American tenor Ben Gulley has been hailed as “outstanding” (Opera News) and “startlingly gifted” (San Francisco Classical Voice). An exceptionally versatile artist, Mr. Gulley’s recent seasons have included feature roles in opera, solo engagements, concert, film work, touring and important appearances abroad. Recent artistic and critical triumphs include his 2022 Broadway World Best Actor In A Musical award-winning debut as Quasimodo in Dennis DeYoung’s Hunchback of Notre Dame with Skylight Music Theater (2022), a debut as Cavaradossi in Tosca with Sarasota Opera (2022), Tenor Soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra (2021) and Tenor Soloist in Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde opposite mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung with the Belgian National Orchestra in Brussels and Namur, Belgium (2021).
Recent and upcoming season highlights for 2022-2023 and beyond include engagements with the Asheville Symphony(“Night at the Opera”), Hidden Valley Music Seminars, the Tallahassee Symphony (“Viva Verdi!”), Tenor Soloist in Verdi’s Requiem with Orchestra Iowa, Radames in Aida with Fort Worth Opera, Tenor Soloist in Bruckner’s Te Deumwith the Belgian National Orchestra in Brussels, Belgium, and Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Opera Orlando. In April of 2023, Gulley enjoyed a triumph with Portland Opera, jumping into the role of the Prince in Rusalka on two days’ notice and traveling directly to a dress rehearsal with no prior musical or stage rehearsals.
The COVID-19 disruption in the performing arts saw Mr. Gulley making his Dallas Opera Recital (digital) debut in 2020, an “Opera in the Park” concert with Opera Idaho in 2021, Aria-Thon and “Opera in the Park with Ben” with Opera Steamboat in 2020, and recitals for Perdue University, North Dakota State University, Epworth by the Sea, Banner Elk Community Concerts and the Jacksonville, FL Museum of Science and History in 2021. Gulley was in the process of completing his acclaimed 2019-2020 “Ben Gulley National Concert Tour” (presented by LiveONStage) just before the tour was concluded early due to the pandemic.
Previous seasons included engagements with Opera San Luis Obispo as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Sarasota Opera as Ismaele in Verdi’s Nabucco, a debut as the Prince in Dvorak’s Rusalka with Opera Steamboat, a debut as Dr. Marianus in Mahler’s 8th Symphony with South Dakota Symphony, Tenor Soloist in “Beethoven vs. Coldplay” by Steve Hackman with the Grand Rapids Symphony, Christmas Pops concerts with the Jacksonville Symphony and Louisville Symphony Orchestra, an Operetta Recital with Sarasota Opera, and headliner in The Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s Opera Ball.
The 2016-2018 seasons saw Mr. Gulley’s international company debuts with the Staatsoper Hamburg, where he covered Marcello Giordani as Énée in Les Troyens under Maestro Kent Nagano, performing at the Great Pyramids of Egypt in Giza, a company and role debut with Sarasota Opera as Pedro in d’Albert’s Tiefland, his Carnegie Hall debut with The American Symphony as the Tenor Soloist in Haydn’s Mass in Time of War, and a 70-date US National Recital Tour presented by Allied Concert Services.
Mr. Gulley is equally at home in the musical theater, having won praise and awards for his turn as Quasimodo in Dennis DeYoung’s Hunchback of Notre Dame (Skylight Musical Theater, 2022). Dan in Next To Normal (MTH, 2016), Jack in Into The Woods (MTH, 2010), and originating Disney’s stage version of the evil puppeteer, Stromboli, in Stephen Schwartz’s Gepetto and Son (now My Son Pinocchio, Coterie Theater).
As a contemporary crossover artist, 2016 marked the commercial release of Mr. Gulley’s debut solo album of original music, In Between, which is available on every major music distribution and streaming service. From 2010 through 2014, Mr. Gulley was also a member of the Sony/BMG Masterworks recording and global touring group The American Tenors, alongside fellow tenors Nathan Granner and Daniel Montenegro and produced by creator and producer of The Irish Tenors, Frank McNamara. Mr. Gulley was also featured twice on the nationally-televised PBS Memorial Day event “Celebration At The Station” with the Kansas City Symphony and Maestro Michael Stern.
