Erik Bagger
Tenor Erik Bagger has performed over 50 operatic roles in New York City, regional, and international venues. Highlights include Canio in I Pagliacci, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Albert in Albert Herring, Alfredo in La Traviata, Rodolfo in La Bohème, and The Male Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia. He has performed with New Camerata Opera, The San Jose Stage Company, Bronx Opera, Opera on Tap, North Shore Music Festival, dell’Arte Opera Ensemble, The Martina Arroyo Foundation, Utopia Opera, Opera Noire of NY, OperaOggi NY, Apollo Opera, Buck Hill Skytop Music Festival, Opera NexGen, Intermezzo Opera Festival, International Lyric Academy of Rome, New Operafestival di Roma, LiedAustria, Wendy Taucher Dance Opera Theater, Monk Parrots, Gertrude Opera, Victoria Opera House, Opera Ischia, as a guest of The Lithuanian Consulate, and in concert with New York City Opera and New Rochelle Opera. In June 2017, Bagger made his Carnegie Hall soloist debut, with The Eco-Music Big Band in excerpts from the new opera Angela’s Ring (Incontrera). Opera News has called him "terrific!" For his strong stage charisma, he has been hailed “consistently amusing” by The New York Times, and a “comic gem” by Broadway World. OperaWire has praised him for his “punctuating high notes”, while Voce di Meche wrote of his “admirable flexibility.” He holds a Masters of Music and a Bachelors of Music, magna cum laude, from The Conservatory of Music of Brooklyn College. He is a recipient of The Saul Lyons Memorial Scholarship, The Brooklyn College Opera Theatre Award, and was a semi-finalist in Teatro Grattacielo's International Camerata dei Bardi Competition and The Paolo Coni International Opera Competition. Bagger is a Co-Founder and Artistic Chair of New Camerata Opera, a bold and innovative presence on the New York opera scene. He maintains an active performance schedule of standard and contemporary operatic repertoire. In addition, the tenor regularly performs sets of Neapolitan and Italian songs, with his own guitar accompaniment.
His interpretation of the male chorus was one of the most complex realizations on the stage.
He shifted his voice from dark and powerful to slim and soft, adding to this snake-like nature.”
- David Salazar, OperaWire
Media
Press
“As William Lovelace, tenor Erik Bagger (New Camerata’s co-founder and artistic chair) was also terrific … In his best scene, he sings an aria to a hummingbird that was a gift to Ada … He is clearly in love with his wife…”
Jennifer Melick, Opera News, July 2022
“Erik Bagger lent his soulful tenor to ‘Tarquinius’ Ride’ and showed admirable flexibility in adorning the vocal line. The excitement built just as Britten intended…”
Voce di Meche
“Among the men, we enjoyed tenor Erik Bagger’s portrayal of the eponymous hero–at first under his mother’s thumb, shy and stooped over, later intoxicated and silly, and finally joyful and liberated.”
Voce di Meche
Tenor Erik Bagger exhibited a fine command of Russian in his performance of Lensky's famous aria "Kuda, kuda vi udalilis" reminding us of how thoroughly we enjoy Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin and how deeply felt this aria is.
Voce di Meche
From Pietro Mascagni's realismo opera Cavalleria Rusticana, the chilling aria "Ah! Lo vedi!", in which Santuzza confronts Turridu, was given a passionate performance by Mr. Bagger and soprano Eva Parr.
Voce di Meche
Its master of digital artistry is Erik Bagger, who also appears in the film singing a rousing ‘Hai ben ragione’ from Puccini’s Il tabarro and playing the guitar for Anna Tonna’s sultry rendition of María Grever’s ‘Cuando vuelva a tu lado’.
Rick Perdian, Seen and Heard International, May 2021