British-Canadian baritone Alexander Dobson has been praised for his musical and dramatic artistry on both opera and concert stages. His portrayal of Wozzeck conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin with Théâtre du Nouveau Monde and Orchestre Métropolitain was lauded for his “gripping embodiment of Wozzeck” (Journal Voir). Other roles of note include Guglielmo ((Così Fan Tutte*), Belcoré (L’elisir d’amore) and Ned Keene (Peter Grimes), all with L’Opera de Montréal.

Highlighting Dobson’s ²⁰¹⁶⁄₁₇ season is his performance in the title role in Don Giovanni at Milwaukee’s Florentine Opera, a role he has also sung with Orchestre Metropolitain de Montreal. Dobson also appears in concert with the Toronto Symphony (Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast), Calgary Philharmonic (Handel’s Messiah), and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (Mozart’s Requiem). In recital, Dobson can be heard this season on a program at Mooredale Concerts in Toronto.

Dobson’s operatic roles include “Masetto” in Don Giovanni with Calgary Opera; “Guillaume” in the French version of Così fan tutte with Opera Lafayette; “The Count” in The Marriage of Figaro with Against the Grain; “Marcello” in La Bohème with Saskatoon Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria, and on television in BRAVO’s StreetScenes version of the work; “Silvio” in Pagliacci for L’Opéra de Québec; “Mercutio” in Roméo et Juliette for L’Opera de Montréal and also for Opera Ontario; “Harlequin” in Calgary Opera’s Ariadne auf Naxos, “Sonora” in La fanciulla del West with L’Opera de Montreal; “Aeneas” in Dido and Aeneas with The Theatre of Early Music; “De Retz” in Bard Summerscape’s production of Les Huguenots; and “Moralès” in Opera Pacific’s Carmen. Alexander made his London debut at the Linbury Theatre with Royal Opera House Covent Garden in the premiere of The Midnight Court by Ana Sokolovic. His recent performance as “The Master” in Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie’s production of Against Nature with director James Kudelka was praised for its “clarity and sustained feeling” (The Globe and Mail). Other recent performances of contemporary works include “Maximilian” in Bernstein’s Candide with Calgary Opera and “The Pilot” in Soundstreams’ production of Airline Icarus, a new opera by Brian Current. A recording of Airline Icarus (winner of the JUNO for Classical Composition of the Year) featuring Mr. Dobson was released on Naxos Records in 2015.

On the concert stage, Alexander has appeared with the Orchestre Métropolitain for Mahler’s Songs of a Wayfayer, Faure Requiem with the Windsor Symphony, and Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducting the combined National Arts Centre Orchestra and Orchestre Metropolitain. He has sung Mozart’s Mass in C Minor with the St. Lawrence Choir, Toronto’s Aldeburgh Connection, the Vancouver New Music Festival, and with Montréal’s Theatre of Early Music. Alexander has sung Handel’s Messiah with Philadelphia Orchestra, Orchestra London, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Edmonton Symphony, Grand Philharmonic Choir, Elmer Isler Singers, Boris Brott Festival, and Spiritus Chamber Choir.

Mr. Dobson is also a dedicated recital artist. Composer Derek Holman wrote the song cycle Daybreak and a Candle End especially for Alexander and the Talisker Players. Mr. Dobson has also performed Dichterliebe with Talisker Players Chamber Music and Coleman Lemieux Dance Company, and Schubert’s Winterreise to great acclaim in Montréal, Victoria, England, Paris, and, with Yannick Nézet-Séguin at the piano, in Toronto. Alexander has also been heard frequently on CBC Radio Canada in recital and concert.

Alexander graduated from the University of Toronto Opera Division and the Faculty of Music at the University of Western Ontario with Honours. He is also an alumnus of the Music Theatre Program at the Banff Centre, Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, the Steans Institute for Young Artists at Ravinia, and L’Atelier Lyrique de L’Opera de Montreal. Alexander is the recipient of numerous awards and prizes including those from the International Voice Competition of Paris (including the Edward Marshall Association Award for Outstanding Baritone), the Jeunesses Musicales National Competition, the Marilyn Horne Competition (Music Academy of the West), and the Jacqueline Desmarais Competition.

An ardent singer since childhood, Alexander’s solo début was at twelve years old, as a treble soloist in the Canadian premiere of Lloyd Webber’s Requiem under conductor Elmer Iseler.