Der amerikanische Tenor Samuel Levine wurde in Boston geboren und studierte an der Julliard School, Yale University, und Oberlin Conservatory.  Sein schnell wachsendes Repertoire umfasst wichtige Partien der deutschen, slawischen, italienischen und zeitgenössischen Oper, und er ist regelmäßig auf vielen der bedeutendsten Bühnen Europas zu sehen.  In der laufenden Spielzeit u.a. kehrt er für VENERE E ADONE unter Kent Nagano an die Hamburg Staatsoper zurück, debütiert am Theater Bonn in FLIGHT und MOSES UND ARON und geht für DAS WUNDER DER HELIANE an die Nederlandse Reisoper.

Letzte Spielzeit ist er u.a. als Kunz Vogelgesang / DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG in einer Neuproduktion mit Johannes Erath und Sebastian Weigle an der Oper Frankfurt zu erleben, sowie als Skuratov / AUS EINEM TOTENHAUS und Jimmy / ORYX AND CRAKE (U.A.) bei der Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden; Lysander / EIN SOMMERNACHTSTRAUM an der Stadttheater Giessen The Dream of Gerontius in der Berliner Philharmonie. In der Uraufführung von Salvatore Sciarrinos VENERE E ADONE gebt er sein Debüt bei der Hamburg Staatsoper unter der Leitung von Kent Nagano. 

In 2009 gab er sein Debüt am Opera Theater of Saint Louis in THE TALES OF HOFFMANN und kehrte in der folgenden Spielzeit in der Partie Léon / THE GHOSTS OF VERSAILLES zurück. In dieser Rolle gab er seine in 2010 internationales Debüt bei der Wexford Festival Opera. Als freiberuflicher Kunstler wurde er danach zum u.a. Opera Philadelphia, Houston Grand Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Virginia Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Nashville Opera, West Edge Opera, Bard SummerScape, und Brooklyn Academy of Music eingeladen. Er sang auch viel zeitgenössische Musik, nahm an 14 Welt- und Nordamerikapremieren teil und spielte in den Titelrollen von DER PROTAGONIST von Kurt Weill und FRANKENSTEIN von Libby Larsen, sowie der amerikanische Schneider in Menottis THE LAST SAVAGE bei der Santa Fe Opera.

Seit 2017 ist er in Europe angezogen, und gab 2018 in Trojahns Enrico an der Oper Frankfurt sein Europa-Debüt und kehrte als Der ganze alte Sträfling / AUS EINEM TOTENHAUS, als Andy / LOST HIGHWAY von Olga Neuwirth, Arv / MASKERADE, Edrisi / KRÓL ROGER, und Vogelgesang hierher zurück. Am Nationaltheater Mannheim debütierte er als Vogelgesang, am Theater Bremen als Laca Klemen /JENUFA, bei Irish National Opera als Gary / THE FIRST CHILD, am Staatstheater Braunschweig als L’Oncle und L’Étranger / L’INVISIBLE von Aribert Reimann, an der Oper Köln als Player 3 / HAMLET von Brett Dean, und am Stadttheater Klagenfurt als Walther von der Vogelweide / TANNHÄUSER. Nach der COVID Pause war der Tenor bei den Tiroler Festspielen in Erl als Schneider / Humperdincks KÖNIGSKINDER und 1er Edler von Brabant / LOHENGRIN zu erleben, mit Auftritte danach als Jack Twists in Wuorinen’s BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN bei der Stadttheater Giessen und Konzerte mit der Moskau Philharmonie und in Frankfurt als Tenorsolist in Das Lied von der Erde. 

Konzerte führten Samuel Levine u.a. zum Berlin Philharmonie, Moscow Philharmonic am Tchaikovsky Hall, Houston Symphony, Carnegie Hall, und Chicago Symphony Center in solche Solopartie wie THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS, MESSIAS, 9ER SYMPHONY, und DAS LIED VON DER ERDE, sowie Liederabende von Schubert und französische Melodies in San Francisco, Boston, New York und Frankfurt. U.a. ist er Preisträger des Opera Index, Gerda Lissner, Metropolitan Opera National Council und Licia Albanese Wettbewerbe.

