|
Biography
|
|
William O. Beeman, bass, was born in Manhattan, Kansas. He made his
debut in Monterrey, California as Dulcamara in L'Elisir d'Amore. He
has performed in opera, musical theater and concerts throughout the United
States, in Europe, the former Soviet Union and Japan. A versatile
singer/actor, Mr. Beeman is at home with both dramatic and comic roles,
and on the concert stage. The beauty and strength of his voice has been
widely praised. The Freie Presse in Germany wrote of him in June
1997, "He presented a beautiful, expression filled voice with the
sheer power to astonish the audience."
In June, 1999 he created the role of The Emperor Norton in Emperor
Norton of the USA by Jerome Rosen with libretto by James Schevill.
Critics praised his portrayal extensively as "splendid,"
"powerful," and "every inch an emperor."
From 1996 to 1999 he was engaged under a full-time contract at Oper
Chemnitz in Chemnitz, Germany where he was featured in 26 productions
including La Bohème (Colline), Die Meistersinger (Hans
Schwartz), Salome (Fifth Jew), Tannhäuser, La Forza del
Destino, La Traviata, Tosca, Fidelio and Martha.
He continues both opera and concert work in Europe.
Opera News and other periodicals praised him for his portrayals of
Don Magnifico in Rossini's La Cenerentola, Don Alfonso in Cosí
fan tutte and as Max Detweiler in The Sound of Music at the Ash
Lawn-Highland Festival in Charlottesville, Virginia. In May of 1994 he
made his Wagnerian debut as Fafner in Das Rheingold in San
Francisco for which he also received critical praise in Opera News.
In 1993 Mr. Beeman performed the title role in a revival of Cimarosa's L'impresario
in angustie in Italy, including a command performance for Gian
Carlo Menotti at the Spoletto Festival. Other recent roles include
Sparafucile and Monterone in Rigoletto, Basilio in Il barbiere
di Siviglia, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor and Mayor Swallow
in Peter Grimes at Des Moines Metro Opera, Sarastro in Die
Zauberflöte, Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro, Osmin in Die
Entführung aus dem Serail, the title role in Don Pasquale, the
four villains in Tales of Hoffmann, and Leporello and the
Commendatore in Don Giovanni.
Mr. Beeman is equally at home on the concert stage. He has performed
most of the standard bass oratorio and concert repertoire, and has
received special notice for his performances of 20th Century Works and art
songs. |
Opera roles performed
|
|
Basilio |
Il Barbiere di Siviglia |
Rimrock Opera (MT) |
1999 |
|
Leporello |
Don Giovanni |
Longwood Opera (MA) |
1999 |
|
Emperor Norton |
Emperor Norton World PremierE |
Davis Opera (CA) |
1999 |
|
Sarastro |
Die Zauberflöte |
Raylynmor Opera (NH) |
1999 |
|
Sparafucile |
Rigoletto |
Townsend Opera (CA) |
1999 |
|
Monterone |
Rigoletto |
Townsend Opera (CA) |
1999 |
|
Basilio |
Il Barbiere di Siviglia |
Longwoood Opera |
1998 |
|
Colline |
La Bohème |
Raylynmor Opera |
1998 |
|
Colline |
La Bohème |
Oper Chemnitz (Germany) |
1996-99 |
|
Hans Schwartz |
Die Meistersinger |
Oper Chemnitz |
1996-99 |
|
Fifth Jew |
Salome |
Oper Chemnitz |
1996-99 |
|
Commendatore |
Don Giovanni |
Oper Chemnitz |
1996-99 |
|
Sheriff of Richmond |
Martha |
Oper Chemnitz |
1996-99 |
|
Baron Ochs |
DER ROSENKAVALIER |
Cambridge Chamber Opera MA) |
1995 |
|
Bartolo |
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO |
Cambridge Chamber Opera |
1995 |
| |
|
Longwood Opera |
1992 |
|
Don Alfonso |
COSÌ FAN TUTTE |
Longwood Opera |
