The most splendidly finished dramatic tenor of his generation, Howard Haskin has become internationally recognized as much for his "extrovert dramatic presentation" as his "silken" tenor voice. A true polyglot, Mr. Haskin's ability to speak French, German, Italian, Russian, Dutch and English has won him high praise for diction and has been invaluable in bringing operatic roles to life.
A stimulating and memorable interpreter of 20th century English opera as well as the standard Italian and French repertoire, Howard Haskin's major roles include Otello in Verdi's Otello, Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca, Radames in Aida, Paris in King Priam, Jason in Médée, Peter Grimes in Peter Grimes, Don José in Carmen, Abbot/Tempter in Prodigal Son, Grigory/Dmitri in Boris Godunov, Manrico in Il Trovatore, Orphée in Orphée et Eurydice, Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Alfredo in Die Fledermaus, Il Conte di Bosca Nera in La Vedova Scaltra, Alain in Griselidis, Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Valerio in Il Marito Disperato, Ernesto in Don Pasquale, Joe in Blue Monday, and Sportin' Life in Porgy and Bess.
Making his Carnegie Hall debut during the 1999-2000 season, Howard Haskin performed the role of Il Carceriere/Il Grande Inquisitore in Il Prigioniero with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Dutoit. Also under the baton of Maestro Dutoit, Mr. Haskin will appear with the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo later this year. Among other exciting engagements in the 1999-2000 season, Howard Haskin has appeared with the Kansas City Symphony, with Anne Manson conducting, in Sir Michael Tippett's A Child of Our Time.
Howard Haskin first attracted attention throughout Europe in 1981 by garnering 1st prize in both Paris singing competitions, as well as 1st prize in the s'Hertogenbosch singing competition. The s'Hertogenbosch prize was a distinction that had not been bestowed on a tenor in 15 years. He then launched into a bustling operatic career, gaining immediate recognition, particularly in France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, as an American tenor with exceptional promise. Howard Haskin's operatic debut in the United Kingdom came in 1983 singing the role of Radames in Aida for the Northern Opera Company. From there, he went on to sing the role of Jason in Cherubini's Médée with Rosalind Plowright at the Buxton Festival. Subsequent triumphs include a long association with De Nederlandse Opera, where Mr. Haskin sang Orphée in Orphée et Eurydice, created the role of Vova in the world premiere of Schnittke's Life with an Idiot, and performed numerous other roles.
A consummate artist and singer's singer with more than 45 roles to his credit, Mr. Haskin's busy schedule has since taken him to performances with many of the major opera companies, including The Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Kent Opera, Scottish Opera, English National Opera, Opéra de Lyon, Opéra de Nice, the Royal Albert Hall, and the Teatro Real Madrid. In addition to Buxton, Mr. Haskin has also performed at the festivals of Wexford, Glyndebourne, Orange and Bregenz. Two of these appearances are available on videotape: King Priam by Tippett, performed by Kent Opera under the baton of Sir Roger Norrington and directed by Nicholas Hynter, and The Seven Deadly Sins by Weill, performed by Opéra de Lyon under the baton of Kent Nagano and directed by Peter Sellars. Among several well-received recordings, the most widely acclaimed was Il Prigioniero by Dallapiccola, which was performed with the Swedish Radio Choir, the Eric Ericson Chamber Choir, and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, with Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting. This compact disc was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Opera Recording of 1996, received a Choc du Monde de la Musique award, and was included in Fanfare magazine's "Wish List" that same year.
Apart from his operatic success, Howard Haskin also enjoys a distinguished career as a concert singer and recitalist. Mr. Haskin is well-known for his performances of Dream of Gerontius with the R.T.E. Orchestra and Our Lady Choral Society of Dublin, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the National Symphony Madrid, Das Lied von der Erde with the Budapest Festival Orchestra, Haifa Symphony Orchestra, and Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Il Prigioniero with VARA Radio-Holland, Swedish Radio Orchestra, and the Orchestre National de France, as well as Christus am Oelberg, Canti di Vita e d'Amore, Verdi's Requiem, and Mozart's Requiem. Howard Haskin's recital schedule has had him performing in Wigmore Hall in London, Espace Cardin in Paris, Opéra Comique in Paris and the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux. Mr. Haskin has also sung a special concert with Martina Arroyo at the Théâtre des Champs Elysées in Paris.
Born in Kansas City, Kansas, Howard Haskin received his early musical education at Wichita State University and at Indiana University, Bloomington, where he was a student of Margaret Harshaw. Mr. Haskin made his professional debut in Cincinnati, Ohio as a member of the Cincinnati Opera Ensemble. In 1978, he was awarded a scholarship by the Zurich Opera Studio, where he profited from intensive coaching and performed a number of smaller roles. During the 1979-1980 season, he became a member of this company and made his operatic debut, performing Sportin' Life in Porgy and Bess and Ernesto in Don Pasquale. Mr. Haskin has since then based himself in Europe, residing in Paris, France, but continuing to accept singing roles that take him all around the world.
- "Howard Haskin's earnest tenor portrayed the role of the Inquisitor."
- The New York Times review of Il Prigioniero, 10/19/99
- "Howard Haskin had us all in the palm of his hand as Sportin' Life."
- Dallas Morning News review of Porgy and Bess, 6/15/98
- "But the show was comprehensively stolen by Howard Haskin, a whoopin', hollerin', whirlin' and blues-shoutin' Sportin' Life. This cool, super-funky, rubber-limbed dude brought the house down with a sensational act in It Ain't Necessarily So that even had the band applauding."
- The Herald review of Porgy and Bess, 2/19/96
- "It was, however, Howard Haskin who brought the house down with his unbuttoned and hilarious It Ain't Necessarily So..."
- Scottsman review of Porgy and Bess, 2/19/96
- "The singers were excellent, none more so than Howard Haskin, as the Abbott who also plays the Tempter. His cautionary preface to the action, delivered forthrightly from the back of the hall, caused several audience members to jump half out of their skins."
- Financial Times review of The Prodigal Son, 11/1/95
- "If there was a star of the evening, it was Howard Haskin as the Tempter. With a strong, true tenor voice, capable of great expressive variety, firm throughout its range...Haskin made a majestic, truly demonic Tempter."
- The Independent review of The Prodigal Son, 6/14/94
- "The performance was dominated by Howard Haskin as the Tempter..."
- Financial Times review of The Prodigal Son, 6/24/94
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