TAMPA, FL. (Top40 Charts/ Mark S. Doss Official Website) - Global opera star and Grammy Award winner Mark S. Doss will appear in his first production with Opera Tampa when he takes the stage as Mephistopheles in Faust on April 17 and 19, 2009.
Mephistopheles is one of Mr. Doss' signature roles - he began performing it more than 25 years ago and has since been cast in this part by numerous opera companies around the world. His most recent portrayal of Mephistopheles was during the 2006-2007 season at Oper Frankfurt.
Composed by Charles Gounod, Faust tells the tale of aged alchemist and necromancer Doctor Heinrich Faust, who makes a deal with the devil to restore his youthful virility so that he can pursue the love of the virgin Marguerite. In this story steeped in romance, intrigue and spirituality, Faust is eventually damned to a hellish servitude for all eternity.
Following his work in Tampa, Mr. Doss will be a featured singer at the 75th anniversary gala of the Florentine Opera Company. Scheduled for May 23, 2009, this spectacular event includes a one-night-only concert of beloved operatic arias and ensembles at which Mr. Doss is scheduled to perform "Die Frist ist um" from The Flying Dutchman and the "Toreador Song" from Carmen, as well as selections from The Pearl Fishers and Cosi fan tutte.
Mr. Doss is confirmed to star in several other celebrated productions in this and future seasons. On July 19 and 21, 2009 he will perform the role of Amonasro under the baton of Daniel Barenboim at the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Centre in a touring production of Aida by Milan's famous Teatro alla Scala (La Scala). This will be Mr. Doss' eighth principal role in a La Scala production since 2004, where he most recently played Baron Jaroslav Prus in The Makropulos Case, Charrington in Lorin Maazel's "1984" and Jochanaan (John the Baptist) in Richard Strauss' Salome.
Other upcoming roles for Mr. Doss include Jochanaan with the Berlin Staatsoper, Premysl in Sarka at Teatro La Fenice (Venice, Italy), Jochanaan with Teatro Comunale di Bologna and Balstrode in Peter Grimes at Opera Regio Torino (Turin, Italy).
Recent work
Before traveling to Milan for The Macropulos Case, the Metropolitan Opera in New York was fortunate to have Mr. Doss covering his acclaimed role of Jochanaan in Salome, as recent reviews have applauded his work in this role. Following performances at Florentine Opera, the Journal Sentinal said, "Mark S. Doss' potent and steadfast bass-baritone sound and imposing physical presence made him a worthy foil for (Erika) Sunnegardh." Equally complimentary was a review of his performance as Jochanaan at La Scala, which described soprano Nancy Gustafson and Mark S. Doss as very effective in portraying the abysmal distance of the world of whim from that of faith. In the same review, Mr. Doss was also lauded as a rock-like and monolithic baritone with an imposing vocal presence. Additionally, of his work in this role at Opera Regio Torino, a review highlighted his visual appeal in the Robert Carsen production, stating, "the idea to use a strong room as a cistern for the good looking Jochanaan by Mark Doss was a great one." Mr. Doss will make debuts at Teatro Comunale di Bologna and Teatro Real (Madrid) to reprise this role and production in January and March 2010 respectively.
Also this season, Mr. Doss sang a concert of Aaron Copland's Old American Songs (Sets 1 & 2) with Florida's Ocala Symphony Orchestra and performed as Don Pedro in Donizetti's Maria Padilla with Washington Concert Opera. He also triumphantly performed, with just two days notice and having only sung the role once and 10 years before, the High Priest of Dagon in Samson et Dalila with the Pittsburgh Opera.
Mark S. Doss is a celebrated bass-baritone whose accomplishments include a Grammy Award (1993) for his work on the recording of Semele (Handel), and numerous engagements with the famous Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy. Mr. Doss began his musical studies to aid in his ambitions to become a Catholic priest, but was seduced by the opera world and has since emerged as one of the world's leading singers.