2024-25:

DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG (Neuproduktion)
Ulrich Eißlinger
Theater Bonn
Dirk Kaftan, Dirigent
Aron Stiehl, Regie
Oktober- November 2024

LEBEN MIT EINEM IDIOTEN (Neuproduktion)
Idiot (cover)
Opernhaus Zürich
Jonathan Stockhammer, Dirigent
Kirill Serebrennikov, Regie
November-Dezember 2024

LE PETIT PAUVRE D’ASSISI (Neuproduktion)
Heilige Franziskus von Assisi
Theater Ulm
Felix Bender, Dirigent
Kay Metzger, Regie
April-Juni 2025

2023-24:

DAS WUNDER DER HELIANE (Neuproduktion)
Der Fremde (c)
Nederlandse Reisoper
Jac van Steen, conductor
Jakob Peters-Messer, stage director
30 September (Premiere); 6, 14, 20, 28, 31 October; 3, 6, 9 November 2023

Opera Lunch Konzert
Nederlandse Reisoper - Szenen und Arien aus DAS WUNDER DER HELIANE und PARSIFAL
11 September 2023

VENERE E ADONE
Octet Tenor I
Hamburg Staatsoper
Kent Nagano, conductor
George Delnon, production
29 September (WA); 01, 03 October

MOSES UND ARON (Neuproduktion)
4.er Solostimme
Theater Bonn
Dirk Kaftan, Dirigent
Lorenzo Fioroni. Regie
10 Dezember (Premiere), 13, 17, 29 Dezember 2023; 07, 13 Januar 2024

FLIGHT (Neuproduktion)
Bill
Theater Bonn
Daniel Johannes Mayr, Dirigent
Adriana Altaras, Regie
21 Januar (Premiere); 27 Januar; 01, 04, 24 Februar; 15, 24 März 2024

BLIND INJUSTICE
Defense
Montclair Peak Performances - Alexander Kasser Theater
Ted Sperling, Dirigent
Robin Guarino, Regie
16, 18 Februar 2024

Lauritz Melchior International Singing Competition
Aalborg, Denmark
April, 2024

CARMEN
Don José
Austin Opera
Timothy Myers, Dirigent
Rebecca Herman, Regie
2, 4, 5 May 2024

2022-23:

DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG
Ulrich Eisslinger
Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden
Alexander Joel, Dirigent
Bernd Mottl, Produktion
17 September; 3, 9 October 2022; 17 June, 8 July 2023

DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG (Neuproduktion)
Kunz Vogelgesang
Oper Frankfurt
Sebastian Weigle, Dirigent
Johannes Erath, Regie
6, 11, 20, 27 November; 3, 9, 17 December 2022

THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS
Gerontius, Soul of Gerontius
Berliner Philharmonie, Großer Saal
Junges Ensemble Berlin | Sinfonieorchester
Junges Consortium Berlin
Junges Ensemble Berlin I Chor
Michael Rieder, Vinzenz Weissenburger, Dirigenten
15 January, 2023

ORYX AND CRAKE (Neuproduktion, Uraufführung)
music by Søren Nils Eichberg, libretto by Hannah Dübgen after Margaret Atwood
Jimmy
Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden
Albert Horne, Dirigent
Daniela Kerck, Regie
18 February; 1, 11, 23, 31 March; 16, 21 April 2023

AUS EINEM TOTENHAUS (Neuproduktion)
Skuratov
Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden
Johannes Klumpp, Dirigent
Nicolas Brieger, Regie
30 April; 14 May; 10, 23 June; 6 July

EIN SOMMERNACHTSTRAUM (Einspringen)
Lysander
Stadttheater Giessen
Annalena Hösel, conductor
21 May 2023

VENERE E ADONE (Neuproduktion, Uraufführung)
Musik von Salvatore Sciarrino, Libretto von Fabio Casadei Turroni
Octet: Tenor I
Hamburg Staatsoper
Kent Nagano, conductor
Georges Delnon, stage director
28 May (Premiere); 31 May; 3, 6, 8 June 2023

2021-22:

LOHENGRIN (Neuproduktion)
1er Brabantischer Edler
Tiroler Festspiel Erl
Titus Engel, Dirigent
Katharina Thoma, Regie
23, 25, 31 July 2021

KÖNIGSKINDER (Neuproduktion)
Der Schneider
Tiroler Festspiel Erl
Karsten Januschke, Dirigent
Matthew Wild, Regie
9, 11, 17 July 2021

