Drake Dantzler is a frequent recitalist and performer of opera and oratorio.  Mr. Dantzler was hailed by Opera News as “a real find: he has a voice of molten silver, immaculate musicianship and an expressive stage persona.”  Recently, Mr. Dantzler appeared with the Ohio Light Opera as the Caliph in Kismet, René in The Count of Luxembourg, and the Duke of Dunstable in Patience, soon to be released on Albany Records.   Mr. Dantzler also recently performed the role of Mr. Bingley in Pride and Prejudice: the Musical for Chicago Chamber Opera.

Mr. Dantzler has appeared with Central City Opera as Mr. Erlansen in A Little Night Music and as Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor.  In 2008 Mr. Dantzler was seen as Ufficiale in Sarasota Opera’s Barbiere di Siviglia, as Camille from The Merry Widow with the Breckenridge Music Festival, and with Des Moines Metro Opera’s Apprentice Opera as Charlie in Mahagonny Songspiel.  Mr. Dantzler has portrayed Ernesto in Don Pasquale with both Opera Iowa (2007) and The Living Opera (2006). In 2005, he made his Austin Lyric Opera debut as Ruiz in Il Trovatore and he appeared with the Astoria Music Festival as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni.

In operetta, Mr. Dantzler has appeared with the Ohio Light Opera, as Nanki-Poo, a role he reprised with Western Plains Opera in 2007, Frederick in The Pirates of Penzance, and Cascada in The Merry Widow.

Drake has been a member of many prestigious Young Artist Programs including Sarasota Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, and Central City Opera.

While a student at the University of Texas at Austin, Drake created the roles of Joshua Jennings in Holy Night and Justice Goodkin in The Scarecrow. The Austin Critics Circle nominated his performance in Holy Night for Male Classical Performance of the Year.  He also portrayed the Chevalier in Dialogues of the Carmelites and Lensky in Eugene Onegin. His assignments at the Eastman School included Pirelli in Sweeney Todd and the Father Confessor in Dialogues.

Recent concert engagements for Mr. Dantzler include the Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, with the Pontiac Oakland Symphony, a guest appearance with the Oakland Chorale singing in Gounod’s Messe Solennelle, and a recording of Friml’s Katinka with the Comic Opera Guild of Ann Arbor, Messiah with the Adrian Symphony, Hodie by Vaughan Williams with the Macomb Symphony, an evening of Italian Arias with the Rochester (MI) Symphony Orchestra and Mozart’s Requiem with the Canton Symphony.

Mr. Dantzler holds degrees from Vanderbilt University, Eastman School of Music, and a Doctorate from the University of Texas.  He is currently Assistant Professor of Voice and Director of the Opera Program at Oakland University in Rochester, MI.