Kirk Eichelberger,
Bass
(2001 - 2003)
(2005 - 2006)

During 2010, KIRK EICHELBERGER appeared as Méphistophélès (Faust) with Dayton Opera, a role he will repeat in 2011 with Opera Birmingham. During the summer of 2010, Mr. Eichelberger appears as Raimondo in Festival Opera's production of Lucia di Lammermoor, and returns to Opera San José in the fall to perform the role of Alexei Karenin in the company's production of Anna Karenina.

Engagements during 2009 included the role of Timur in Festival Opera's production of Turandot, Sparafucile (Rigoletto) with Vancouver Opera and Méphistophélès (Faust) with Opera Grand Rapids.

Other recent engagements included the roles of the Four Villains (The Tales of Hoffman) for Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Ferrando (Il trovatore) and Bottom (A Midsummer Night's Dream) for Festival Opera, Don Basilio (The Barber of Seville) for Fremont Opera, Don Fernando (Fidelio) for Opera Company of Philadelphia,  and Ferrando (Il trovatore) for Manitoba Opera. In early 2008, Mr. Eichelberger made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Gambler 3 (The Gamber) and also covered the role of Jago in their production of Ernani.

Mr. Eichelberger has appeared as Alaska Wolf Joe (Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny) for the Spoleto Festival USA 2007, Colline (La bohème) for Fremont Opera, Frère Laurent (Roméo et Juliette) for San Francisco Lyric Opera, Grandpa Moss (The Tender Land) for Trinity Opera, and Louis (A View From the Bridge) with Washington National Opera.

During the 2006 - 2007 season, Mr. Eichelberger performed the role of Dr. Gibbs in Our Town at the Dean Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek. In October, he performed the role of Monterone (Rigoletto) for the Opera Company of Philadelphia.

After departing the company in spring of 2006,  Mr. Eichelberger performed the role of Nick Shadow in West Bay Opera's production of The Rake's Progress. Mr. Eichelberger then returned to OSJ in the 2006 - 2007 season as a guest artist to perform the roles of Frère Laurent (Roméo et Juliette) and Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia). In 2005 - 2006, Mr. Eichelberger sang the roles of  Reverend Hale (The Crucible), Count Warting (A Masked Ball), Schaunard (La bohème), and Leporello (Don Giovanni). Mr. Eichelberger also appeared as soloist in Mendelssohn's Elijah for the San Francisco Choral Society, and was a featured soloist with Silicon Valley Symphony in their performance of Mozart's Requiem.

Mr. Eichelberger was previously seen as Daland in Der fliegende Holländer during OSJ's 2004 - 2005 season. Since his first departure from the company in 2003, Mr. Eichelberger performed the title role in Elijah with Oakland East Bay Symphony, The Bonze in Madama Butterfly with Festival Opera, Alidoro (La Cenerentola) for Sacramento Opera and the Four Villains in Les Contes d’Hoffman with West Bay Opera. Other engagements for 2003 - 2004 included the roles of Ferrando in Monterey Opera's production of Il trovatore, Il re in Aida with Festival Opera, the title role in West Bay Opera's production of Don Giovanni, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte with Virginia Opera and the title role in Le nozze di Figaro for Opera Memphis.

For more information, please visit Mr. Eichelberger's website at http://www.kirkeichelberger.com/