MASKERADE (Neuproduktion)
Arv
Oper Frankfurt
Titus Engel, Dirigent
Tobias Kratzer, Regie
31 Okt; 04, 13, 20, 28 Nov; 02, 04 Dez 2021

DAS LIED VON DER ERDE
Live Music Now Frankfurt
Klaus Bauer, Dirigent
Katharina Magiera, Alt
7 November 2021

DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE (Konzertant)
Moscow Philharmonic Society - Tchaikovsky Concert Hall
Christopher Moulds, Dirigent
30 Dezember 2021

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (Neuproduktion)
Jack
Stadttheater Gießen
Martin Spahr conductor
Cathérine Miville, stage director
19 Feb; 4, 18 März; 9, 29 Apr; 12 Mai 2022

KROL ROGER
Edrisi
Oper Frankfurt
Sylvain Cambreling, Dirigent
Produktion von Johannes Erath
30 April; 08, 13, 21, 28 Mai 2022

JENUFA (Einspringen)
Laca Klemen
Theater Bremen
William Kelly, Dirigent
8 June 2022

2020/2021: postponed due to COVID-19

2019 / 2020:

TANNHÄUSER (Neuproduktion)
Walther von der Vogelweide
Stadttheater Klagenfurt
Nicholas Carter, conductor
David Bobée, stage director
19, 22, 25, 28 September, 2, 5, 11, 15 October 2019

HAMLET (Neuproduktion, deutsche Erstaufführung)
Player 3
Oper Köln
Duncan Ward conductor
Matthew Jocelyn, stage director
24, 27, 30 November, 5, 8, 11 December 2019

THE MOTHER OF US ALL (semi-staged)
John Adams
Rochester Philharmonic
Ward Stare, conductor
Susan Stone Li, stage director
6, 8 February 2020

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (new production) postponed due to COVID-19
Jack Twist
Stadttheater Gießen
Martin Spahr conductor
Cathérine Miville, stage director
16, 24 May, 7, 14, 20 June, 2 July 2020

LOHENGRIN (new production) postponed due to COVID-19
1er Brabantischer Edler
Tiroler Festspiel Erl
Titus Engel, conductor
Katharina Thoma, stage director
July 2020

KÖNIGSKINDER (new production) postponed due to COVID-19
Der Schneider, Der Königssohn (rehearsal cover)
Tiroler Festspiel Erl
Giedrė Šlekytė, conductor
Matthew Wild, stage director
July - August 2020

2018 / 2019:

LOST HIGHWAY (new production)
Andy/Arnie/Wächter
Oper Frankfurt
Karsten Januschke, conductor
Yuval Sharon, stage director
12, 16, 17, 19, 21, 23 September 2018

DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG (new production)
Kunz Vogelgesang
Nationaltheater Mannheim
Alexander Soddy, conductor
Nigel Lowery, stage director
28 October, 1, 10, 25 November 2018, 20, 26 January, 2 February 2019

L'INVISIBLE (new production)
L'Oncle + L'Étranger
Staatstheater Braunschweig
Srba Dinic, conductor
Tatjana Gürbaca, stage director
25, 30 May, 1, 7, 19 June 2019

ABO Soirée
Selections from Hans Zender / SCHUBERT'S WINTERREISE
Staatstheater Braunschweig
Christopher Lichtenstein, conductor
27 May 2019

BLIND INJUSTICE (world premiere)
Defense Attorney
Cincinnati Opera
John Morris Russell, conductor
Robin Guarino, stage director
22, 23, 24, 26, 27 July 2019

2017-18:

WAR STORIES
Testo (Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda - Monteverdi) + Noah (I have no stories to tell you - Beecher/Moskovich)
Opera Philadelphia - O17 Festival - The Philadelphia Museum of Art
Gary Thor Wedow, conductor
Robin Guarino, stage director
16, 17, 19, 22, 23 September 2017

MARA: A CHAMBER OPERA (world premiere)
Mara
Rubin Museum, NYC
Sherry Woods, composer
Stephen Batchelor, librettist
18, 20 October 2017

MESSIAH
Tenor soloist
The Houston Symphony
Sugar Land Baptist Church, Jones Hall
Paul Agnew, conductor
14, 15, 16, 17(m) December

ENRICO (new production)
Bertoldo
Oper Frankfurt 
Bockenheimer Depot
Tobias Heyder, stage director
Roland Böer, conductor
21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31 January, 2, 4 February 

