Joseph Frank

Since his 1974 San Francisco Opera debut, tenor Joseph Frank has specialized in the lyric character tenor operatic repertoire. In a career spanning over 35 years, the tenor has won acclaim in over 80 roles. Metropolitan Opera and European debuts followed in 1979 and he currently appears regularly with other leading opera companies here and abroad including the opera companies of Los Angeles, Houston, Seattle, Washington, Orange County, San Diego, Santa Fe, London, and Paris. As a concert specialist, he has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Buffalo Philharmonic, the symphonies of Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis and Atlanta under such luminaries as James Levine, Christoph Eschenbach, Julius Rudel, Eduardo Müller and Emil Tchakarov.

Highlights of recent appearances include the Tanzmeister in famed film director William Friedkin’s production of Ariadne auf Naxos and a new production of Tosca with Samuel Ramey and Salvatore Licitra both for the Los Angeles Opera; productions of Die Fledermaus and The Marriage of Figaro for the Austin Lyric Opera; Turandot at the Hollywood Bowl; Boris Godunov for San Diego Opera and the Opera du Capitole in Toulouse, France; Los Angeles Opera’s world premiere of Nicolas and Alexandra and Fanciulla del West both with Placido Domingo. The 2008 season finds the tenor singing in the revised premiere of Ricky Lee Gordon’s The Grapes of Wrath for the Pittsburgh Opera.

Mr. Frank received a Bachelor of Music, Masters of Music, and the coveted Performers Certificate from Indiana University and an Opera Diploma from the Curtis Institute of Music. He joined the San José State School of Music Faculty in 1991, and in 2006, he was the recipient of the Dean’s Faculty Recognition Award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement for the College of the Humanities and the Arts. Professor Frank regularly gives master classes in voice and opera and has been an adjudicator for numerous musical organizations throughout the country. His students have pursued their studies at prestigious graduate schools such as the Mannes College of Music, the Academy of Vocal Arts, and the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston. Graduates have gone on to be Resident Artists for the Orlando Opera, the Des Moines Metro Opera, the Caramoor International Music Festival and the Amherst Early Music Festival. Others have been the recipients of the Mario Lanza Competition, the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation and the Heinz Rehfuss Singing –Actor Competition.

His discography includes DVDs of David Hockney’s production of Turandot and the MET’s Ariadne auf Naxos with Jessye Norman; CDs of Boris Godunov (Count Shuisky) for SONY, Adriana Lecouvreur (L’Abate di Chazeuil), Madama Butterfly (Goro) both with Renata Scotto, Pagliacci with Placido Domingo, and Turandot with Luciano Pavarotti. On TV he was seen in “Live from the MET” productions of Ariadne auf Naxos and Der Rosenkavalier.