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Russel Thomas Morris Robinson

The Washington Chorus

With a “ heroically shining tone of exceptional clarity and precision ” and “ gorgeously burnished power ”, American tenor Russell Thomas uses his signature elegance and intensity to create vivid character portrayals on the world ’ s most important stages .

The current season sees Mr . Thomas ’ return to the San Francisco Opera as Florestan in Fidelio , to the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Cavaradossi in Tosca , to the Los Angeles Opera as Radames in Aida ( as part of his three-year engagement as Artist in Residence ) and to the Royal Opera House , Covent Garden as the titlerole in Otello . In concert he will appear with the Finnish Radio Symphony and Esa-Pekka Salonen as the title-role in Oedipus Rex and the Seattle Symphony and Thomas Dausgaard in Mahler ’ s Das Lied von der Erde . Future projects include returns to the Metropolitan Opera , the Lyric Opera of Chicago , the Royal Opera House , Covent Garden , the Los Angeles Opera and the Houston Grand Opera . He will also make a debut at the Paris Opera .

Mr . Thomas is an alumnus of the young artist programs at the Metropolitan Opera , Seattle Opera , Florida Grand Opera , and Opera Theatre of St . Louis , and has received prizes from the George London Foundation for Singers , Liederkranz Foundation , Licia Albanese Puccini Foundation , and Richard Tucker Music Foundation

Morris Robinson is considered one the most interesting and sought after basses performing today .

Mr . Robinson regularly appears at the Metropolitan Opera where he debuted in a production of Fidelio and has since appeared as Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte , Ferrando in Il Trovatore , the King in Aida , and in roles in Nabucco , Tannhäuser , and the new productions of Les Troyens and Salome . He has also appeared at the San Francisco Opera , Lyric Opera of Chicago , Dallas Opera , Houston Grand Opera , Pittsburgh Opera , Opera Philadelphia , Seattle Opera , Los Angeles Opera , Cincinnati Opera , Teatro alla Scala , Volksoper Wien , Opera Australia , and the Aix-en-Provence Festival . His many roles include the title role in Porgy and Bess , Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte , Osmin in Die Entführung aus dem Serail , Ramfis in Aida , Zaccaria in Nabucco , Sparafucile in Rigoletto , Commendatore in Don Giovanni , Grand Inquisitor in Don Carlos , Timur in Turandot , the Bonze in Madama Butterfly , Padre Guardiano in La Forza del Destino , Ferrando in Il Trovatore , and Fasolt in Das Rheingold .

Mr . Robinson ’ s solo album , Going Home , was released on the Decca label . He also appears as Joe in the DVD of the San Francisco Opera production of Show Boat , and in the DVDs of the Metropolitan Opera ' s production of Salome and the Aix-en-Provence Festival ' s production of Mozart ' s Zaide .

The Washington Chorus ( TWC ), now in its 61st season , is one of the foremost symphonic choruses in the nation . Under the leadership of Artistic Director Eugene Rogers , TWC is widely recognized as a cultural leader in the nation ’ s capital .

A three-time nominated and two-time Grammy Award-winner , the 160-voice chorus regularly appears at The John F . Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and is proud to have sung under the direction of many of the world ’ s greatest conductors , including Gianandrea Noseda , Christoph Eschenbach , Leonard Slatkin , Mstislav Rostropovich , Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos , Seiji Ozawa , Sir Neville Marriner , Kent Nagano , Marin Alsop , Gustavo Dudamel , and Sir Andrew Davis .

TWC has sung for numerous prestigious events including inaugurations , papal visits , with the Rolling Stones during their 50th anniversary tour , and at the White House in 2013 and 2014 for the President and First Lady .

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