DAS RHEINGOLD für Kinder
Loge/Mime
Oper Frankfurt 
Holzfoyer
Tobias Heyder, stage director
March 2018

AUS EINEM TOTENHAUS (new production)
Der Alte Sträfling
Oper Frankfurt 
Grosses Haus
David Hermann, stage director
Tit Ceccherini, conductor
1, 6, 8, 12, 15, 21, 27, 29 April

PATERNITY LEAVE / VATERZEIT
Summer 2018

2016-17:

IRIS
Merciaiolo/Cenciaiolo
Fisher Center - Sosnoff Theater - Bard SummerScape
Leon Botstein, conductor
James Darrah, stage director
22, 24, 27, 29, 31 July 2016

CARMEN
Don Jose
Rockport Opera House Center - Rockport, ME - Bay Chamber Concerts
Gerald Steichen, music director
Edwin Cahill, stage director
21 August 2016

CARMEN
Le Remendado / Don Jose (cover)
Boston Opera House - Boston Lyric Opera
David Angus, conductor
Calixto Bieito, production
23, 25m, 30 September, 2m October 2016

Opera's Rising Stars Concert
selections from MACBETH, EUGENE ONEGIN, and CARMEN
Yavapai Performing Arts Center - Prescott, AZ
with Christopher Cano, Keith Harris, Jennifer Johnson Cano, and Amy Shoremount-Obra
5 November 2016

ARIODANTE workshop production
Lurcanio
National Sawdust
Geoffrey McDonald, conductor
R.B. Schlather, stage director
21 December 2016

THREE WAY (world premiere)
The Companion: Joe
Masquerade: Marcus
James K. Polk Theater - Nashville Opera
Dean Williamson, conductor
John Hoomes, stage director
27, 28, 29 January 2017

KAT'A KABANOVA
Váňa Kudrjaš
Peter Jay Sharp Theater - The Juilliard School
Anne Manson, conductor
Stephen Wadsworth, stage director
21, 23, 25 April 2017

VOICE OF AMERICA: Vocal Chamber Works by Living Composers
Merkin Hall
27 April 2017

THREE WAY (East Coast premiere)
The Companion: Joe
Masquerade: Marcus
BAM Fisher - Fishman Space - Brooklyn Academy of Music
Dean Williamson, conductor
John Hoomes, stage director
15, 16, 17, 18 June 2017

FRANKENSTEIN: OR THE MODERN PROMETHEUS
Victor Frankenstein
West Edge Opera
Jonathan Khuner, conductor
Matthew Ozawa, stage director
5-20 August 2017

2015-16:

CARMEN
Don Jose
Savannah VOICE Festival
Andrew Bisantz, conductor
Edwin Cahill, stage director
9, 11 August 2015

LES MAMELLES DE TIRESIAS
Le Mari
Peter Jay Sharp Theater - The Juilliard School
Keri-Lynn Wilson, conductor
Ted Huffman, stage director
18, 20, 22 November 2015

New York Festival of Song @Juilliard: 
Harry, Hoagy, and Harold: featuring the music of Harry Warren, Hoagy Carmichael, and Harold Arlen
Peter Jay Sharp Theater - The Juilliard School
Steven Blier, piano and curator
13 January 2016

Flushing Town Hall / co-presented by the 5 Boroughs Music Festival
17 January 2016

LIEDERABEND
Rilke Lieder / Einojuhaani Rautavaara
Paul Concert Hall - The Juilliard School
Erika Switzer, curator
Jinhee Park, piano
28 January 2016

JUILLIARD SHOWCASE
Don Jose / highlights from CARMEN
room 305 - The Juilliard School
Louise Proske, stage director
19 February 2016

EUGENE ONEGIN
Vladimir Lenski
Silva Concert Hall - The Hult Center (Eugene, OR) - Eugene Opera
Andrew Bisantz, conductor
David Lefkowitz, stage director
11, 13 March 2016

THE MAGIC FLUTE
First Armed Guard
Peter Jay Sharp Theater - The Juilliard School
David Stern, conductor
Mary Birnbaum, stage director
19, 21, 23 April 2016

2014-15:

SIR JOHN IN LOVE
Fenton
Odyssey Opera 
Gil Rose, conductor
Joshua Major, stage director
May 17, 20, and 23

