James Myers is an Operatic Baritone, Actor and Voice Teacher

James Myers is an accomplished singer, actor and voice teacher.  As a profesional operatic baritone, James has sung with Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap Opera and internationally with the Mittelsaechsisches Theater (Middle Saxony Opera Theater) in Frieberg, Germany.  He sang the role of Count di Luna in Verdi's Il Trovatore with Commonwealth Concert Opera in Richmond, Virginia after having made his debut with the same opera company singing the role of Guglielmo in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte.  He has also sings regularly with Bel Cantanti Opera Company. On the concert stage, James has sung as a soloist with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra and with the professional choral group known as Choralis where he most recently sang the baritone solos from the Brahms Requiem.  

He most recently sang in the world premiere of the new opera, "Grounded" with Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center by Tony award winning composer, Jeanine Tesori.  The opera, "Grounded", tells the story of a female fighter pilot in the United States Air Force who after becoming pregnant, is reassigned to the drone piloting program in a remote desert location outside Las Vegas.  James sang in the ensemble as an Air Force fighter pilot with Washington National Opera Chorus.  

James' voice has been described as a "kavalier baritone" that possesses a powerful, burnished quality capable of singing both lyric and dramatic repertoire.  His operatic singing encompasses baritone roles such as Frank/Fritz/Pierrot in Die tote Stadt by Korngold, Valentin in Faust, Mozart baritone roles such as the Count in The Marriage of Figaro as well as the title role in Don Giovanni.  On the dramatic side James has  performed the Verdi baritone role of Count di Luna in Il Trovatore and has perormed selections as Rodrigo in Don Carlo and Iago in Otello. His concert and oratorio repertoire as a solo baritone include the Brahms Requiem, the Faure Requiem, Mendelssohn's Elijah, Bach's St. Matthew Passion, Carmina Burana, Haydn's Seven Last Words of Christ and Handel's Messiah. 

James holds a Master of Music degree in vocal performance and a Bachelors degree that included formal studies in both vocal performance and acting.  James was offered scholarship opportunities to continue his education as a Doctorate of Music candidate in vocal performance at several top conservatoires including Indiana University and the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, but he declined that route in order to continue pursuing his professional performing career and his work as a voice teacher.  

In addition to his work as an operatic baritone, James is a professional actor.  He received formal acting training at both university and through the renowned Signature Theater in Arlington VA, just outside Washington D.C.  Mr. Myers was admitted into Signature Theater’s “Overtures” acting program as a winner of the Weissberg Fellowship grant.  James originated the role of Baltus Van Tassel in the world premiere production of the musical, "Ichabod, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" with the theatre group, Creative Cauldron. 

As a musical theatre actor, James has excelled at performing the classically composed dramatic and romantic musical theatre roles.  His wide ranging voice feels comfortable singing roles as high as the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera and as low as the title role in Sweeney Todd.  Other roles that both fit James' vocal range and performing style include:  Billy Bigelow in Carousel, Tommy Albright in Brigadoon, Javert in Les Miserables, Anatoly (The Russian) in Chess, the title role in Jekyll and Hyde, Fred Graham in Kiss Me Kate, Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera, The Beast in Beauty and the Beast, Lancelot in Camelot, both Joe Gillis and Max in Sunset Boulevard, Gleb in Anastasia, Carl Magnus in A Little Night Music  and many others.   

Past musical theatre performances for James include his portrayal of the Beast and Prince in Beauty and the Beast, the lead role of Tommy Albright in Brigadoon and South Carolina Senator, Edward Rutledge in the musical, 1776.  For James' performance in the production of 1776, Paul M. Bessel and Barbara Braswell of DC Metro Theater Arts write:

“James Myers as Edward Rutlege of South Carolina stops the show with the haunting, almost supernatural, “Molasses to Rum.”  With his deep, rich, defiant voice, stunning vocal range and impeccable vocal dynamics, Myers accuses the Northern colonies of hypocrisy by profiting from the slave trade.”

https://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2016/02/06/1776-at-mclean-community-players/

For his role as Edward Rutledge in 1776, James was honored with a Best of 2016 musical theater performance award from DC Metro Theater Arts.

In the role of the Beast in Beauty and the Beast, theatre critic, Jeannette Mulherin for the Maryland Theatre Guide writes: 

"Belle...and the Beast (James Myers) are gifted singers who could not have been better cast in their roles."

https://dcmetrotheaterarts.com/2019/07/20/beauty-and-the-beast-fairfax/

Also for the production of Beauty and Beast, Gina Dalfonzo for DC Metro Theater Arts writes: 

"Belle and James Myers as the Beast bring powerful voices and an appealing warmth and vulnerability to their roles."

https://mdtheatreguide.com/2019/07/theatre-review-beauty-and-the-beast-at-the-city-of-fairfax-theatre-company/

In addition to his work in musical theater, James has appeared numerous times on stage as an actor in plays and on film.  He played the lead role of Warren Ives in the Little Theater of Alexandria’s production of Ira Levin’s play: “Cantorial”.  For his work in this production Joe Adcock of ShowBizRadio writes:

“Myers, who has a beautiful voice, brings off a charming final moment when his preppy WASP starts singing liturgical Hebrew.”

http://washingtondc.showbizradio.com/2012/11/review-lta-cantorial/

Jordan Wright for the website, “Whisk and Quill”, writes that his performance as Warren Ives in Cantorial was, 

“played with moving intensity by James Myers”.

http://whiskandquill.com/cantorial-at-the-little-theatre-of-alexandria

As a result of his work in Cantorial, James was cast to play the American writer Max Halliday a few short months later in Little Theatre of Alexandria’s production of Dial M for Murder.  

For his work in Dial M for Murder, Jordan Wright of the Alexandria Times writes:  

"Actor James Myers, coming off his success in the fall's "Cantorial" at Little Theatre, gives a smooth performance as the American crime writer boyfriend, Max Halliday"

https://alextimes.com/2013/03/little-theatre-dials-m-for-marvelous-with-classic-whodunit/

As a voice teacher, James has maintained an active voice studio for many years.  He has served on the faculty at George Mason University’s Mason Community Arts Academy and as adjunct faculty to the voice department of the school of music at George Mason University.  His students have gone on to achieve great success performing professionally and gaining admittance and scholarship awards at top universities, conservatories and graduate programs.  He is a full member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) as well as the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) which has reciprocity with Actors Equity Association.  He is also currently eligible to join Actors Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA.

In addition to working with accomplished professional singers and actors, James is thrilled to teach complete beginners as well as all skill levels and voice types.  As a voice teacher, James takes great pride in treating every singer with the utmost respect and he tailors the lessons to fit each singers' unique needs.  He and his students do work hard but James also strives to make the process supportive and enjoyable.  

James is available for both in person voice lessons and for "virtual voice lessons" over the video conferencing platform, Zoom.  If you are interested in taking voice lessons or hiring James as a singer or actor, please contact us through this website by clicking on the tab that says Contact.  Below are video samples of James' work which include a mixture of operatic singing, musical theatre singing, acting and teaching.  There are additional video and audio samples of his work  located on seperate pages of this website as well.  When James is not performing or teaching, he enjoys playing the piano, exercising, trying new restaurants, driving his mustang and exploring any place with mountains.  Thank you for visiting!