Robert Barefield Joins Hartt Vocal Studies Division Faculty

The Hartt School is pleased to announce the appointment of its newest faculty member, Robert Barefield, baritone. Barefield, who will begin his appointment in Hartt's Vocal Studies Division this fall, has performed as a soloist with organizations throughout the United States and in Europe, including the New Orleans Opera, the Mississippi Symphony, the Arizona Opera, the Dorian Opera Theatre, the Central City Opera, the Ohio Light Opera, and Operafestival di Roma in Italy.

Barefield's operatic roles have included Don Giovanni, Danilo in The Merry Widow, Figaro in IL Barbiere di Siviglia, Sid in Albert Herring, Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, the title role in Gianni Schicchi, and John Proctor in Robert Ward's The Crucible.

In 2008, Barefield was featured in the role of Bishop Zumarraga in premiere performances of James DeMar's opera Guadalupe - Our Lady of the Roses. These performances were recorded by Canyon Records and released as a CD recording. As an oratorio soloist, Barefield's performances have included Carmina Burana, the Fauré Requiem, The Sea Symphony, and Dona Nobis Pacem of Vaughan Williams and Handel's Messiah.

An accomplished recitalist, Robert Barefield's wide-ranging repertoire has encompassed works such as Schubert's Winterreise and Die Schöne Müllerin, Vaughan Williams' Songs of Travel, and premiere performances of works by contemporary composers including Simon Sargon, Lowell Liebermann, Robert Maggio, and David Conte. His European recital performances have included venues in Austria, Germany, and Spain. Barefield's CD recording of art song duets, with soprano Carole FitzPatrick and pianist Eckart Sellheim, was released in February 2010 by Cavalli Records of Bamberg, Germany.

Barefield received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where he was a Corbett Opera Scholar. He has served on the voice faculty at Arizona State University, West Chester University, and Southern Methodist University. His current and former voice students are active as performers and educators throughout the country.

The Hartt School is the comprehensive performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford that offers innovative degree programs in music, dance, and theatre. With more than 400 concerts, recitals, plays, master classes, dance performances, and musical theatre productions a year, performance is central to Hartt's curriculum. For more information on The Hartt School, visit www.hartford.edu/hartt.