Don Giovanni
Don Ottavio
Shubert Theater - Boston Lyric Opera
David Angus, conductor
Emma Griffin, stage director
10 May 2015

IS PARIS BURNING?
Pierre
studio recording - Center for Contemporary Opera, NYC
Sara Jobin, conductor
Francois Dompierre, composer; Leonard Orr, librettist
1-11 March 2015

SALOME
Narraboth
Virginia Opera
Ari Pelto, conductor
Stephen Lawless, stage director
30 January, 1, 3, 6, 8, 14, 15 February 2015

AN OPERA VALENTINE 
Selections from Die Walküre, Das Land des Lächelns, West Side Story, and Candide
Concert presented by Virginia Opera 
Adam Turner, conductor
12 February 2015

MESSIAH
Tenor soloist
Apollo Chorus of Chicago
Symphony Center / Harris Theater
Stephen Alltop, conductor
6, 20 December 2014

MESSIAH
Tenor soloist
Fort Wayne Philharmonic
Andrew Constantine, conductor
18 December 2014

ALCINA
Oronte
Whitebox Art Center
R.B. Schlather, stage director
Geoffrey McDonald, conductor
in installation 6 - 21 September 2014

DER PROTAGONIST
Protagonist
Fire Island Opera Festival
Bradley Moore, music director
Edwin Cahill, stage director
23, 24 August 2014

previous seasons:

WERTHER
Werther
Chautauqua Institution
Milos Repicky, conductor
John Giampetro, stage director
19 July 2014

RIVER OF LIGHT 
Man / Neighbor / Ravana
world premiere production
Jack Perla, composer
Chitra Divakaruni, librettist
Houston Grand Opera East + West
David Hanlon, conductor
E. Loren Meeker, stage director
23, 25, 29 March 2014

IL COMBATTIMENTO DI TANCREDI E CLORINDA / I HAVE NO STORIES TO TELL YOU
Testo / Noah
world premiere production
Lembit Beecher, composer
Hannah Moskovich, librettist
Gotham Chamber Opera / The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Neal Goren, conductor
Robin Guarino, stage director
26, 27 February 2014

MESSIAH
Tenor soloist
Apollo Chorus of Chicago
Symphony Center / Harris Theater
Stephen Alltop, conductor
7, 21 December 2013

FAUST
Faust
Opera Fort Collins
Wes Kenney, conductor
Brian Luedloff, stage director
31 May 2013

NYFOS NEXT
Mohammad Fairouz, curator
New York Festival of Song
"Epilogue"
Daniel Bernard Roumain, composer
30 April 2013

ELIOGABALO
Ensemble, Lenia cover
Gotham Chamber Opera
Neal Goren, conductor
James Marvel, stage director
Six performances, March 2013

CLEMENCY
world premiere co-production with Scottish Opera and Royal Opera House Covent Garden
Traveler
Boston Lyric Opera
David Agler, conductor
Andrew Eggert, stage director
6, 7, 9, 10 February 2013

LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
Normanno, Edgardo cover
Arizona Opera
Steven White, conductor
Fenlon Lamb, stage director
12, 13, 14, 20, 21 October 2012

THE LAST SAVAGE
1st American Tailor
George Manahan, conductor
Ned Canty, stage director
The Santa Fe Opera
July - August 2011

FAUST
Faust cover
Frederic Chaslin, conductor
Stephen Lawless, stage director
The Santa Fe Opera
July - August 2011

WOZZECK
Andres cover
David Robertson, conductor
Daniel Slater, stage director
The Santa Fe Opera
July - August 2011

MOSE IN EGITTO
Mambre
Chicago Opera Theater
Leonardo Vordoni, conductor
Andrew Eggert, stage director
April 2010

THE GHOSTS OF VERSAILLES
Léon
Wexford Festival Opera
Michael Christie, conductor
Michael Shell and James Robinson, co-directors
October-November 2010

THE GHOSTS OF VERSAILLES
Léon
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Michael Christie, conductor
James Robinson, director
May 2009

THE TALES OF HOFFMANN
Andrés
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis 
Stephen Lord, conductor
Renaud Doucet, stage director
April - May 2008

MACBETH
Malcolm
Dayton Opera
Edvard Tchivzhel, conductor
Michael Scarola, stage director
January 2008

