Tenor Jonathan Burton is engaged to sing the most demanding roles in the tenor repertoire including Cavaradossi in Tosca, Calaf in Turandot, Dick Johnson in Fanciulla del West, and Radames in Aida. He regularly receives rave reviews for his “…bright, heroic tone, [and] clarion power…”. For his performance as Cavaradossi with Opera Omaha, one reviewer said: “Tenor Jonathan Burton was revelatory as the painter and revolutionary sympathizer. His voice never faltered through the demands of the role and his tortured humanity was palpable.” The 2023-24 season will see Burton on stage as Canio in Pagliacci at Nashville Opera and Austin Opera, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Virginia Opera, a return to Palm Beach Opera in Tosca as Cavaradossi, and he will join the Madison Symphony as the tenor soloist in Verdi’s Requiem. He also debuts at the Washington National Opera as Calaf in Turandot.
In the 2022-2023, Burton sang the Prince in Rusalka and Manrico in Il trovatore at Pittsburgh Opera, des Grieux in Manon Lescaut at North Carolina Opera, Canio in Pagliacci at Opera San Antonio, and both Calaf in Turandot and Paul in Die Tote Stadt at Opera Colorado. Burton also made his Santa Fe Opera debut as Cavaradossi in Tosca.
In the 2021-2022 season, Burton joined the roster of The Metropolitan Opera for the first time for their production of Turandot, sang Don Jose in Carmen for Palm Beach Opera, and was heard as Calaf with Maryland Lyric Opera. Expected performances in 2020 and 2021 included his German debut as Radames for Deutsche Oper am Rhein and his London debut as Cavaradossi with English National Opera. Additionally, he was to have been heard as Calaf with the Saint Louis Symphony alongside Christine Goerke.
Previous performances saw Burton as Calaf for Austin Opera, Pollione in Norma for Boston Lyric Opera, and Hermann in Pique Dame for Des Moines Metro Opera. Additionally, he returned to Lyric Opera of Chicago for their production of Luisa Miller, making his Civic Opera House debut on short notice, and Maryland Lyric Opera as Luigi in Il tabarro.
Performance credits also include the roles of Don Jose in Carmen, Rodolfo in La bohème, and Manrico in Il trovatore. He has appeared with Royal Opera House Muscat, Dubai Opera, Palm Beach Opera, Opera Colorado, Central City Opera, Utah Opera, Kentucky Opera, Nashville Opera, and Virginia Opera, among others. A protégé of Lorin Maazel, Mr. Burton sang with the famed maestro in multiple productions at the Castleton Festival, concerts in Washington, D.C., and in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the reopening of Teatro La Fenice.