American tenor Paul Groves enjoys an important international career, performing on the stages of all the world’s leading opera houses and concert halls.
Paul Groves begins the 2011-12 season with a return to the BBC Proms with a performance of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the London Symphony Orchestra and Sir Colin Davis which tours to other European capitals and Avery Fischer Hall in New York City. Groves then appears in Mahler’s 8th Symphony at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing with Charles Dutoit. Further engagements include his debut as Albert Gregor in Janacek’s The Makropulos Case with Frankfurt Oper, a return to Teatro Real, Madrid for performances of Stravinski’s Persephone and appearances in his home town in New Orleans Opera’s Un Ballo in Maschera. Concert appearances also include The Apostles with Mark Elder and the Halle Orchestra as well as Berlioz’s Damnation de Faust at the Bergen Festival.
Paul Groves is well-known to audiences throughout Europe and North America. He made his debut at La Scala in 1995 as Tamino in the opening night performance of Die Zauberflöte, Riccardo Muti conducting, and he has returned in several roles, including Renaud in Gluck’s Armide and Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore - the first American tenor invited to La Scala for this role. Audiences in Paris have seen the tenor often since his debut in 1996 season when he appeared as Tom Rakewell at the Théâtre Musical de Paris, Châtelet in a new Sellers/Salonen production of The Rake’s Progress. He has returned to the Châtelet as Admète in their season-opening production of Alceste, led by Sir John Eliot Gardiner and in the title role in Berlioz's Béatrice et Bénédict. Mr. Groves made his debut with the Opéra de Paris as Fenton in a new production of Falstaff, and he soon returned for performances as Tamino, Berlioz’s Faust, Nemorino, Julian in a new production of Charpentier’s Louise and his role debut as Mozart’s Idomeneo. The role of Tamino was also the vehicle for his debut at London’s Royal Opera, Covent Garden. He has since returned to perform the role of Pylade in Iphigénie en Tauride opposite Simon Keenlyside and Susan Graham. He has performed often with the Vienna Staatsoper in roles including Tamino, Nemorino, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Flamand in Capriccio, Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and the Italian Singer in Der Rosenkavalier. He also appeared in Vienna as Camille in a new production of Die lustige Witwe, and as Carlo in a new production of Linda di Chamounix, opposite Thomas Hampson and Edita Gruberova. In 2009 Opera National du Rhin played host to the tenors role debut as Massenet’s Werther and it was in the same season that he debuted in the title role of Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex in Japan under the baton of Charles Dutoit. Mr. Groves has appeared frequently with the Salzburg Festival since his debut there in 1995 as Don Ottavio under the baton of Daniel Barenboim, including his portrayal of the title role in a critically-acclaimed new production of La damnation de Faust as well as performances as Pylade, Belmonte, and Tamino in the 2006 Mozart anniversary season in performances led by Riccardo Muti. Mr. Groves made his debut with the Deutsche Oper Berlin in 1998 as Des Grieux in a new production of Manon and with the Netherlands Opera in 2001 as Bénédict. His debut with the Bayerische Staatsoper was in 1997 as Don Ottavio, and he has returned to Munich for performances as Tamino and as Arturo in a new production of I Puritani, opposite Edita Gruberova. In 2010 the Spanish audience saw him debut as Alwa in Berg’s Lulu at Teatro Real in Madrid and in 2011, he debuted as Gualtiero in the premiere of Vivaldi’s Griselda at Santa Fe Opera.
Paul Groves came to national attention as a winner of the Met’s National Council Auditions in 1991. A graduate of the Metropolitan Opera’s Young Artists Development Program, Mr. Groves made his Metropolitan Opera debut in 1992 as the Steuermann in Der fliegende Holländer. Mr. Groves returned to the MET for performances as Camille de Rosillon in their new production of The Merry Widow, opposite Placido Domingo and Frederica von Stade; Ferrando in a new production of Cosi fan tutte; Tom Rakewell in The Rake’s Progress; Lysander in Britten’s A Midsummer Night's Dream; Belmonte in Die Entführung aus dem Serail; Fenton; and Don Ottavio in nationally-televised season-opening performances of Don Giovanni opposite Bryn Terfel and Renee Fleming. In 2006, he created the role of Jianli in the world premiere of Tan Dun’s The First Emperor, opposite Placido Domingo, and he returned to the MET in 2008 for further performances of this role. He has also appeared with the Metropolitan Opera for productions of Ariadne auf Naxos , Il barbiere di Siviglia, Death in Venice, Fidelio, Lucia di Lammermoor, Parsifal, Der Rosenkavalier, Les Troyens, Iphigénie en Tauride,and The Ghosts of Versailles. His Metropolitan Opera collaborations with James Levine have led to recordings of Rigoletto, Parsifal, and Idomeneo for Deutsche Grammophon, Der fliegende Holländer for SONY, and Manon Lescaut for Decca. In 2001 Mr. Groves made his debut at Buenos Aires’ Teatro Colon as Tom Rakewell opposite Samuel Ramey, and continued there with performances of Camille de Rosillon with Frederica von Stade. Paul Groves made his debut with San Francisco Opera as Fenton, and he returned in subsequent seasons for performances as Ferrando, Belmonte and Pylade. His debut with Lyric Opera of Chicago was in 1998 as Nadir in a new production of Les pêcheurs de perles and audiences in Chicago saw him in later seasons as Tamino, Pylade and the title role in La Damnation de Faust. Los Angles Opera audiences first saw him in season-opening performances of the title role in La damnation de Faust, opposite Samuel Ramey and Denyce Graves, and he recently returned for performances as Fritz in a new production of La Grande Duchesse de Gerolstein directed by famed Hollywood director Garry Marshall. His company debut with The Washington Opera was in 2006 as Nemorino, and he recently appeared in his home state of Louisiana for his first performances of the title roles in Gounod’s Faust and Les contes d’Hoffmann. The latter he performed at his Santa Fe Opera house debut in 2010. The same year he performed to great acclaim with the Canadian Opera Company the title role of Idomeneo.
