American bass-baritone John Marcus Bindel has rapidly made a name for himself on both sides of the Atlantic. His European debut led the Altenburger Landeszeitung to exclaim, "this young man's voice has been kissed by God - twice." The Denver Post wrote that he has "a real presence on stage."

Since his first season with the Washington Opera (1996-97), Mr. Bindel has sung Snare in Sly, Frontier Guard/Lavitsky in Boris Gudonov, Rev. Hale in The Crucible, Pietro in Simon Boccanegra, the Commendatore in Don Giovanni, Gregorio in Roméo et Juliette, and Pezuño in El Gato Montés. He returns to Washington Opera in 1999-2000 to sing Monterone and Sparafucile in Rigoletto, cover Blitch in Susannah, sing Lord Gualtiero Walton in I Pruritani, sing Sciarrone and Angelotti in Tosca, and cover Lodovico in Otello. In 1997-98 he sang Zuniga in Carmen, Erste Soldat in Salome, and Amantio di Nicolao in Gianni Schicchi with Opera Colorado, and Abimélech in Samson et Dalila with the Palm Beach Opera. He made his Lyric Opera of Chicago debut in 1996 in Don Carlo, and with Chicago Opera Theater in Don Giovanni that same season. In two seasons with the Santa Fe Opera he performed roles in Madama Butterfly, The Rake's Progress, Daphne, Acis & Galatea, La Fanciulla del West, Le Nozze di Figaro, and Salome.

Mr. Bindel's orchestral repertoire includes the Requiems of Verdi, Fauré and Duruflé; Handel's Messiah; Schubert's Mass in G, Brahms' Neue Liebeslieder Walzer; Handel's Utrecht Jubilate; and Dubois' The Seven Last Words of Christ. Mr. Bindel made his European debut with Oper Altenburg, and has also appeared with Austin Lyric Opera.

John Marcus Bindel was a finalist in the 1995 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions for the Chicago Region. He was also a finalist in the 1997, 1998 and 1999 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions for the Middle Atlantic Region. Mr. Bindel was a semi-finalist in Placido Domingo's 1999 Operalia Competition in Puerto Rico earlier this year. He is a graduate of Southwest Texas State University and received his Masters in Music from Northwestern University.

The Critics Speak

In concert with Oper Altenburg:

"This young man's voice has been kissed by God - twice."
Altenburger Landeszeitung
 

As Masetto in Don Giovanni:

"As Masetto, John Marcus Bindel was much more than a country bumpkin angry at Don Giovanni for stealing his Zerlina. He was a commanding presence, whether hurling threats at the Don or brooding over Zerlina's flirtations."
Chicago Sun-Times
 

As Abimélech in Samson et Dalila:

"As Abimélech, John Marcus Bindel sang colorfully."
Opera News
"Bass-baritone John Marcus Bindel executed his part convincingly."
Palm Beach Post
 

As Zuniga in Carmen:

"Zuniga was bass-baritone John Marcus Bindel who made much of the role as a real presence on stage."
The Denver Post

Contact details and further information

Address
John Marcus Bindel
107 S. West Street, #165
Alexandria, VA 22314-2891
Tel: (703) 549-0218
Cellular: (215) 432-7571

E-mail John Marcus Bindel

For further details, see John Marcus Bindel