Grammy-nominated baritone Joshua Conyers has been singled out by Opera News for his “deliciously honeyed baritone that would seduce anyone,” by The New York Times as having “a sonorous baritone” that “wheedled and seduced,” and by The Washington Post for giving a "show-stealing" performance. A native of The Bronx, NY, he is known for his captivating performances and recognized as one the promising young dramatic voices of today.
Conyers’ busy 2023-24 season included performing and covering Reginald in X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X in productions with Seattle Opera and the Metropolitan Opera respectively, Handel’s Messiah with the New York Philharmonic, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, Hollis in the world premiere of Brittney Boykin and Jarrod Lee’s Two Corners with Finger Lakes Opera, and his role debut of Scarpia in Tosca with Opera Wilmington. Upcoming on the opera stage in 2024–25 Joshua sings the role of Hassan in Edmond Dede’s Morgiane in a special presentation with Opera Lafayette in collaboration with Opera Creole and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, is seen with Piedmont Opera as Pierre Cauchon in The Trial at Rouen, and will make his role debut as Falstaff. Concert appearances will include the Crumb American Songbook ll with the New American Symphony, Handel’s Messiah with the Phoenix Symphony and a recital with the Brooklyn Art Song Society.
Recent seasons have included his début with English National Opera as Policeman/Congregant 3 in Tesori and Thompson’s Blue and Reginald in Anthony and Thulani Davis’ X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X at Opera Omaha, which he has also performed with Detroit Opera and Odyssey Opera (where he also recorded the role). On the concert platform, Mr. Conyers appeared as bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah with Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and returned to Brooklyn Art Song Society for a series of concerts. He also joined Seattle Opera for Blue, Boston Lyric Opera as Count Capulet in Roméo et Juliette, Memphis Symphony Orchestra for Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, and Cecilia Chorus of NYC for Carmina Burana at Carnegie Hall. Other previous engagements include Eustis in Le maréchal ferrant with Opera Lafayette, Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte with Aspen Opera Theater, and Tonio in Pagliacci at The Atlanta Opera, where he also performed Tiger Brown in the Threepenny Opera and covered Kaiser Overall in Der Kaiser von Atlantis.
Mr. Conyers is an alum of the prestigious Cafritz Young Artists program at Washington National Opera, where he appeared as the First Priest in The Magic Flute, Germont in La Traviata, British Major in Silent Night, Donkey in The Lion, the Unicorn, and Me, and Zaretsky in Eugene Onegin, and was slated to appear in 2020 performances as John Sorel in The Consul, covering the Reverend in Blue, and singing Jim and covering Jake in Porgy and Bess.
Highly sought after for contemporary opera, Mr. Conyers performed the role of Jason in the world premiere of Matt Boehler and Laura Barati’s 75 Miles and Uncle Wesley in Carlos Simon and Sandra Seaton’s Night Trip for Washington National Opera’s American Opera Initiative. Additionally, he covered the roles of Mr. Umeya in the American premiere of Ruo and Chong's Dr. Sun Yat-Sen in Mandarin Chinese and Walt Whitman in the world premiere of Morrison and Cox's Oscar, both with the Santa Fe Opera.
As a concert artist, Mr. Conyers made his Carnegie Hall début in 2018 as the baritone soloist in Mozart’s Regina cœli, K. 276, Vaughn Williams’ Serenade to Music, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, and Mark Hayes’ Te Deum under the baton of distinguished composer and arranger Mark Hayes with MidAmerica Productions. Joshua also made his début at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 2018 as the baritone soloist in the Duruflé Requiem with Manhattan Concert Productions under the baton of Anton Armstrong. In 2019, Mr. Conyers was a soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra, performing with world-renowned Maestro Gianandrea Noseda and singer/songwriter Ben Folds. He was a guest artist at Opera Wilmington/UNC Wilmington’s annual Opera Symposium in celebration of Caterina Jarboro and in conjunction with Black History Month. Additional concert and oratorio credits include Bach's St. Matthew Passion, Handel's Messiah, Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, Fauré’s Requiem in D minor, Vaughan Williams' Dona nobis pacem, and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana.
Mr. Conyers’ numerous vocal competition and award credits include: Metropolitan Opera National Council District Winner (2010, 2011, 2015, and 2019), Metropolitan Opera National Council Regional Encouragement Award Winner, Catherine Filene Shouse Career Grant Award Winner, Annapolis Opera Top Prize Winner, Career Bridges Grant Award Winner, S. Livingston Mather Scholar Competition Top Winner, the Charlotte Opera Guild Competition Top Prize Winner, and the Heafner/Williams Vocal Competition Top Prize Winner. He has also participated in the training programs of Wolf Trap Opera, the Glimmerglass Festival, Des Moines Metro Opera, and Santa Fe Opera.
Mr. Conyers is currently on the voice faculty at the Eastman School of Music.
Current as of June 17, 2024
