BIOGRAPHY
A Grammy Nominated artist who has performed in all 50 states and throughout Canada, and Italy, Bass-Baritone Kristopher Irmiter is one of the most recognized low voices in North America. He has appeared with San Francisco Opera, L’Opera de Montreal, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, Teatro Carlo Felice, Opera Theater of St. Louis, Atlanta Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Utah Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, Opera Lyra Ottawa, Arizona Opera, and Florida Grand Opera among many others.
With 116 performed roles in his repertoire, Mr. Irmiter has exhibited a vast range both vocally and dramatically, earning broad critical acclaim; Opera News - ”a large and personable presence, his bass-baritone alternately stentorian and tender”, New York Times - ”Irmiter was excellent, richly expressive.“, Opera Now - ”The anchor of the performance was the Don Giovanni of Kristopher Irmiter-dashing stage presence, acting ability and solid vocal technique. This is a Don to be watched.” San Francisco Sentinel - ”Following his Toreador Song, had this audience been seated at La Scala, the applause meter was high enough to opt for an encore.”, KDHX St. Louis - ”Speaking of vocal power, Kirstopher Irmiter, as Horace, displays a lower register that has the kind of punch not always found in deeper voices.”, SanDiego.com - ”a warm, well-projected vocalism whose clarity of understanding needed no assistance from the supertitles”. Notable successful portrayals include Horace - opposite Susan Graham - in Regina with Opera Theater of Saint Louis, Scarpia in Tosca with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Escamillo in Carmen with San Francisco Opera, Mephistopheles in Faust with Utah Opera and Baltimore Opera, the title role in Der Fliegende Hollander with Arizona Opera and Michigan Opera Theater, Athanael in Thais with Florida Grand Opera, Mr. Redburn in Billy Budd with Pitsburg Opera, and appearances with Atlanta Opera, Utah Opera, Opera Omaha and Lyric Opera of Kansas City in the lead role of Rucker Lattimore in Carlisle Floyd’s Cold Sassy Tree. After a lengthy hiatus due to the Covid pandemic, Mr Irmiter returned to the stage as Harold in the world premier of A Thousand Acres with Des Moines Metro Opera and debuted the role of Dr. Bartolo in Il babriere di Siviglia - with Florida Grand Opera.
Mr. Irmiter is fortunate to have worked often with Carlisle Floyd. Olin Blitch in Susannah, was the vehicle of his Canadian Opera debut with Opera Ontario. Susannah was also the opera of his debut with Houston Grand Opera. Under the baton of Richard Bonynge he made his Opera Pacific debut as Sulpice in The Daughter of the Regiment. A frequent guest artist with Florentine Opera, his debut there as Schaunard in La Boheme was quickly followed with return engagements as Matheiu in Andrea Chenier, James Vain in the American Premier of The Picture Of Dorian Gray, and Sharpless in Madama Butterfly. Additionally, he has appeared as Oscar Hubbard - Regina with Florida Grand Opera, at Opera Memphis, Mr. Irmiter has sung the title role in Gianni Schicchi and the same character in the world premier of Michael Ching’s sequel, Buoso’s Ghost. In 2017 he also performed the role of Bishop Dyer in the world premier of Riders of the Purple Sage with Arizona Opera.
Mr. Irmiter’s orchestral engagements include appearances with the Greater Bridgeport Symphony, Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Mississippi Symphony, New Bedford Symphony, Chattanooga Symphony and the Asheville Symphony, performing Messiah, Verdi’s Requiem, The Creation, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, the Rossini Stabat Mater, and Mozart’s Requiem. He was a two time Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions and winner of the Leonardo da Vince award in San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program.
​