Praised for his “clean, clear voice,” David Walton dazzles stages across the country to critical acclaim as a versatile lyric tenor to watch. He recently sang Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance with “charismatic presence and a sweet pleasing tenor” (Cincinnati Business Courier) and Dorvil in Rossini’s La scala di seta with a “ringing high register” (concerto.net).
As a favorite tenor of bel canto, Mr. Walton has frequented such roles as Ernesto in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, Tonio in La fille du réigment, Ramiro in Rossini’s La Cenerentola and Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. He has been described as “this production’s breakthrough performance” (Pioneer Press) and “the sweetest singing of the evening…a lyric tenor with strong Italianate stylings” (Star Tribune), “a 21st century Rossini tenor” (Opera War Horses), and “smooth, lyrical, and capable of scaling the heights” (Virgina Pilot). Company appearances include Cincinnati Opera, Virginia Opera, Minnesota Opera, Opera Delaware, Syracuse Opera, Annapolis Opera, and the Glimmerglass Festival in a new production by Francesca Zambello where Opera News labeled him “genuinely funny.” Other operas include Rossini’s L’occasione fa il ladro and La scala di seta, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and Die Entführung aus dem Serail, and Handel’s Acis and Galatea.
David has sung multiple new works and world premieres throughout the country as a flexible and collaborative artist for opera and chamber music. Contemporary repertoire includes Tom in the world premiere of Companionship by Rachel Peters with Fort Worth Opera, Younger Thompson in Tom Cipullo’s Glory Denied with Union Avenue Opera, and multiple productions as part of the New Works Initiative with Minnesota Opera such as The Shining by Paul Moravec and Mark Campbell, and Dinner at Eight by William Bolcom and Mark Campbell. Recent roles cancelled due to COVID-19 include Dan White in Stuart Wallace and Michael Korie’s Harvey Milk with Opera Parallèle. Other projects include premieres by Libby Larsen, Missy Mazzoli, Jocelyn Hagen, Kevin Puts, and Nico Muhly. Ensemble and chamber appearances include Minnesota Bach Ensemble, The Schubert Club, Dallas Museum of Art, Vocal Essence, The First Readings Project, and Cantus Vocal Ensemble, with whom he performed for three full seasons, touring all over the world at locations like NPR, Kennedy Center, A Prairie Home Companion, and the Royal Opera House of Muscat, Oman.
Equally at home on the concert stage, David has appeared as the tenor solo in Handel’s Messiah with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, South Dakota Symphony Orchestra and Rogue Valley Symphony, in addition to Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Mozart’s Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Lobgesang, Orrf’s Carmina Burana, and Beethoven’s Mass in C. He also performs the many works of J.S. Bach including Magnificat, St. Matthew Passion, and numerous Cantatas, of which his solo in BWV 80 with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Robert Spano was claimed as a “vocal standout” and “right down the traditional line of a fine Bach tenor” by ARTS ATL.
David is a 2017 Sullivan Grant Winner with the William Matheus Sullivan Foundation. He won 2nd Place and Italian Diction award in both the Marcello Giordani Foundation International Vocal Competition and Opera Birmingham Vocal Competition. Other competitions include a finalist in the 2021 concours de chant with Opéra Clermont-Ferrand in France, District Winner in Minnesota for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and third place in the 2021 International Vocal Competititon with the Rochester Oratorio Society. Upcoming performances in the '23-24 season include beloved roles such as Ramiro with Toledo Opera and Tamino with Annapolis Opera while other house debuts include Sarasota Opera and Opera San Antonio. Upcoming concert performances include Handel's Messiah with the Boise Philharmonic and Mozart's Mass in C with the Columbus Symphony.