Baritone Gregory Dahl stands as one of Canada’s foremost baritones, acclaimed for his “commanding presence” and his “ample tone and impeccable legato”. Renowned for his compelling portrayals in dramatic works by Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, and Strauss, Dahl has earned a well-deserved reputation for his signature roles, including the Dutchman in Die Fliegende Holländer, the villainous Scarpia in Tosca, and the title character in Rigoletto.

 

In the current season, Dahl made his role debut as Benoit/Alcindoro in La Bohème at the Canadian Opera Company (COC), while also captivating listeners with Handel’s Messiah alongside the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra and Orchestre classique de Montréal. Upcoming engagements include appearing as the baritone soloist in Brahms’ Requiem with the Orchestre symphonique de Gatineau and making his eagerly awaited debut in the title role of Don Pasquale at Vancouver Opera. 

 

In the fall of 2022, Dahl sang the role of Escamillo in performances of Carmen while also covering the title role in Der Fliegende Holländer at the Canadian Opera Company. He later joined Opera West as Scarpia in Tosca and was a soloist in Manitoba Opera’s 50th Anniversary Concert. In the spring of 2023, he reprised the Dutchman in Der Fliegende Holländer at Vancouver Opera to rave reviews.

 

Following the height of the pandemic, Mr. Dahl made a triumphant return to the stage as Alfio in concert performances of Cavalleria Rusticana with Vancouver Opera. His 2021/22 season also included Baron Douphol in La traviata at the COC and Hermogines in Hadrian at Teatro Real. In concert, he was seen as a soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with Brott Festival and in a Rodgers and Hammerstein concert with Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

 

In the summer of 2019, Dahl made his debut in the title role of Der fliegende Holländer in a new production for Opéra de Québec, later seen on the stage of The Metropolitan Opera. A favourite in Québec, the 2019/20 season saw him as Germont in La traviata for Opéra de Québec, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with Opéra de Montréal, and Messiah for both the Orchestre classique de Montréal and the Rhode Island Philharmonic. 

 

During the 2018/19 season, Mr. Dahl appeared as Hermogines in the world premiere of Rufus Wainwright’s opera Hadrian with the Canadian Opera Company, joined l’Opéra de Montréal for Donner in Das Rheingold, performed the role of Peter in Hansel and Gretel with the Oregon Symphony, sang Messiah with the Winnipeg Symphony, and reprised the title role in Rigoletto for Calgary Opera. His 2017/18 season included Scarpia in Tosca for l’Opéra de Montréal and Calgary Opera, Rigoletto for l’Opéra de Québec, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly for the Manitoba Opera and Swallow in Peter Grimes with the Vancouver Symphony. On the concert stage, he sang Messiah for the Vancouver Bach Choir and returned to Halifax for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Symphony Nova Scotia. 

 

Highlights of other past seasons include Sharpless in Madama Butterfly for the Canadian Opera Company; Escamillo in Carmen for l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and the Virée Classique Festival with Maestro Nagano; the title role of Macbeth for Kentucky Opera; Ford in Falstaff and Amonasro in Aida for l’Opéra de Montréal; Sebastian in Ades’ The Tempest and the title role of Gianni Schicchi for l’Opéra de Québec; Iago in Otello for Vancouver Opera; and an engagement at the Metropolitan Opera covering the role of Mandryka in Arabella. 

Mr. Dahl first came to national attention as Francis Chancy in the World Premiere of James Rolfe’s Beatrice Chancy. Other world premieres he’s participated in include Estacio and Murrell’s Filumena for the Calgary Opera, Lillian Alling for Vancouver Opera, Wainwright’s Hadrian for the COC, and Shalimar the Clown for the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Filumena was filmed for release in the DVD format and joins Beatrice Chancy on his list of operas-on-film. Mr. Dahl has also created roles for Tapestry New Opera Works (Robert Peary in Smith’s Facing South and The Alchemist in Schafer’s The Palace of the Cinnabar Phoenix) and sang the role of George in the Canadian Premiere of Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, presented by the Calgary Opera. With an enduring passion for education, Dahl shares his expertise as a member of the voice faculty at the University of Toronto.