John Rodger is 'a real Italianate tenor with a strong, bright voice, technically secure,' and 'a force among today's young artists.'
In the 2009-2010 season he joins the roster of New York City Opera where he will cover the role of Haman in Hugo Weisgall's Esther and sing the role of Ricardo Porro in Revolution of Forms for NYCO's Vox Project Composer's Showcase. Earlier in the year he was deemed ‘a chummy, affable presence’ as Gastone in La Traviata with Glimmerglass Opera, a production directed by Jonathan Miller in which he also covered the role of Alfredo. He covered Cavaradossi in Tosca and the title role in the 1884 French version of Don Carlos with Sarasota Opera, he was praised for his ‘tall, handsome stevedore’ Luigi in Il Tabarro and Macduff in Macbeth with Taconic Opera in Westchester, New York, and he performed the tenor solo in Mozart's Vesperae solemnes de confessore at Carnegie Hall. He was also a finalist in the 2009 Opera Index Vocal Competition.
In 2008 Mr. Rodger covered the role of Claudio in Wagner’s early opera Das Liebesverbot with Glimmerglass Opera, he sang Alfredo in La Traviata with Miami Lyric Opera, gave a ‘glorious, full-throated performance’ of Manrico in Il Trovatore with Taconic Opera, a concert performance of Pollione in Norma in New York City, the Tenor Solo in Verdi’s Requiem with the Indiana University Philharmonic, a concert of Verdi arias and duets with the Alhambra Orchestra in Miami, Florida, he sang the Tenor Solo in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Musical Arts Youth Orchestra in Bloomington, Indiana, and he covered the role of Tamino in a program of excerpts from the Magic Flute with the Indianapolis Opera Ensemble.
In 2007 Mr. Rodger provided ‘merriment and solid vocal artistry’ as Pong in Turandot with Opera North in New Hampshire, where he also covered the role of Calaf. He ‘nearly brought down the house’ as the Duke of Mantua in two productions of Rigoletto with Opera Western Reserve in Youngstown Ohio and with the Indiana University Opera Theater conducted by Stephen Lord, he supplied ‘one of the few truly comedic moments’ in the role of Leandro in Busoni’s Arlecchino with Indiana University conducted by Kevin Noe, and performed Rodolfo in La Bohème, and Judge Danforth and Reverend Parris in The Crucible with the Indiana University Opera Workshop.
In prior seasons Mr. Rodger has been developing his repertoire of roles including Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor), Ruggiero (La Rondine), Rodolfo (La Bohème), Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi), Hoffmann (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Tybalt (Roméo et Juliette), and the Magician (The Consul) with companies throughout South Florida and the New York area. Upcoming seasons include a return to the roster of New York City Opera for Séance on a Wet Afternoon, debuts as Riccardo in Un Ballo in Maschera and the title role in Don Carlo with Opera in the Heights in Houston, and performances of Cavaradossi in Tosca and Alvise in the premier of Van Westerhout's Doña Flor with Taconic Opera.
In addition to his experience on the operatic stage, Mr. Rodger is also a gifted recitalist. Recent programs include a recital of music by 20th century Neo-Romantic composers Corigliano, Rochberg, and Menotti, and an all-Italian recital including works by Verdi, Casella, Respighi, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Pizzetti, Cimarra, Menotti, and Tosti.
Mr. Rodger completed the apprenticeship phase of his career with two summers in the Young American Artist Program at Glimmerglass Opera, a season as a Studio Artist with Sarasota Opera, and a summer as a Young Artist with Opera North in New Hampshire. He holds degrees from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and Queens College of the City University of New York. Originally trained as a pianist and classical guitarist, he was an Associate Instructor of Music Theory at Indiana University and a member of the student staff of the Otto B. Schoepfle Vocal Arts Center(OBSVAC) directed by Richard Miller at the Oberlin Conservatory. His principle voice teachers have been Beverly Coulter, Richard Miller, Mark Oswald, and Timothy Noble. Mr. Rodger was born in Miami Beach, Florida to Canadian parents.