THE DALLAS OPERA
Christian Pursell, bass-baritone, Adler Fellowship at San Francisco Opera
BASS-BARITONE CHRISTIAN PURSELL JOINS THE ROSTER
Opus 3 Artists
We are excited to welcome bass-baritone Christian Pursell to our roster. A versatile opera singer who has been hailed for "his intriguingly dark voice" by Opera News, Christian Pursell is quickly establishing himself as one of the rising stars of the next generation of singers.
A California bass-baritone is thriving as an Adler Fellow in San Francisco
Gifted Fellows
The Future Is Bright With S.F. Opera’s Adler Fellows
SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE
Bass-baritone Christian Pursell, displaying one of the most dramatically compelling voices, was as exciting in Rossini as he was in a Bellini duet, with Manea, from I Puritani. STEVEN WINN
A stylistically diverse crop of Adler Fellows on vibrant display
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
Bass-baritone Christian Pursell and baritone Andrew Manea brought vocal heft and rhetorical urgency, separately and together, to music by Rossini, Bellini and Verdi. JOSHUA KOSMAN
San Francisco Opera Center Announces 2019 Adler Fellows
OPERAWIRE
The 12 recipients this coming year include sopranos Mary Evelyn Hangley and Natalie Image; mezzo-sopranos Ashley Dixon and Simone McIntosh; countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen; tenors Zhengyi Bai, Christopher Colmenero, and Christopher Oglesby; baritone SeokJong Baek; and bass-baritone Christian Pursell. Hangley, McIntosh, Bai, Colmenero, Oglesby, and Baek are entering their first year as Adler fellows while Image, Ashley Dixon, Cohen, and Pursell are entering their second year. DAVID SALAZAR
Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer’s ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ To Have San Francisco Opera Premiere
OPERAWIRE
The cast features tenor William Burden as George Bailey. soprano Golda Schultz in her San Francisco Opera debut as angel Clara, baritone Rod Gilfry, soprano Andriana Chuchman in company debut, and current San Francisco Opera Adler Fellows soprano Sarah Cambidge, mezzo-soprano Ashley Dixon, tenor Amitai Pati and bass-baritone Christian Pursell. Patrick Summers will conduct the San Francisco Opera Orchestra with Leonard Foglia directing the production. FRANCISCO SALAZAR
Radvanovsky Reigns in S.F. Opera’s Roberto Devereux
SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE
Other Adler Fellows made excellent smaller contributions: Amitai Pati’s sunny sound as Lord Cecil contrasted with his character’s gleeful evil, and Christian Pursell gave Sir Walter Raleigh a full, honeyed voice and delightful swagger. ILANA WALDER-BIESANZ
Opera in the Park keeps a splendid San Francisco tradition alive and thriving
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
Looking farther down the road with current and recent Adler Fellows, soprano Sarah Cambidge whetted the appetite for October’s production of Strauss’ “Arabella” with a vibrant, muscular account of “Es gibt ein Reich” from that composer’s “Ariadne auf Naxos,” and bass-baritone Christian Pursell offered a splendid aria from Handel’s “Orlando” in advance of the production coming to San Francisco in June. JOSHUA KOSMAN