Stefan Barner has been praised for his “masterful command of both style and technique” and recognized as a “vocal standout, with a vibrancy of tone and an exciting delivery that serve notice that he is a gifted lyric tenor with a big future ahead.” Mr. Barner recently made a role and company debut as the Prince with Resonance Works Pittsburgh in their production of Dvorak’s Rusalka. With Odyssey Opera, Mr. Barner recently performed the role of Algernon Moncrieff in Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s adaptation of The Importance of Being Earnest in their 2017 production and will return this fall as Lucas in Gounod’s Le médecin malgré lui. Other highlights from 2017 include: Goro in Madama Butterfly with Opera Theatre Connecticut, Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi with Salt Marsh Opera, Camille in The Merry Widow with the Worcester Schubertiade, and the Padre in The Man of La Mancha with New Repertory Theatre.

Mr. Barner performed with numerous opera companies across the United States and abroad including Virginia Opera, Nashville Opera, Tulsa Opera, Knoxville Opera, Opera Columbus, Glimmerglass Opera, Salt Marsh Opera, Connecticut Lyric Opera, Greater Worcester Opera, Boston Midsummer Opera, Monadnock Music Festival and Des Moines Metro Opera. Notable international performances include a return to the Glimmerglass Festival in 2012 as Jacey Squires in the company’s touring production of Meredith Wilson’s The Music Man performing at the Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman. Mr. Barner made his international debut in 2009 singing B. F. Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly with La Musica Lirica in Novafeltria, Italy.

Mr. Barner also enjoys being active on the oratorio stage. This winter, he will be a featured soloist performing Saint-Saens Oratorio de Noel with First Parish in Bedford, Massachusetts and in the Spring of 2019, Mr. Barner will be the tenor soloist with the Cambridge Community Chorus performing Mendelssohn’s Elijah. Recent performances include Mozart’s Requiem with the Clearlakes Chorale and Missa Brevis with the Falomouth Chorale. Mr. Barner has also been the tenor soloist with the New Bedford Choral Society performing Haydn’s Missa Sancti Nicoali; All Saint’s Parish in Mozart’s Missa Brevis, and in Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Back Bay Chorale.

A native of Oskaloosa, Iowa, Mr. Barner has been selected numerous times as a finalist in both the NATS and MTNA Iowa competitions. Mr. Barner was awarded second place in the Baru Atlanta Competition in 2009 and in 2010 was a winner at the Metropolitan National Council Auditions, East Tennessee district. He currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts with his wife, Rachele Schmiege; and studies with Dr. Rebecca Folsom.