Verdi Chorus Will Present Master Class with Baritone Malcolm MacKenzie

The Verdi Chorus will continue its 42nd season with a special Master Class led by critically praised dramatic baritone Malcolm MacKenzie with six of the Verdi Chorus' Fox Singers at the First Presbyterian Church, 1220 2nd Street, in Santa Monica on Saturday, February 21 at 4:00pm. Led by Anne Marie Ketchum, who is celebrating forty-two consecutive years as Artistic Director of the organization, the Verdi Chorus is the only choral group in Southern California that focuses primarily on the dramatic and diverse music for opera chorus.

MacKenzie has been heard at leading opera houses throughout the U.S. and Europe, including the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Paris Opera (Bastille), Finland's Savonlinna Festival, Washington National Opera, and Los Angeles Opera, among many others. 

Most recently, Malcolm returned to the Metropolitan Opera stage to sing the role of Stubb in their highly acclaimed production of Moby Dick, and he sang Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with both Austin Opera and Opera San Antonio. Additional recent engagements include his performance of Mark Torrence in The Shining with Atlanta Opera, Germont in La Traviata with both Eugene Opera and Knoxville Opera, Uncle John in Ricky Ian Gordon and Michael Korie's The Grapes of Wrath with MasterVoices for his Carnegie Hall début, and a cover of Owen/Johnson in San Francisco Opera's production of Omar. In the upcoming 2025- 26 season, he returns to the Metropolitan Opera for their production of Innocence, sings Pandolfe in Cendrillon with North Carolina Opera, and will appear with Austin Opera for their 40th Anniversary Gala concert celebration.
 
Mr. MacKenzie recently appeared as Alfio in Opera Colorado's Cavalleria rusticana, joined Quad City Symphony for their Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, reprised his performance of Mark Torrance in The Shining with Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and returned to The Metropolitan Opera to cover Rodrigue in the premiere of their five-act Don Carlos, which he also covered the previous season. Mr. MacKenzie's 2021-2022 season featured him in the title role of Gianni Schicchi at Piedmont Opera, a reprise of his much-lauded Germont in La Traviata at Toledo Opera, and the dual roles of Master Johnson and Master Owen in Omar at Spoleto Festival.
 
On the concert stage, Mr. MacKenzie has performed frequently as the baritone soloist for Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, most recently with Los Angeles' New West Symphony, the Symphony Orchestra of the University of California, Davis and the Savannah Symphony.  The UC Davis performance is available on YouTube and has received over 13 million views. He has also appeared with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Pacific Chorale, the Los Angeles Mozart Orchestra, and the Madison Symphony.
 
During this Master Class, six of the Verdi Chorus' Fox Singers, a cohort of emerging professional singers hired as section leaders, named in memory of long-time Chorus and Board member Walter Fox, will have the benefit of singing for MacKenzie. These young professionals will also receive expert advice to further them along their burgeoning operatic careers with a focus on vocal technique, musical style and interpretation.

This is a rare opportunity for the public to witness the process of developing a performance ready aria, and seating is limited. 

The Class is made possible, in large part, through the generous support of the Sahm Family Foundation who also helps the Verdi Chorus fulfill its mission to provide opportunities for young professional singers through its Sahm Foundation Apprentice Singers program.  
 
Admission is free to the public to observe the Master Class, however donations to The Verdi Chorus are appropriate for this special event.  To RSVP please click here: frank.strauss@verdichorus.org