1995 |
| |
|
Ash Lawn-Highland Festival |
1994 |
|
Colline |
La Bohème |
Longwood Opera |
1994 |
|
Don Magnifico |
LA CENERENTOLA |
Ash Lawn-Highland Festival |
1994 |
| |
|
Newton Opera |
1988 |
|
Alidoro |
LA CENERENTOLA |
Ash Lawn-Highland Festival |
1994 |
|
Fafner |
DAS RHEINGOLD |
Wagner Society of N. California |
1994 |
|
Dr. Miracle/Coppelius |
TALES OF HOFFMAN |
Longwood Opera |
1994 |
|
Don Pasquale (cn) |
DON PASQUALE |
Simply Opera |
1993 |
|
Osmin (cn) |
DIE ENTFÜHRUNG.. |
Simply Opera |
1993 |
|
Commendatore |
DON GIOVANNI |
Longwood Opera |
1993 |
|
L'impresario |
L'IMPRESARIO IN ANGUSTIE (Cimarosa) |
Studio Lirica (Italy) |
1993 |
| |
|
|
|
|
Sarastro |
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE |
Brown Opera |
1993 |
|
Marquis |
LA TRAVIATA |
Salisbury Lyric Opera (MA) |
1993 |
|
Francis Nurse |
THE CRUCIBLE |
Associate Artists Opera (MA) |
1992 |
|
Raimondo. (c,f) |
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR |
Des Moines Metro Opera |
1992 |
|
Billy Jackrabbit. |
LA FANCIULLA |
Des Moines Metro Opera |
1992 |
|
Notary. |
DER ROSENKAVALIER |
Des Moines Metro Opera |
1992 |
|
Osmin |
DIE ENTFÜHRUNG |
Rockland Opera (NY) |
1992 |
|
Alcindoro/Benoit. |
LA BOHèME |
Salisbury Lyric Opera |
1992 |
|
Balthazar |
AMAHL.. |
Natick Choral Society (MA) |
1991 |
| |
|
Fresno Lyric Opera |
1989 |
| |
|
Fresno Lyric Opera |
1988 |
|
Sarastro |
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE |
Longwood Opera |
1991 |
|
Swallow |
PETER GRIMES |
Des Moines Metro Opera |
1991 |
|
Pacem |
THE BEGGAR'S OPERA |
Stanford Opera (CA) |
1991 |
|
Cuno |
DER FREISCHÜTZ |
West Bay Opera (CA) |
1990 |
|
Dulcamara |
L'ELISIR D'AMORE |
Monterey Opera Assn. (CA) |
1990 |
|
Baron Zeta |
THE MERRY WIDOW |
Salisbury Opera |
1989 |
|
Gianni Schicchi |
GIANNI SCHICCHI |
Brookline Opera Theatre (MA) |
1989 |
|
Talpa |
IL TABARRO |
Brookline Opera |
1989 |
|
Pandolfo (Uberto) |
LA SERVA PADRONA |
Cabot Street Light Opera (RI) |
1988 |
|
Falstaff |
DIE LUSTIGEN WEIBER... |
Lowell House Opera (MA) |
1988 |
|
Peter (Father) |
HANSEL AND GRETEL |
Command Performance (MA) |
1988 |
| |
|
Symphony Pro Musica (MA) |
1987 |
|
Ariadeno |
L'ORMINDO (Cavalli) |
Hayward Opera Theatre (CA) |
1987 |
|
Innkeeper/Sergeant |
MANON (Massenet) |
West Bay Opera (CA) |
1987 |
[c=cover, f=family performances, cn=concert format] |
Light opera and musical theatre
|
|
Max Detweiler |
|
THE SOUND OF MUSIC |
|
Ashlawn Highland Festival |
1994 |
|
Sender |
|
THE DYBBUK |
|
Music Theater Productions (MA) |
1991 |
|
Sgt. Merryll |
|
YEOMEN OF THE GUARD |
|
San Jose Gilbert and Sullivan Society (CA) |
1990 |
|
Dr. Daly |
|
THE SORCERER |
|
Cabot Street Light Opera |
1988 |
|
Captain Corcoran |
|
H.M.S. PINAFORE |
|
Cabot Street Light Opera |
1987 |
|
Edwin (Defendant) |
|
TRIAL BY JURY |
|
Cabot Street Light Opera |
1987 |
|
Mr. Bumble |
|
OLIVER |
|
Theater Works (CA) |
1986 |
|
Sergeant of Police |
|
PIRATES OF PENZANCE |
|
Cabot Street Light Opera |
1986 |
|
Dick Deadeye |
|
H.M.S. PINAFORE |
|
Cabot Street Light Opera |
1985 |
|
Pacem |
|
THREE PENNY OPERA |
|
Cabot Street Light Opera |
1984 |
|
Numerous additional Gilbert and Sullivan Roles including Wilfred
Shadbolt (Yeomen of Guard) King Gama (Princess Ida), Dr. Daly (The
Sorcerer), Box (Cox and Box), Mikado, Pooh-Bah and Pish-Tush (The Mikado),
Grand Inquisitor (Gondoliers). |
Other roles prepared
|
| Mephistopheles (Faust); Figaro (Le nozze di
Figaro); Bartolo, (Il Barbiere di Siviglia); Caspar (Der
Freischütz); Mr.
