Teddy Tahu Rhodes
Introduction
New Zealand baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes has rapidly established a name as an important rising star of the operatic world, with appearances in San Francisco, Houston, Dallas, Washington, Munich, Hamburg, the Chatelet, Paris, Welsh National Opera and Scottish Opera to his credit . His opera engagements include Count Almaviva in Cincinnati and Washington, Don Giovanni for Opera Australia, Henze’s L’Upupa for Hamburg Opera, Lescaut in Leipzig, Billy Budd in both Santa Fe and Sydney and his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in Peter Grimes and Antony (Barber's Antony and Cleopatra) for New York City Opera.
Future engagements include Count Almaviva in Washington; Stanley in Melbourne; Escamillo in Munich and at the Metropolitan Opera; and his first Scarpia in New Zealand.
This is for information only and should not be reproduced.Please contact us for a full biography and for performance details.
Biography
Please contact Jonathan Turnbull for a recent biography.Press Reviews
Australian String Quartet Tour, 2010
'...baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes proved an ideal partner for the Australian String Quartet at the City Recital Hall.'
North Shore Times, June 11, 2010
'Celebrated bass baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes (below) joins ASQ for their tour, and his Melbourne performance was as glorious as you'd expect. In Vaughan Williams' Songs of Travel Rhodes' rich dark voice was at its satisfying best. His volume, phrasing and confident physical gestures gave the Songs'narrator a decisive, self-contained character,rather than shy or lonely as the texts can suggest.'
Herald Sun, June 2, 2010
'Tahu Rhodes has a strong stage personality, with an ability to cut through with his voice and presence...'
Sydney Morning Herald, May 31, 2010
'Hearing Teddy Tahu Rhodes and the Australian String Quartet perform his new arrangement was to witness all the promises of this song cycle fully realised... Rhodes's singing is virile and strong, imparting drama and nobility to each song. His voice has a tremendous low-end
resonance, coupled with a wonderfully smooth evenness right across his range.'
The Australian, May 28, 2010
Washington Opera/ Le nozze di Figaro, 2010
'...his portrayal of Count Almaviva has star quality written all over it. His stage presence is commanding and his singing is quite potent. His voice is marked by size, quality, and great technique. His delivery of the Count’s great aria was dazzling to say the least, and for which he received the biggest ovation of the evening.'
ConcertNet.com
'If you had to pick the most prominent singer onstage Saturday night, however, Rhodes (as the Count) would have been the on you fingered: he oozed star quality. Rhodes, as famous for his looks as for his voice, played the Countas a kind of Don Giovanni manqué, convincing in his desire to bed every woman in sight...'
The Washington Post, April 26, 2010
Carmen/ Live Telecast from the Metropolitan Opera 2010
'The movie-theater transmission provided another pleasant surprise when Teddy Tahu Rhodes replaced an indisposed Mariusz Kwiecien as the toreador. Rhodes is a tall, slender New Zealander who looks like a matinee idol and his voice is darker and more exciting than the singer who fell ill. Rhodes made his debut with the Met in Peter Grimes in 2008 and is scheduled for more appearances as Escamillo in the Spring.'
The Opera Critic/ January 2010
'As a last-minute replacement for the ailing Mariusz Kwiecien, Teddy Tahu Rhodes provided a pleasant surprise in his serendipitous appearance as the toreador, Escamillo. Working on just three-hours' advance notice (he got the call Saturday at 10 a.m.), there was hardly sufficient time for the New Zealand-born baritone to grow nervous. Rhodes simply jumped into his bullfighter's trousers, which — like the singer's charismatic delivery throughout Saturday's performance — proved a comfortable fit.'
Musical Criticism/ January 2009
A Streetcar Named Desire/ Opera Australia 2009
‘Teddy Tahu Rhodes has the ideal physique for Stanley Kowalski and when he adds a guttural growl to the usual sweet resonance of his baritone, we understand just how dangerous this character can be. Behind Stanley's simple, arpeggio-laden phrases, there is a cunning mind at work.’
