MATTHEW BURNS

Bass-Baritone

Matthew Burns brings more than 25 years of experience to the operatic stage, performing with leading companies across the United States and internationally. Renowned for his command of comedic timing and vocal agility, Burns is widely regarded as a master interpreter of basso buffo and character roles. His repertoire includes standout portrayals of Leporello (Don Giovanni), Doctor Bartolo (Il barbiere di Siviglia and Le nozze di Figaro), and Sulpice (La fille du régiment), alongside dramatic roles such as George (Of Mice and Men), Blitch (Susannah), and Dansker (Billy Budd).

Critics consistently praise Burns’ ability to marry vocal authority with sharp theatrical instinct. Opera News highlighted the “vocal and comedic flexibility” of his Leporello at Detroit Opera, while other reviewers have noted his “effortless command of the stage and an instinctive sense of comic truth” and a bass-baritone voice that is “as supple as it is powerful.”

In recent seasons, Burns has appeared as Bartolo with Portland Opera and Utah Opera, returned to The Metropolitan Opera for the revival of The Hours, performed Sergeant of Police in The Pirates of Penzance with Nashville Opera, and reprised his acclaimed Sulpice in La fille du régiment with Utah Opera. His career includes seven seasons at The Metropolitan Opera and collaborations with companies such as Opera Memphis, Detroit Opera, Washington National Opera, and Festival Napa Valley.

Equally respected as a pedagogue and mentor, Burns is a sought-after master class clinician and advisor to young professionals entering the operatic field. He currently serves as Assistant Professor of Voice at the University of Memphis, where he teaches applied voice, mentors emerging artists, and remains actively engaged as a performer.