About

Praised by Parterre Box for his 'icy bass, complemented by an immense and sadistic physicality,' bass-baritone Cory McGee has established himself as a compelling presence on the operatic stage, bringing uncommon vocal authority and dramatic intelligence to a repertoire ranging from the great basso cantante roles to the operatic stage's most demanding character assignments.

The 2026–27 season marks Mr. McGee's debut at the Metropolitan Opera, where he sings the Jailer in Puccini's Tosca and covers the role of Happy in Richard Jones's new production of La Fanciulla del West, conducted by Keri-Lynn Wilson and starring Vida Miknevičiūtė, SeokJong Baek, and Christopher Maltman. He also covers the Second Knight in Wagner's Parsifal. Additional engagements include the title role of Figaro in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro with the West Virginia Symphony.

The 2025–26 season brought Mr. McGee's most significant engagements to date. He made his UK and role debut as Escamillo in Calixto Bieito's production of Bizet's Carmen at English National Opera, conducted by Clelia Cafiero and directed by Jamie Manton at the London Coliseum. In a demonstration of the quick-study versatility that has become a hallmark of his career, he stepped in on short notice to sing Don Basilio in Houston Grand Opera's Il barbiere di Siviglia, joining a cast that included Will Liverman, Daniela Mack, Jack Swanson, and Alessandro Corbelli. On the concert stage, he sang Narbal in a semi-staged performance of Berlioz's Les Troyens à Carthage with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Federico Cortese at Sanders Theater, and took the title role in Mendelssohn's Elijah with the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra and Fairfield County Chorale, conducted by Jonathan Yates.

Among Mr. McGee's most significant career engagements, his Don Giovanni at Wolf Trap Opera announced a commanding stage presence and a voice of rare natural authority. His work with Houston Grand Opera — where he trained as a member of the Butler Studio — has encompassed Alidoro in La cenerentola, Colline in La bohème, Biterolf in Tannhäuser, and roles in the world premieres of Thompson's The Snowy Day and Cohen's Turn and Burn. He has appeared as Theseus in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream with both Santa Fe Opera and Atlanta Opera, and as Achilla in Handel's Julius Caesar with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. His portrayal of the Father in Tesori's Blue at New Orleans Opera earned him an ovation and a notice in Opera News for his "most powerful vocal and dramatic performance." Further engagements include Pietro in Verdi's Simon Boccanegra at Opera Philadelphia and Caspar in Weber's Der Freischütz at Wolf Trap Opera.

On the concert stage, Mr. McGee has performed the title role of Elijah with the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, Colline in concert performances of La bohème with the Chattanooga Symphony, Handel's Messiah with the Santa Fe Symphony, and appeared in the world premiere of Aucoin's Music for New Bodies with DACAMERA.

Mr. McGee is a graduate of Oberlin College and Conservatory and Rice University's Shepherd School of Music, an alumnus of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, and a former Apprentice Artist at Santa Fe Opera and Studio Artist at Wolf Trap Opera.

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