The Age/ December 4, 2009
‘Teddy Tahu Rhodes gave us a bristling Stanley, whose chemistry with Stella was powerfully believable.’
The Australian Stage/ December 3, 2009
Antony and Cleopatra: New York City Opera, January, 2009
'Teddy Tahu Rhodes wrapped his smooth baritone comfortably around Antony's music, and he did all he could to give this rather thankless part a bit of dramatic profile.'
Musical America/ January 19, 2009
'Teddy Tahu Rhodes cloaked Antony’s lofty platitudes in fine fervour.'
Financial Times/ January 18, 2009
'Rhodes... was an anguished Antony.
San Francisco Chronicle/ January 16, 2009
'Mr. Rhodes made a husky-voiced, grave yet hopelessly smitten Antony.'
New York Times/ January 16, 2009
'In the title roles, baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes and soprano Lauren Flanigan pack plenty of star power. His charisma and resonant timbre has propelled Rhodes’ rapid rise in the opera world. His is the ideal sound for this virile warrior torn between the call to battle and his consuming romantic passion.'
Variety/ January 15, 2009
Opera Australia: Billy Budd'...as Billy, Teddy Tahu Rhodes was bright, open and unaffected; radiant, even, as he went to his death.'
Opera Magazine/ February 2009
'Kiwi baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes is an ideal Billy, possessing all the vocal prowess and all the physical beauty the role requires. Despite his imposing physical presence, he captures beautifully the side of Billy which is still essentially an innocent child. He throws himself fearlessly into both the physicality and the emotional requirements of the role, and his smooth, sonorous singing is hugely expressive. Billy's final monologue, sung as he waits, in chains, to be executed, is devastating.'
The Opera Critic
'Teddy Tahu Rhodes is still a fine Billy Budd. Singing with a clear, focused tone and impressive agility, his firm, youthful-sounding voice is well suited to his character's exuberant good nature. Rhodes's characterisation is a winning mix of virile magnetism, artless simplicity and, ultimately, moral strength. And, yes, his shirt does come off for a while during the first act.'
The Australian/ September 26, 2008
Discography
MOZART
Arias
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Ola Rudner
ABC Classics
HANDEL
Messiah
Orchestra of the Antipodes, Antony Walker
ABC Classics
PORTMAN
The Little Prince (DVD)
BBC Concert Opera
PROKOFIEV
The Love for Three Oranges
Opera Australia, Richard Hickox
Chandos
FAURE
Requiem
Sinfonia Australis, Antony Walker
ABC Classics
The Voice
Sinfonia Australis/ Orchestra of the Antipodes, Antony Walker
ABC Classics
Vagabond
Sharolyn Kimmorley, piano
ABC Classics
Ye Banks and Braes (Folksongs)
Sinfonia Australis, Antony Walker
ABC Classics
Silent Night: A Treasury of Christmas Carols and Hymns
Antony Walker
ABC Classics
David Hobson and Teddy Tahu Rhodes
You’ll Never Walk Alone
ABC Classics
Repertoire
BIZET
Carmen (Escamillo)
BARBER
Antony and Cleopatra (Antony)
BRITTEN
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Demetrius)
Peter Grimes (Ned Keene)
Billy Budd (Billy Budd)
DONIZETTI
L’elisir d’amore (Belcore)
HEGGIE
Dead Man Walking (Joe)
The End of the Affair (Bendrix)
HENZE
L’Upupa (Al Kasim)
LEONCAVALLO
Pagliacci (Silvio)
MOZART
Così fan tutte (Guglielmo)
Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni)
Le nozze di Figaro (Figaro/ Count)
Die Zauberflöte (Papageno)
PORTMAN
The Little Prince (The Pilot)
PREVIN
A Streetcar Named Desire (Stanley)
PUCCINI
La boheme (Marcello)
Madame Butterfly (Sharpless)
Manon Lescaut (Lescaut)
Tosca (Scarpia)
ROSSINI
La Cenerentola (Dandini)
Bianca e Falliero (Capellio)