Konzert

Bach

Magnificat
Weihnachtsoratorium

Britten

War Requiem

Beethoven

Missa Solemnis
9er Symphonie

Handel

Messiah
Samson (Samson)

Janáček

Tagebuch eines Verschollenen

Mahler

Das Lied von der Erde

Monteverdi

Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda

Mozart

Requiem

Oper

Beecher, Lembit

I Have No Stories to Tell You (Noah)

Bizet

Carmen (Don José, El Remendado)

Britten

The Rape of Lucretia (Male Chorus)
Billy Budd (Captain Vere)

Corigliano

The Ghosts of Versailles (Léon, Almaviva)

Dean, Brett

Hamlet (Hamlet, 3rd Player)

Gounod

Faust (Faust)

Handel

Ariodante (Lurcanio)
Alcina (Oronte)
Tamerlano (Bajazet)
Rodelinda (Grimoaldo)

Humperdinck

Königskinder (Königssohn, Schneider)

Janáček

Katya Kabanova (Tichon Kabanov)
Z mrtvého domu (Luka/Filka, Old Prisoner)

MacMillan, James

Clemency (1st Angel)

Mozart

Don Giovanni (Don Ottavio)
Die Zauberflöte (Monostatos, 1st Armed Guard)

Neuwirth, Olga

Lost Highway (Andy)

Nielsen

Maskerade (Arv)

Paterson, Robert

Three Way (Joe, Marcus)

Perla, Jack

River of Light (Ravana/Man/Neighbor)

Poulenc

Les Mamelles de Tirésias (Le Mari)

Reimann

L’Invisible (L’Étranger, L’Oncle)

Strauss, Richard

Salome (Narraboth, Herodes)

Szymanowski

Krol Roger (Edrisi)

Tchaikovsky

Eugene Onegin (Vladimir Lensky)

Thomson, Virgil

The Mother of Us All (John Adams)

Trojahn, Manfred

Enrico (Bertoldo)

Vaughan Williams

Sir John in Love (Fenton)

Verdi

Macbeth (Malcolm)

Wagner

Lohengrin (1er Brabantischer)
Tannhäuser (Walther von der Vogelweide)
Das Rheingold (Froh, Loge)
Die Walküre (Siegmund)
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Kunz Vogelgesang)

Weber

Der Freischütz (Max)

Weill

Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny (Jimmy Mahoney)
Der Protagonist (Der Protagonist)

Wuorinen

Brokeback Mountain (Jack)

ARV in MASKERADE (Oper Frankfurt, 2021)

“But at the end of the day, the evening belongs to the servants. Liviu Holender wielded a beautifully sonorous baritone… He sparred hilariously with Jeronimus’ servant Arv, here luxuriously cast with Samuel Levine’s full lyric tenor.”

–Kevin W Ng / Bachtrack

“Im Zentrum steht aber Liviu Holender als Hendrik, eine komödientypische Dienerfigur von der Art des gewitzten Strippenziehers à la Figaro. Sein kerniger Bariton erweist sich als biegsam und wandlungsfähig. Ideal ergänzt wird er von Samuel Levine als zweiter Dienerfigur Arv, der mit jugendlich-frischem Tenor zu gefallen weiß.”

–Michael Demel / Der Opernfreund

"Einen furchtsam köstlichen Charakter stellt der Arv des Samuel Levine, hingerissen zwischen Pflicht und Angst vor Strafe."."

– Frideon Rosen / Online Merker

JOE in THREE WAY (Original cast album released 2018)

“There’s nothing robotic about Samuel Levine’s performance as the android lover… Levine’s dark-hued tenor and lyrical delivery help humanize the bionic character. He lays the passion on thick in his final aria, in which Joe bids Maya adieu to pursue a fellow sexbot; it’s a sweeping, Andrew Lloyd Webber-style ballad sugared with sentimental harmonies.”

– Joe Cadagin, Opera News 

WALTHER VON DER VOGELWEIDE in TANNHAUSER (Stadttheater Klagenfurt, 2019)

Samuel Levine was an exceptionally heroic Walther von der Vogelweide.

–Hermann Becke / Der Opernfreund

He is als pleasant to listen to as the other singer-warriors of the Wartburg: Sebastian Wartig elegantly phrasing as Wolfram, Samuel Levine striking as Walther von der Vogelweide, Leonard Bernad precisely articulating as Biterolf.

