BIOGRAPHY

American bass-baritone Daniel Mobbs has won both roles and praise internationally, performing repertory with major opera companies all over the world. A native of Louisville, Kentucky and a graduate of Phialdelphia's Academy of Vocal Arts, he counts the Mario Lanza Scholarship and a Puccini Foundation grant among his many honors. Upcoming performances include his debut as Escamillo in Carmen (Boston Lyric Opera, November 2009), Orsini in Wagner's Rienzi (Opera Orchestra of New York, March 2010), and Ormonte in Handel's Partenope (New York City Opera, April 2010).

Daniel Mobbs has enjoyed a long and successful relationship with the Caramoor International Music Festival, and most recently appeared as Assur in their accolade-winning summer 2009 production of Rossini's Semiramide. Other recent performances include the title role in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro (Palm Beach Opera, Feb/March 2009), and a soloist in Stravinsky's Pulcinella (New York City Opera, April 2009). The 2008 — 2009 season also saw Daniel Mobbs in New Orleans Opera's Don Giovanni, inÊ"the scene-stealing role of Leporello" (New Orleans Times-Picayune), as a soloist in a Bach concert under the auspices of Opera New Jersey, and as a soloist in Bard Music Festival's "Wagner and his World" concerts with the American Symphony Orchestra.

The 2007 — 2008 season brought a wealth of interesting and challenging roles to Daniel Mobbs, including Baritone #1 (the Cold Genius of Winter) in Purcell's King Arthur at New York City Opera, an appearance at the Opera Orchestra of New York's Gala 100th Performance Concert at Carnegie Hall, Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette at Baltimore Opera, Capellio in BIanca e Falliero at Washington Concert Opera, the tile role in Guillaume Tell at the National Opera (Warsaw), and a soloist in Brahms' Requiem at Carnegie Hall. (Bianca e Falliero marks the fourth time Daniel Mobbs has performed a Rossini opera with Vivica Geneaux!)

The 2006-2007 season's appearances included: at New York City Opera, Leporello in Don Giovanni,, Douglas in La Donna del Lago and Marcello in La Bohème; the Rossini Otello with Opera Orchestra of New York, Marcello in La Bohème with New Orleans Opera, and Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Connecticut Grand Opera. He made his Florida Grand Opera debut in late 2007 as Alfonso in Così fan tutte. In the summer of 2007 Mobbs performed the role of Togod in the American Premiere of Pascal Dusapin's Faustus, the Last Night, as well as the role of Ferrando in Il Trovatore and a soloist in Rossini's Petite Messe de Solenelle, at Caramoor.

As Marcello in La Bohème, New Orleans Opera

Mr. Mobbs began his 2005-06 season at New York City Opera as Lord Sydney in Il Viaggio a Reims, and continued with Opera Grand Rapids as Ping in Turandot and Carnegie Hall where he sang Frederick in Lakmé with Opera Orchestra of New York. He also sang his first Leporello in Don Giovanni with Portland Opera and Taddeo to Vivica Genaux's Isabella in L'Italiana in Algeri with Anchorage Opera. Additional engagements included Raphael/Adam in Haydn's Creation with Huntsville Symphony and Giorgio in I Puritani, and Orbazzano to Ewa Podles' Tancredi with Caramoor International Music Festival. The season was brought to a close with a return to New York City Opera where he sang Marcello in La Bohème and Opera Orchestra of New York where he sang the role of Elmiro in Rossini's Otello.

His 2004-05 season included his debut with Portland Opera as Lord Sydney in Il Viaggo a Reims, while continuing his relationship with the Metropolitan Opera for Madama Butterfly, Opera Grand Rapids for La Bohème and Caramoor International Music Festival opposite Sumi Jo as Rodolfo in La Sonnambula. He also sang with Opera Orchestra of New York as Jake Wallace in La Fanciulla del West and in Der Freischutz, and with the New York Festival of Song in an evening of songs by opera composers.

Previously, he has sung Lakmé with Baltimore Opera and Finzi's In terra pax with the New York Choral Society. Mr. Mobbs made his Metropolitan Opera debut in the 2003-04 season as Cascada in performances of The Merry Widow followed by Yamadori in Madama Butterfly.

Mr. Mobbs has also enjoyed a long relationship with the Caramoor International Music Festival. In recent seasons he has been seen as Lycomedes in Handel's Deidamia, in the American premiere of Donizetti's Elisabetta, Ernesto in Il Pirata, Elmiro in Rossini's Otello, Lodovico in Verdi's Otello and recitals entitled Shakespeare's Songs and Love, Death, Heaven and Hell.

Past performances included Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with New York City Opera, Kentucky Opera, Arizona Opera, the Spier Festival in South Africa and Baltimore Opera, where he has also sang Dandini in La Cenerentola. He has also bowed in Turandot with the Washington National Opera and Pittsburgh Opera. Other credits include Taddeo in L'Italiana in Algeri, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, and Ping with New York City Opera; Papageno with Washington National Opera; Dominik in Arabella with Santa Fe Opera; Escamillo with Baltimore Opera; Valentin in Faust with Grand Rapids; Danilo in The Merry Widow with Shreveport Opera; Belcore in L'Elisir d'Amore with Kentucky Opera; and Sid in Albert Herring with both Cleveland Opera and Kentucky Opera.

Orchestral credits include the Fauré Requiem with the Pacific Symphony; Carmina Burana with the symphonies of Kalamazoo, Nashville, Knoxville and Grand Rapids, The Messiah with Chattanooga Symphony, and Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem with the Nashville Symphony.

Daniel Mobbs' awards include first place in both the College Division of the MacAllister Awards and the Mario Lanza Scholarship. He is a winner of the Sullivan Foundation Award and also a recipient of a grant from the Puccini Foundation. In 2008, New York City Opera awarded him the Kolozsvar Award, recognizing his "memorable performance of multiple roles [in Purcell's] King Arthur."

Variously described by the press as having "a rich, mellifluous voice" (The New York Times), and a "clean, clear baritone" that "was a virile delight" (Palm Beach Daily News), Daniel Mobbs' "lightning-quick presence and bright, clean sound" (Opera News) and "elegant, cavernous tones" (Variety) are certain to keep delighting audiences for the foreseeable future.