Praised for his “voluminous sound” and “imposing, ringing baritone,” Canadian baritone and composer Joel Balzun was recently an award-winner in the Wagner Society of New York Singers Competition and winner of the Fulham Opera Robert Presley Memorial Verdi Prize. Recent engagements include a world premiere by Kurt Erickson, Don Marco Bomba (Don Bucefalo) with Pacific Opera Project and an important debut as the bass soloist in Verdi’s Messa da Requiem with San Luis Obispo Master Chorale. Recent performance highlights include his debut at Los Angeles Opera (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Giorgio Germont (La traviata) with Opera Santa Barbara, Escamillo (Carmen) with Union Avenue Opera, and numerous recitals featuring the premiere performances of Black Dog by Tom Cipullo throughout the U.S., including at the Ravinia Music Festival and Cincinnati Song Initiative.