– Karl Harb / Salzburger Nachrichten

ANDY in LOST HIGHWAY (Oper Frankfurt 2018)

“The countertenor Rupert Enticknap as the Mystery Man and the tenor Samuel Levine as Andy are magnificent singers and actors.”

–  Bernd Feuchtner, Klassik Info

DER GANZ ALTE STRÄFLING in AUS EINEM TOTENHAUS (Oper Frankfurt 2018)

“Samuel Levine creates an Old Prisoner at the edge of the madness with a prodigiously luminous vocal timbre. “

–  Anaclase.com

TENOR SOLO in MESSIAH (The Houston Symphony 2017)

“Levine brought Handel a darker, somewhat heftier voice than many oratorio tenors. So “Comfort ye” reached out in a bigger-hearted way than it usually does, and “Ev’ry valley”– thanks to Levine’s agility –rang out with more excitement. And when Jesus faced his tormentors, the venom Levine put into the phrase “they shoot out their lips” all but painted their picture.”

– Steven Brown, Texas Classical Review

TESTO/NOAH in WAR STORIES (Opera Philadelphia 2017)

“The reveal is Noah, sung with force and beauty by Samuel Levine, fresh from the demanding role of the narrator in the Monteverdi. “

-Susan Hall, Berkshire Fine Arts

“Musically, the evening had nothing but virtues. The cloister’s acoustics allowed the voices of the Monteverdi’s four soloists — mezzo-sopranos Cecelia Hall and Abigail Levis, baritone Craig Verm, and tenor Samuel Levine — to envelop the audience. When the same group of singers transitioned to Beecher’s contemporary work, they showed themselves adept interpreters of his jagged compositional style. Fine actors all, they connected equally well with Monteverdi’s antiquated Italian text and Moscovitch’s hyper-American libretto. Levine especially shone in both operas; I’m dying to hear his weighty, baritonal tenor again, in anything.”

– Cameron Kelsall, Broad Street Review

“The single narrator role is here split between Samuel Levine and Abigail Levis. Both are remarkably fine, Mr. Levine’s pointed tenor often lashing the air excitedly with aggressive pronouncements, and Ms. Levis notably investing her plangent mezzo with considerable emotional subtext.”

“Samuel Levine weighted his focused and secure tenor to underscore nagging questions surrounding Sorrel’s enigmatic fellow soldier Noah.”

– James Sohre, Opera Today

“ Tenor Samuel Levine sings Testo with a brilliant and accurate ornamentation”

“Samuel Levine sings the role of Noah, giving a powerful voice to a flawed and tortured man.”

– Erik Flaten, Schmopera; Humanity’s Bond to War

“The three principals here—mezzo-soprano Cecilia Hall, baritone Craig Verm, and tenor Samuel Levine—are exceptional singers and actors.”

– David Fox, Philly Mag

VANA KUDRJAS in KATJA KABANOVA (Juilliard Opera 2017)

“Among these tormented townsfolk Janacek includes two young people who openly embrace their romantic feelings: Kudrjas (the ardent tenor Sam Levine), a self-educated clerk, and Varvara (the beguiling mezzo-soprano Samantha Hankey), Katya’s only confidante.”

– Anthony Tommassini, The New York Times

“Sam Levine cut an agreeable figure and sang well as Varvara’s lover Kudrjas.”

– George Loomis, Musical America

“The duets with her lover Kudrjáš, a role sung with lyrical refinement by tenor Sam Levine, provided a few moments of relief from the bleak overall atmosphere.”

– Edward Sava-Segal, bachtrack

JOE + MARCUS in THREE WAY (Nashville Opera 2017)

“Tenor Samuel Levine has great fun with Joe’s awkward attempts at robotic romance (“You have such shapely arches,” he says, massaging Maya’s feet). But Levine sings “You Were My First Love” with great warmth and compassion.”

– Amy Stumpf, The Tennessean

Lenski in Eugene Onegin (Eugene Opera 2016)

“Samuel Levine’s Lensky perfectly complimented Crider in their love-struck duet, which left the audience swooning. Levine’s mastery of character and seamless legato also brought the audience to an emotional nadir with his tragic aria in Act Two.”

