÁ), sing supporting roles in DIE NASE and SCHWANDA, and reprise Monostatos (DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE)—his role on the Komische Oper tour to Japan, along with the Erster Geharnischter at NYC’s Lincoln Center. Oliver has sung with the Komische Oper every year since 2015, debuting in HK Gruber’s DIE GESCHICHTEN AUS DEM WIENERWALD, then performing roles in DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG, Philip Glass’ SATYAGRAHA, CANDIDE and others.
After successfully debuting the role of Gandhi (SATYAGRAHA) with the Oldenburgisches Staatstheater in 2016, he was invited back to debut as Loge (RHEINGOLD) and subsequently sing Mime in SIEGFRIED for their new production of Wagner’s ring cycle. In 2008, Oliver joined the Bayreuther Festspiele as the Vierte Knappe in a new production of PARSIFAL, singing the role once more the following season and adding to it Ulrich Eislinger (DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG). He debuted at the Salzburg Osternfestspiele as Habinnas in Bruno Maderna’s SATYRICON in 2018.
Oliver is equally at home on the concert and recital stage. He debuted in 2008 at the Frankfurt’s Alte Oper under the baton of Sebastian Weigle, as the Dying Swan (CARMINA BURANA). Oliver maintains a very close relationship with conductor Fabio Luisi, who first brought him to Vienna in 2010 to the Musikverein to sing the title role in Berlioz’s DAMNATION DE FAUST, then engaged him to sing with orchestras all over the world, including the London Symphony, Vienna Philharmonic, NHK Symphony and the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome. He is also a sought-after interpreter of numerous Bach works, in particular, the WEIHNACHTSORATORIUM, JOHANNES PASSION and MATTHÄUS PASSION.
Hailing from Norfolk, Virginia, Mr. Oliver earned his Bachelor and Master's degrees from the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in 2001 and 2003 where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with honors. It was also during his university years that the Ohio Light Opera engaged him for multiple summers where he performed leading roles such as Captain Fitzbattleaxe in UTOPIA LIMITED, Camille de Rosillon in THE MERRY WIDOW, and the title role in ROBIN HOOD. In addition, he took part in numerous summer opera festivals including the St. Louis Opera Apprentice Program and Central City Opera where he had the honor of singing the lead roles of Larry/Matt in the famous FACE ON THE BALLROOM FLOOR and receiving the John Moriarty Award.
Stand 02/2022
