Matthew Li
Bass
“Maybe here is a bass who will one day sing those near impossible to cast Rossini roles?”
-John Gilks, operaramblings
press
Eric Sabourin, LesArtsZé
“It is a magnificent bass voice…with the offering of the 16 lieder of dichterliebe…revealed to us this valiant young man of 27 who did not disappoint us in the least, quite the contrary, skillfully accompanied by the agile pianist, christopher gaudreault.”
“Italian, German, or russian diction pose no problems, the firm voice is exceptionally beautiful and solid…”
Michael Jones, Opera Canada
“His Sarastro is beautifully sung, with resonant, well-projected low notes and a simple command of the stage.”
John Gilks, operaramblings
“Li’s Sarastro provided real gravitas along with some properly sepulchral low notes.”
Mickaël Meunier, Le Quotidien
“…the character of Leporello is endearing. It is even more so when it is a bass of Matthew Li’s caliber that interprets it.”
David Gordon Duke, Vancouver Sun
“Intriguingly, the piece’s real heavy lifting is done by bass Matthew Li in the role of Xon Pon. Here is a young singer going places, and one hopes his singular success here unlocks doors for him.”
Jérémie de Pierre, Revue L’Opéra
“Matthew Li (Seneca) perfectly incarnates righteous and eloquent stoicism.”
Matthew Timmermans, Ludwig Van Toronto
“…the two standout performers included li’s resonant bass voice singing the opening of ‘tuba mirum’.”
Upcoming performances
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Don Giovanni
Role: Masetto
Opéra de Montréal
September 27, 30
October 2, 5 -
The Lion Heart
Role: King Richard I (The Lion Heart)
Mightier Productions
November 15, 16
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Tosca
Role: Sciarrone
Pacific Opera Victoria
February 18, 20, 22, 24
About
Possessing a “vibrant stage presence and a rich, commanding voice” (La Scena Musicale), bass Matthew Li is a proud graduate of the Atelier lyrique de Opéra de Montréal. His operatic roles include Leporello, Masetto and Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni, Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Dulcamara in Elisir d’amore, Seneca in L’incoronazione di Poppea, Polyphemus in Acis and Galatea, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, and Colline in La Bohème.
Concert highlights include the bass solos in Haydn’s Die Schöpfung, Handel’s Messiah, Dvořák’s Stabat Mater, and Mozart’s Requiem, and Bach’s Missa Brevis in A.
An ardent collaborator with contemporaries, Li created the leading bass-baritone role of Xon Pon in Alice Ping Yee Ho and Madeleine Thien’s opera Chinatown (2022) with City Opera Vancouver in its world premiere, to critical acclaim.