A gifted musician, Paul Groves is continually in demand for concerts with the world's leading orchestras and conductors. In 2003 Mr. Groves made his debut with the New York Philharmonic as soloist in Berlioz’s Requiem in performances conducted by Charles Dutoit, and he returned for performances of the title roles in La Damnation de Faust, and Candide, opposite Kristin Chenowith. His debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra came also in 2003 in the world premiere of John Harbison’s Requiem conducted by Bernard Haitink in performances in Boston and at New York’s Carnegie Hall. He recently returned to Boston for performances in Schönberg’s Gurrelieder and Tippet’s A Child of Our Time as well as La Damnation de Faust, all led by James Levine. Mr. Groves performed Stravinsky’s Rossignol with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas and Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with the Philadelphia Orchestra led by Christoph Eschenbach. The tenor made his debut with the Cleveland Orchestra in performances as Berlioz's Faust, led by Christoph von Dohnanyi, and he has since appeared with them in performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony also under the direction of von Dohnanyi at Cleveland's Severence Hall and at New York's Carnegie Hall. Other recent performances at Carnegie Hall include Berlioz’s L’enfance du Christ with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Sir Charles Mackerras. The tenor made his debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a program of works of Mozart and Britten led by Esa-Pekka Salonen, and soon returned for performances of Haydn's Die Schöpfung and Stravinsky’s Les Noces, also under Esa-Pekka Salonen. The works of Benjamin Britten figure prominently in Paul Groves’ concert work and include performances of Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings with the Atlanta Symphony and at the Caramoor Festival led by Donald Runnicles, and the composer’s War Requiem in performances with Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, the St Louis Symphony and at the Festival de St. Denis in Paris, led by Kurt Masur. In 2010 added Tippet’s Child of our Time to his repertoire, a work which he performed with his native St Louis Symphony Orchestra. In 2011, he toured Switzerland with performances of Oedipus Rex.
Paul Groves made his debut with the Munich Philharmonic in performances of Haydn’s Die Schöpfung under the direction of James Levine. He made his debut with the Bayerische Rundfunk in performances of Rossini’s Stabat Mater led by Riccardo Muti and recently returned to Munich for performances of Britten’s St. Nicholas Cantata. He has sung Berlioz’s Te Deum with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra led by Seiji Ozawa, as well as the BBC Symphony led by Sir Colin Davis. He appeared with the BBC Symphony again for Szymanowski’s Symphony No. 3 led by Sir Andrew Davis, and in 2003 he appeared with Maestro Davis in a performance of Stravinsky’s Perséphone at the BBC Proms. The tenor’s debut at the Proms was in Haydn's Die Schöpfung in performances led by Sir Charles Mackerras, and he was first seen with the London Philharmonic as Berlioz's Faust. In 2005 Mr. Groves sang his first performances of The Dream of Gerontius, led by Mark Elder, at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Mr. Groves made his debut with the Orchestre de Paris in performances of Mahler's Das Klagende Lied, and he was first seen with L’orchestre de la Radio France in performances of Beethoven’s Christ on the Mount of Olives at the Montpellier Festival. He appeared as soloist in Berlioz’s Requiem with the Orchestre National du Capitôle de Toulouse under the direction of Michel Plasson and returned for performances of the title role in La Damnation de Faust. He was also invited to perform the role with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Valery Gergiev. Mr. Groves’ debut at the Festival de Saint Denis was in performances of Haydn’s Creation, and he appeared in concerts of Mozart's Requiem at La Scala in a memorial performance for Giuseppe Sinopoli led by Riccardo Muti. He appeared with the Czech Philharmonic in performances of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis led by Sir Charles Mackerras.
Paul Groves has appeared frequently in recital throughout the United States and Europe. In 1996 the tenor gave his New York recital debut at Alice Tully Hall with James Levine accompanying him at the piano, and he has returned twice to Lincoln Center's prestigious “Art of the Vocal Recital” series accompanied by Malcolm Martineau. He has also appeared in recital at Teatro alla Scala, Amsterdam’s renowned Concertgebouw, Brussels’ Théatre de la Monnaie and London’s prestigious Wigmore Hall.
In addition to his several recordings with Maestro Levine, Paul Groves’ performances in the Salzburg Festival’s productions of Die Zauberflöte and La damnation de Faust were recorded for release on DVD by Deutsche Grammophon and Naxos Records, respectively. He recently recorded Roger Water's new opera Ça Ira opposite Bryn Terfel for SONY Classics as well as Ravel cantatas with Michel Plasson for EMI Classics. He can be heard as Tebaldo in Teldec Classic’s recording of I Capuleti e i Montecchi, led by Donald Runnicles. He also recorded the role of Belmonte in a video and audio recording of Die Entführung aus dem Serail, filmed in Istanbul and led by Sir Charles Mackerras, for the Telarc label. Mr. Groves’ performances as Admète in Alceste at London’s Barbican Centre were recorded for CD and DVD on the Philips Classics label. In 2002 Paul Groves made his debut at the Saito Kinen Festival in performances of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony under the baton of Seiji Ozawa, recorded on DVD for Philips Classics. In 2003 Mr. Groves completed a solo recording of songs by Henri Duparc for Naxos Records. In 2004 Mr. Groves was invited to perform at the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors in front of a live national television audience.