Versatile bass-baritone Kevin Short is the quintessential singing actor.  Kevin has thrilled audiences worldwide in a variety of repertoire ranging from Monteverdi and Mozart to Verdi and Stravinsky. His artistry is also evidenced by some of the notices he has garnered. Writing of his performance as Mephistopheles in Faust, the Newark Star-Ledger wrote: “Kevin Short clearly has a shot at becoming this decade’s operatic devil of choice. The St. Petersburg Times wrote “This devil is nothing short of spectacular. Short was a riveting figure.” The Commercial Appeal: “Kevin Short made a formidable Mephistopheles. The most theatrical singer to be cast in some time.” Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro  is  brought to vivid life via Kevin’s interpretation. The Times Union wrote “Metropolitan Opera bass-baritone Kevin Short is a standout. Possessed of a beautiful and powerful voice. Short lights up the stage.” The Berkshire Eagle added “Kevin Short an instinctively good actor, imbues his title character with an unusual youthful vigor.” As the title character in Verdi’s Oberto, Barcelona’s Opera Actual stated “The vocal honors of the performance went to the excellent young basso Kevin Short. He clearly reveled in the role of Oberto. Its huge range gave him a fine display opportunity and he sang it with great spirit and effect. He is a strong actor and established Oberto as a powerful dramatic presence, central and vital to the drama.”

The role of Archibaldo in L’Amore dei Tre Re has given Kevin a wonderful opportunity to display many of his strengths. Its dramatic and vocal range is unique and pose a considerable hurdle for most singers. Kevin’s portrayal was  very favorably received. The Venice Gondolier Sun wrote “As the king Archibaldo, Kevin Short was nothing short of brilliant. His interpretation was most extraordinary.” The St. Petersburg Times stated   “Archibaldo is a character who leaps to life in Kevin Short’s commanding performance. He possesses a deep richness of tone and remarkable flexibility for such a large voice. When he demands of God that he not be kept from the truth, it is a profoundly chilling moment.” The Herald: “Archibaldo is masterfully portrayed by Kevin Short. Short is able to effectively reveal the tender side of a man controlled by his impulses. Both his murderous rage and the remorse over his own son’s death were conveyed as if by electric current throughout the house.” Kevin’s commanding presence is also evident in lesser roles such as Nourabad in The Pearl Fishers. U.K. Magazine noted that “Kevin Short stole the performance with his exceptional, robust, centered bass-baritone as Nourabad” and the Herald Tribune stated “Kevin Short has one of the rare bass-baritones of such individual quality of depth and color that it transfixes the listener. His commanding presence lends credibility to his role.”

Basing his career primarily in Europe since 2000, Kevin now makes Switzerland his home.

In 2005-2006 Kevin Short sang the title role of Porgy in Porgy and Bess with Washington National Opera, Osmin in Die Entführung aus dem Serail at Opera Omaha and with the National Symphony, Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro with Indianapolis Opera, Messiah with the Handel and Haydn Society, and a Gala concert with Sarasota Opera.

Engagements for the 2006-2007 season include Porgy in Porgy and Bess with Los Angeles Opera, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte with Vancouver Opera, King Claudius in Hamlet with Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Pluto in Orfeo with the Handel and Haydn Society of Boston.

In the 2004-2005 season, Mr. Short made his debut at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in the world premiere of Bolcom’s The Wedding and returned to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as Friar Laurent in Roméo et Juliette, Timur in Turandot with Opera Omaha and Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Indianapolis Opera. 

In the  2003-2004 season, Kevin performed Seneca in L’Incoronazione di Poppea at Theatre Basel, Escamillo in Bizet’s Carmen at Theatre Bern, Mephistopheles in Faust at Theatre Basel and Osmin at the Aargau festival. His first staged Porgys took place at Munich’s Prinzregenten Theater and he appeared in numerous recitals in Zurich and Basel. Kevin completed his season performing Leporello in Don Giovanni at the Santa Fe Opera Company.

Kevin’s 2002-2003 season began with performances as the Landgrave in Tannhäuser at Theatre Basel. The bass-baritone then essayed the role of  Leporello for the Vienna Volksoper’s production of Don Giovanni. Part of his winter was spent in sunny Florida performing in the acclaimed production of L’Amore dei Tre Re with the Sarasota Opera Company. Kevin then returned to Switzerland to do performances of the Verdi Requiem and sing Oroveso in Theatre Basel’s Norma before heading to Opera Theatre of St. Louis for their production of The Abduction from the Seraglio.

