Daniel Beckwith

2002 Semifinals Judge

Daniel Beckwith is heralded as one of the most exciting conductors of his generation. During the 1999-2000 season he returns to Seattle Opera for DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, and to Arizona Opera for LE NOZZE DI FIGARO and Gluck's ORPHÉE et Euridice in the Berlioz version. Maestro Beckwith makes a New York City Opera debut with Rameau's PLATÉE, and a new production of DON GIOVANNI marks his debut with the San Francisco Opera.

During the 1998-1999 season, Mr. Beckwith opened the Edmonton Opera season conducting LE NOZZE DI FIGARO; conducted a new production of Robert Ward's THE CRUCIBLE for Washington Opera; made his debut with Australian Opera with LA CLEMENZA DI TITO and appeared with Boston's Handel & Haydn Society conducting a program of Bach, Handel and the world premiere of Dan Welcher's oratorio JFK: CELEBRATING THE VOICE OF PEACE.

In previous seasons, Maestro Beckwith returned to the Metropolitan Opera for DON GIOVANNI. He has appeared not only at Lyric Opera of Chicago, but with virtually all the major American and Canadian Opera Companies, as well as the Grand Théatre du Genève, The UK's Opera North and the prestigious Glyndebourne Festival. Regarded as one of the foremost opera coaches in America and a specialist of 17th and 18th century opera, his repertoire ranges from Monteverdi and Handel to Verdi, Wagner and Britten.

As an accompanist, Mr. Beckwith has appeared on the major concert stages throughout the world in recital with Marilyn Horne, Frederica Von Stade, Jennifer Larmore, Benita Valente, Carol Vaness, Jerry Hadley, Ben Heppner, and Samuel Ramey, to name only a few. Maestro Beckwith holds a BM in Organ Performance and an MM in Choral Conducting from Westminster Choir College, and is a recipient of an operatic repertoire study grant from the National Opera Institute.

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