 Christopher
Bengochea
Basque-American
born tenor, Christopher Bengochea, has been praised
as having "power, sure intonation, and fine diction
that come in a package tied with a ribbon of
'natural sound.'.....It is a unique,
broadly-projected "wide" sound that can serve
lyrical or heroic music equally well," as quoted by
Janos Gereben of the San Francisco Classical Voice.
He has delighted audiences with his unique
combination of vocal and dramatic interpretations in
performances ranging from art song to opera.
Most recently Mr. Bengochea has been seen as
Reverend Samuel Parris in The Crucible and King
Gustavus III in Un ballo in maschera. Richard
Scheinin of the The Mercury News says.."to hear
Bengochea expand into big, lusty high notes -- Verdi
specials -- was thrilling.... Bengochea, who was
impressive in ``The Crucible''.. could be the tenor
the company has been waiting for." Finishing the
2005-06 season he adds Rodolfo in La boheme, Don
Ottavio in Don Giovanni, and the title role in
Poliuto. He will also perfoming the tenor soloist in
Mozart's Great Mass in c minor with the Mozart
Festival of San Luis Obispo under the baton of Scott
Yoo. In 2006-07 Mr. Bengochea will performing the
title role in Roméo et Juliette, Alfredo in La
traviata, and Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly and
Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore in 2008.
In the fall of 2004 Bengochea performed the title
role of Giueseppe Verdi's Ernani. Richard Covello of
the Chicago Tribune called Mr. Bengochea's
performance in the title role of Verdi's Ernani
"flawless". "He has command of Italianate style
along with ringing top notes and a smooth legato - a
fine, even dramatic, tenor in the making." Other
engagements in the 2004-05 season included Erik in
the world premiere opera of Alva Henderson's,
Nosferatu, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Alfredo
in La traviata, Cavaradossi in Tosca, and Episua in
Poia.
The 2003-2004 season had Mr. Bengochea appearing
with the Opera Company of Brooklyn as Ruggero
Lestouc in La Rondine, and with the Rimrock Opera as
Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni. According to Christine
Meyers of the Billings Gazette, casting brought "..a
gem to light with Christopher Bengochea's Don
Ottavio..He adds personality and passion as Donna
Anna's intended." During the Christmas season, he
played the role of Kaspar in Amahl and the Night
Visitors with the Grace Church Society. Other
notable appearances are Turiddu in Cavalleria
Rusticana, Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor, and Don
Paco in Luis Alonso.
Companies with which Christopher has perfomed
include: Opera San Jose, da Corneto Opera,Center
City Opera, Opera Company Brooklyn, MCT Theater
Opera, Jarvis Conservatory, Intermountain Opera,
Townsend Opera, Rimrock Opera, Pacific Repertory
Opera, Livermore Valley Opera, West Bay Opera,
Teatro Felice, Caramoor Opera, and the Tigulio
Festival Opera.
At home on both the operatic and concert stages,
Bengochea was heard as the Evangelist in Bach's
Weihnachts Oratorium with the New York City Chorale
Society. Other Oratorio engagements include:
Mendelssohn's Lobgesang, and Tallis's The
Lamentations of Jeremiah the Prophet.
He began his musical career as a pianist then moved
into the study of opera at age 18 during his time at
Montana State University continuing later to the
University of Montana. After becoming an award
winner at the Northwest Regional Metropolitan Opera
national council auditions and winning third prize
at the Internationale Societa Concertistica Vocal
Competition in Santa Margherita-Ligure, Italy, it
was obvious that opera was not only Bengochea's
passion, but also his future profession
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