- Dennis McNeil
-
Dennis McNeil, (born July 30, 1960 in Los Angeles, California),[1] is an American operatic tenor, musical theater performer and concert singer. He was educated at Miraleste High School, Loyola High School (1978), the Institute for the American Musical, Merola Opera Program of San Francisco Opera and the University of California, Davis (1983).[2][3]
Contents
Opera
McNeil was a 1992 National Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.[4] He sang several leading roles with New York City Opera, including "Tamino" in The Magic Flute, "Don Jose" in Carmen (a role he has sung more than seventy times),[2] in which he was given special note for his acting by the New York Times,[5] and "Mark" in the New York City stage premiere of Michael Tippett’s The Midsummer Marriage [6] for which he received the Richard F. Gold Career Award.[7]
He has performed with many of the major opera companies in the U.S. apart from New York City Opera, including the New York Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, ("Gastone" in La Traviata (1991), Amelia's servant in Un Ballo in Maschera (1990)), New Orleans Opera, San Diego Opera as "St. Brioche" in The Merry Widow (1992) and "Remendado" in Carmen (1992), Western Opera Theater and Los Angeles Opera where he performed in a 1989 production of Salome. Other roles include "Pinkerton" in Madama Butterfly, "Rudolfo"" in La Bohème and "Alfredo" in La Traviata.[2]
Oratorio
Appearances include the tenor part in Verdi's Requiem with the Kalamazoo Singers [8] and the role of William Butler Yeats in The Rising by Richard B. Evans.
Musical Theatre
On the musical theater stage he has sung the role of "Mr. Snow" in Carousel more than 140 times in four productions. He also sang "Nikos" in the musical Zorba with John Raitt in the title role and he toured with lyricist Sammy Cahn in the musical review Words and Music.[9]
Recitals and Special Events
He frequently sings the American National Anthem at the games for Los Angeles teams including the Los Angeles Dodgers. He sang at both the funeral and Dodger Stadium Memorial for the well-known Los Angeles Times sportswriter, Jim Murray.[10]
He has sung at numerous other community and charity events, as well as in recital, including appearances abroad in London, Slovenia and Linz, Austria.[2]
He also has a large repertoire of Irish folk songs which he has performed extensively with his own folk ensemble "Celtic Fire" including at Ashford Castle in Ireland, and released on CD.
Television appearances have included Hour of Power and KLTA Morning News in Los Angeles.
He has sung for five American presidents, including the 2001 inauguration, and other heads of state.
He also sings at corporate events and has sung for the Kemper Insurance Open, Aon Insurance and the Hearst Group.
He appears regularly with Three Tenors and the Hutchins Consort, a Los Angeles based group which has performed at many venues including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.[2] The opening of the Harlyne J. Norris Pavilion in Palos Verdes, the Sun Valley Opera Summer Concert, the Stockton Symphony's annual holiday concert, a Kennedy Center tribute to playwright, Arthur Miller for the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Kennedy Space Center Memorial for the Crew of Space Shuttle Columbia, the Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa third anniversary benefit “Summer Dreams Gala”, are just a few of the engagements he has had. He has also produced videos for MTV and VH-1.[11]
Family
Dennis McNeil is a fourth generation Californian and lives with his wife Cindy and daughters Theresa, Julia and Maura near the beach in Southern California.[2][11]
Awards [3]
Emily Baratelli Memorial Award from the New York Opera Index
National Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council, 1993
Rex Foundation Grant from the Grateful Dead
Richard F. Gold Career Award, New York City Opera, 1994
Southern California Opera Guild Singing Competition, 1st Place
Sullivan Grant]] Recipient
Victor Fuchs Memorial Competition, First PlaceHe is a member of the Jonathan Club, Los Angeles and the Bohemian Club, San Francisco.[3]
Discography
Dennis McNeil has released several recordings on his own label, DMI Productions which include: Ave Maria, Celtic Fire, Forever Irish, It's Christmas! and The Spirit of Christmas, samples from which can be heard on his official website. [1]
He can also be heard on a recording of the oratorio The Rising, composed and orchestrated by Richard B. Evans, words by W. B. Yeats, Maud Gonne, Francis Ledwidge et al.[12]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Voestival, Austria
- ^ a b c linked in
- ^ Alex Ross, Review:National Council Winners Concert Metropolitan Opera House, New York Times, April 20, 1993. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
- ^ Alex Ross, Review: Carmen, New York City Opera, New York State Theater, New York Times, October 21, 1993.
- ^ Edward Rothstein, Review: The Midsummer Marriage, New York City Opera, New York State Theater, New York Times, September 11, 1993
- ^ Shoshana Foundation List of Richard F. Gold Career Award winners. Retrieved 9 June 2008.
- ^ Kalamazoo Gazette, Saturday, April 22, 1995
- ^ Mark Chalon Smith, 'Kinks Aside, Raitt's Zorba Worth Gushing Over', Los Angeles Times, May 23, 1990, p. F2.
- ^ Eric Malinic, 'Jim Murray: 1919-1998; Farewell to a Friend; Funeral: Jim Murray, Brentwood Mass.', Los Angeles Times August 22, 1998, p. S1.
- ^ a b Kerry records
- ^ Richard Evans website
External links
Categories:- People from Los Angeles, California
- American opera singers
- Operatic tenors
- Living people
- 1960 births
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