Biography

Todd Geer's Biography

American tenor, Todd Geer, is an accomplished and versatile artist who is highly regarded for his well-defined characterizations and musical interpretations. Mr. Geer completed the Adler Fellowship with San Francisco Opera in 2001 where he performed as resident artist for two seasons. He made his San Francisco Opera debut as Don Gaspar in La Favorite in 1999, followed by a leading role debut as Rodolfo in La Bohème that same season. Subsequently, he sang the Italian Singer in Der Rosenkavalier, as well as featured roles in Lucia di Lammermoor, Nabucco, Idomeneo, Die Zauberflöte, Semele, Aida, La Traviata, Die Meistersinger and Parsifal. The young tenor also gained valuable experience in covering the leading tenor roles in Louise, Jenufa, Rigoletto, Lucia, Die Zauberflöte and Nabucco.

In Recent seasons Mr. Geer has made a name for himself primarily in the works of Verdi and the Verismo composers with occasional excursions into the Bel canto and Contemporary repertories. Highlights include three critically acclaimed seasons with Sarasota Opera where he portrayed Cavaradossi in Tosca, the title character of Stiffelio and Carlo in I Masnadieri. He was Radames in Aida for Festival Opera, Metro Lyric Opera and Bangkok Opera and played Il Duca in Rigoletto with Connecticut Grand Opera, Piedmont Opera, Festival Opera, and Tri-Cities Opera. He brought his Rodolfo in La Bohème to Dayton Opera, Metro Lyric Opera and DiCapo Opera Theater, and played Alfredo in La Traviata with Sacramento Opera and Nevada Opera. For Tri-Cities Opera he sang Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoorand Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly and he sang his first performances of Turiddu in Cavaleria Rusticana with Montana’s Intermountain Opera. He was the Italian Tenor and the Innkeeper in Opera Carolina’s production of Der Rosenkavalier, Don Jose in Carmen for Central Piedmont Opera and he returned to San Francisco Opera for Doktor Faust and Cunning Little Vixen. Mr. Geer also appeared with the Lyric Opera of Chicago in Salome and with San Diego Opera in performances of Die Zauberflöte, Cold Sassy Tree and Idomeneo.

In August of 2006, Todd Geer will portray Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly for the Bear Valley Music Festival and he will sing Verdi's Requiem with the Colombia Pro Cantare in October. In November he will sing the role of Renzo in the North American premiere of Zandonai’sLa Farsa Amorosa with Teatro Gattacielo in Alice Tully Hall as well as Mendelssohn's St Paul in Hamilton, NY. He will return to his hometown of Charlotte, NC in January ’07 to sing Canio in Pagliacci for Opera Carolina, and he will join Sacramento Opera for Don Jose in Carmen, followed by Madama Butterfly with Bangkok Opera.

A frequent concert and oratorio singer, Mr. Geer made his European debut singing Carmina Burana in the Arena de Nimes, Annecy, and Aix-en Provence. He sang Beethoven’s Symphony #9 for his Carnegie Hall debut followed by Schubert’s Masses in F and E flat, the Mozart Requiem and Handel’s Messiah. Other works performed with orchestras across the United States include the Lord Nelson Mass, Elijah, Rachmaninoff’s The Bells, Bruckner’s Te Deum, the Bach B minor Mass, and the Requiem Masses of Verdi, Mozart and Dvorak. Concert performances of opera include Rossini’s Ermione in Carnegie with Mid-America Productions and he covered the notoriously demanding title role in Mascagni’s Guglielmo Ratcliff with Teatro Grattacielo in Alice Tully Hall.

A native of Charlotte, NC, Todd Geer holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and Binghamton, University. After his academic training he continued his studies as a resident artist with Tri-Cities Opera where he sang much of his core repertoire for the first time under the tutelage of his teachers Peyton Hibbitt and the late Carmen Savoca.