During the 2001-2002 season Kevin sang over thirty performances of Sarastro in The Magic Flute as well as Simone in Gianni Schicchi at Theatre Basel. Theatre St. Gallen heard his Colline in La Bohème and he made a successful debut singing Osmin  with the New Israeli Opera Company in Tel Aviv. Kevin finished his season performing with Anton Coppola’s Metro Lyric Opera in productions of Faust and Aida, performing Mephistopheles and Ramfis respectively.

2000-2001 saw Kevin’s first association with Theatre St. Gallen in a production of The Abduction from the Seraglio. He returned to Sarasota to sing the title role of Oberto and in the spring returned to Hanoi, Vietnam, under the auspices of Moet 
Hennessy Asia Opera Series for opera excerpts where he sang the High Priest in Samson et Dalila and Guglielmo in Così fan tutte. Kevin wrapped up his season singing Escamillo in Carmen in his debut with Houston Grand Opera at the Miller Theatre and Mann Music Center in Philadelphia.

Season 1999-2000 held Kevin’s debut’s at the Festival Santiago de Compostela in Spain as Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte. Ramfis in Aida with Opera de las Americas in Santo Domingo and Colline in La Bohème with Fresno International Grand Opera Company. During the late spring and early summer, Kevin returned to Opera Theatre of St. Louis to sing Ned in Treemonisha. His summer was spent with another debut singing Sarastro in Valencia, Spain.

During the decade of the 1990s Kevin’s work was concentrated primarily at the Metropolitan Opera where he performed in over 20 operas including appearances as Colline in La Bohème, Masetto in Don Giovanni, the Friar in Don Carlo and many others. He was also engaged at the New York City Opera during this period to sing Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Colline in La Bohème and Nourabad in The Pearl Fishers, as well as the world premiere of Anthony Davis’ X.

Though New York was the base of most of his performing during these years, Kevin still had excellent debuts with the Canadian Opera Company performing Pizarro in Fidelio, Osmin in Abduction at Edmonton Opera, Orest in Elektra with Seattle Opera, Sparafucile in Rigoletto in Beijing and Taipei and with Indianapolis Opera, Opera Festival of New Jersey and Metro Lyric, Nick Shadow in The Rake’s Progress with Opera Festival of New Jersey, and excerpts from Mefistofele with the Washington Choral Arts Society and National Symphony. He performed Mephistopheles in Faust with Indianapolis Opera, Memphis Opera, and in Sarasota. In addition to the aforementioned Ramfis in Santo Domingo, he also performed it with Opera Omaha and Metro Lyric. With the New York Grand Opera he performed Zaccaria in Nabucco and Silva in Ernani, both by Verdi. Mozart figured prominently during the earlier years of the decade and he made his debut as Leporello with Mississippi Opera’s production of Don Giovanni. He sang the twin bill of Commendatore/Masetto in the joint production of Don Giovanni with Michigan Opera Theatre, Dayton Opera, and Opera Pacific. He also sang Figaro with the New York City Opera National Company.

Kevin’s concert work is vast but some of the highlights include: with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Messiah; Cleveland Orchestra, Rossini’s Stabat Mater; San Francisco Symphony, Stravinsky’s Les Noces; Boston Symphony, The Rake’s Progress; St. Louis Symphony and Detroit Symphony, Beethoven 9th Symphony, Baltimore Symphony in Messiah and La Damnation de Faust; New Japan Philharmonic in Die Zauberflöte; Hiroshima Symphony, Symphony No. 9; Swiss and Italian RAI Orchestra in Verdi arias; Parma Reggio Emilia Orchestra in another aria concert of operatic favorites. Porgy with the Czech Philharmonic and the 9th Symphony with the Nagano Winter Olympics Orchestra at the 1998 opening ceremonies.

Kevin has been a prize winner in numerous competitions a few of which are the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the International Competition for Verdian Voices, the Rosa Ponselle International Vocal Competition, the George London/Opera America Competition, the Bruce Yarnell Competition for Basses and Baritones, and has been a recipient of the Sullivan Grant and Richard F. Gold Grant.

Kevin received his training from Morgan State University B.S., the Curtis Institute of Music, M.M. and the Juilliard American Opera Center.