David Rohrbaugh,
Music Director/Principal Conductor

David Rohrbaugh is a founding member of Opera San José's artistic staff. He has conducted more than 63 productions and 612 performances for Opera San José, including La rondine, Werther, The Crucible, Un ballo in maschera, ll barbiere di Siviglia, La bohème, Carmen, Così fan tutte, L'elisir d'amore, Eugene Oñegin, Falstaff, Faust, Die Fledermaus, Der fliegende Holländer, Gianni Schicchi, Lucia di Lammermoor, Die lustige Witwe, Madama Butterfly, The Medium, Le nozze di Figaro, Les Pêcheurs de perles, Rigoletto, Roméo et Juliette, Suor Angelica, Tosca, La traviata, and Die Zauberflöte. During the 2010 - 2011 season, Dr. Rohrbaugh will conduct Tosca and La bohème.

Dr. Rohrbaugh works closely with the company's resident artists, coaching them in preparation for their operatic roles. Many have studied voice with him and have become professional singers throughout North America and Europe. In addition, he has mentored numerous assistant guest conductors.

Dr. Rohrbaugh has been on the faculties of Oberlin College and the University of Akron, where, as chair of the voice department, he developed a comprehensive opera workshop-theater program. Dr. Rohrbaugh has also recorded for Orion Records and the Musical Heritage Foundation. Most recently, he recorded a revival of Lou Harrison's Scenes from Cavafy, a work originally written for him by the composer.

While a professor of music at San José State University, he taught voice and co-directed the opera workshop program for 24 years. In addition to teaching master classes, conducting research, and adjudicating, he teaches privately at his voice studio in Palo Alto.