Koffner (The Consul); Owen Blitch (Susannah); Hunding (Die Walküre), Wotan
(Das Rheingold, Die Walküre), Der Wanderer (Siegfried) |
Training
|
CONDUCTORS: Oleg Caetani, James Caraher, Mark
Churchill, John Douglas, Zon Eastes, Haim Elisha, Harold Evans, Mark
Gibson, Patrick Hansen, D. Kern Holoman, Nicola Iacovetti, Jonathan Kuhner,
John Landis, Chris Lanz, Robert Larsen, Edward Marckward, Jan Popper,
Charles Shadle, Eric Townsend, Barbara Day Turner, Denette Whitter
DIRECTORS: Linda Ade Brand, Scott Brumit. Lincoln Clark, Jonathon
Field, Michael Heinecke, Daniel Helfgot, Joseph Konkol, Robert Larsen,
Dugg McDonough, Buck Ross, Henry Shaffer, Cecelia Schiele, Judith
Schroeder, Eric Townsend
COACHES: Renato Capecchi, Elizabeth Cole, Harold Evans, Edna
Garabedian, William Hicks, Henry Holt, Monroe Kanouse, Mitchell Krieger,
Hans MeïBner, William
Merrill, Carolina Segrera, Joseph Smith, Marcie Stapp |
Awards
|
| First Place Award, National Association of
Teachers of Singing (NATS) Singing Festival, Hayward, alifornia, March 31,
1990 George London Award, American Institute of Musical Studies, 1989 |
Reviews
|
| Dettinger Te Deum and Bach Cantata 117—The
greatest part of the performance fell on his shoulders. He presented a
beautiful, expression-filled voice with the sheer power to astonish the
audience. . . Because (the concert) was so beautiful the audience
expressed their gratitude in a standing ovation (Freie Presse, Germany)
St. John Passion—William
Beeman sang the words of Christ with strength, pathos and authority (Freie
Presse, Germany)
 Emperor
Norton of the USA (World Premier)—In
the role of Emperor Norton, William O. Beeman is superb. His bass voice is
strong, solid and musical . . . and he is every inch an emperor. (Davis
Enterprise). Beeman sings Norton in a powerful voice, and brings a
kind of dogged stubbornness to the role that seems appropriate. (Sacramento
Bee). William Beeman is a rubicund Norton. . .full-voiced. . . . He is
a little like Don Quixote in his combative quest for justice, like
Falstaff in his tippling raffishness, and like Hans Sachs in his love of
the town and its people. (San Francisco Classical Voice)
Rigoletto—Beeman sang
with a power, elegant vocal styling, and fine characterization as the
assassin, Sparafucile. He was equally effective as the issuer of the
curse, Monterone. (Stockton Record). William O. Beeman made an impressive
Sparafucile (Modesto Bee).
Magic Flute—As Sarastro
William O. Beeman was suitably impressive, singing in a stentorian voice
with beautiful line (Keene Sentinal).
La Cenerentola—Bass
William O. Beeman as the stepfather Don Magnifico, and baritone J Charles
Taylor as the prince's servant, Dandini, proved to be master patterers and
gifted comics. (Richmond Times-Dispatch). The absurd vanity of the
stepfather and stepsisters is emphasized by hilarious comic performances
by William O. Beeman, Robin Blitch and Marcia Jones. The Daily Progress
(Charlottesville, VA). Bass William O. Beeman showed himself to be a
talented singing actor. (Opera News).
Così Fan Tutte—Duets,
trios, quartets and even sextets were presented with careful attention to
detail . . . Dynamic nuance, clear diction and carefully enunciated
phrases were consistent....In the driver's seat of the madcap comedy was
bass William O. Beeman (Don Alfonso). Beeman's booming voice helped get
the point of the farce across. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
The Sound of Music--Ash
Lawn-Highland Festival William O. Beeman as Max Detweiler was marvelous, a
worldly, conniving survivor and well-matched foil for Marcia Jones (Elsa
Schrader). (Richmond Times-Dispach)
 Das
Rheingold—The audience enjoyed the
proceedings immensely, laughing out loud at several points. The giants
Fafner and Fasolt seemed to have strolled off the set of "This Old
House." (Opera News). The musical fecundity and dramatic
intensity of Wagner's conception came through many times over the course
of the afternoon. The first confrontation between the giants and the gods,
Alberich's final curse on the ring and the Rhinemaiden's disconsolate
lament at the end of the piece conveyed much of the score's
magic...Richard Mix and William O. Beeman were vocally secure (as well as
physically large) as the giants. (San Francisco Chronicle). Witty,
charming, intelligent, innovative—these words are seldom associated with
performances of Wagner's "Das Rheingold," but they accurately
describe the performance presented at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater by
the Wagner Society of Northern California. The 14 cast members were
striking as both actors and singers...As the giants, William O. Beeman and
Richard Mix were admirable. (Hokubei Mainichi). |
|