– Alison Kaufman, The Register-Guard

LE MARI in LES MAMELLES DE TIRÉSIAS (Juilliard Opera 2015)

“There were too many fine singers in the dual casts on Wednesday evening to mention. In “Les Mamelles,” Sam Levine (the beleaguered Husband) and Liv Redpath (the rebellious Thérèse) were both wonderfully appealing.”

– James R Oestreich, The New York Times

“Just about everything went right in Juilliard Opera’s double bill of Les Mamelles de Tirésias and Der Kaiser von Atlantis, which received the first of three performances on November 18. The work of both casts was notable for a combination of youthful energy and professional-level accomplishment… Sam Levine is a tenor—his bio lists Don Ottavio and Fenton among his roles—but he calibrated his voice deftly to the baryton-Martin demands of the Husband.”

– Fred Cohn, Opera News

FENTON in SIR JOHN IN LOVE (Odyssey Opera 2015)

“The two lovers—Anne Page (Megan Pachecano) and Fenton (Sam Levine) were warm, funny, and passionate by turns, soaring in elegant lyricism and preventing parental control.”

-Steven Ledbetter, Classical Scene

“Sam Levine is an ardent Fenton.”

-Jeffrey Gantz, The Boston Globe

NARRABOTH in SALOME (Virginia Opera 2015)

“Samuel Levine was impressive as Narraboth, the captain of the guard. His tenor voice was compelling and he displayed great decency.”

-B.J. Atkinson, Virginia Pilot

TESTO in IL COMBATTIMENTO DI TANCREDI E CLORINDA / NOAH in I HAVE NO STORIES TO TELL YOU (Gotham Chamber Opera 2014)

“The warring pair were physically expressive; tenor Samuel Levine and mezzo Abigail Fischer, sharing the narrator’s role and doing the majority of the singing, were equally eloquent, their full-bodied vocal performances accompanied by an excellent small ensemble of baroque instruments….
The narrative gradually gathers momentum until the trauma is finally revealed—another soldier (the bright-voiced Mr. Levine, skillfully playing a boy trying to be a man) raped her and was later killed.”

– Anne Midgette, The Wall Street Journal

“Tancredi’s foe is revealed to be his lover; the opposite occurs when Sorrel’s friend and fellow soldier Noah (well-sung by Mr. Levine) assaults her.”
– The New York Times

“Also excellent was Mr. Levine in the role of Noah – it is his relationship with Sorrel that is the dark secret at the heart of this work.”

– Superconductor

Daniel Bernard Roumain’s “EPILOGUE, 1965” (New York Festival of Song 2014)

“Scored for violin, played here by Karla Donehew-Perez and sung by tenor Samuel Levine, “Epilogue 1965” found this duo dueting in a way usually reserved for instruments together or voices together.  Between the achingly sweet and the cry of the violin, the lament was haunting.”

– QonStage

MERLIN in MERLIN (Hugo Kauder Society 2013)

“Bringing a particular shine to Kauder’s score were two charming singers in the lead roles. Tenor Samuel Levine proved a fluent and robust Merlin…. The two also acted with fine, dynamic chemistry in their duets.”

– Boston Classical Review

DON OTTAVIO in DON GIOVANNI (Yale Opera 2011)

“Levine’s voice was powerful and fluid; he sang the long sustained F-naturals in “Il mio tesoro” (“Oh My Treasure”) with building intensity and still had energy to negotiate the passagi afterward with impressive accuracy.”

– Hartford Courant

Opera Index Concert 2011

“Tenor Samuel Levine sang a retrospective “Salut! Demeure Chaste et Pure” from Gounod’s Faust, hitting a fine high “C” at the finale. His voice has a nice even quality, dark at the bottom, with a ping on top.”

– The Brooklyn Eagle

“Samuel Levine’s “Salut! demeure, chaste et pure,” from Gounod’s Faust, indicated a promising tenor with vocal refinement and a strong top, right up to a beautifully-framed high “C.””

– “Opera Index Recital, A Review by Nino Pantano”

Recital at The Red Poppy (San Francisco, 2010)

“The second part of the evening featured lyric tenor Samuel Levine and pianist Ian Scarfe in selections from two song-cycles: Schubert’s Winterreise and Schumann’s Dichterliebe.” Levine has a solidly muscular, lyric voice, but his dramatic ability carried this performance. Subtle shifts in his gaze and the color of his voice conveyed the gamut of emotions, from tenderness to suicidal despair.”

– San Francisco Classical Voice

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