Biography
Baritone Jonathan Wilson is a dedicated performer of vocal music from opera to concert works and musical theater. He has been praised by the Chicago Classical Review as a “superb actor” with a “resounding and luxurious” voice.
Recently, Jonathan has made several role debuts including Silvio in Pagliacci with Opera Festival Chicago, the title role in Eugene Onegin and Escamillo in Carmen each with Chicago Opera Productions, and Robert in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta with Opera Aeterna. He also sang the role of Belcore in the New Philharmonic Orchestra’s concert production of L’elisir d’amore. Other notable roles in Jonathan’s repertoire include the title role in Pelléas et Mélisande, Dottore Malatesta in Don Pasquale, and John Brooke in Adamo’s Little Women. As part of his work with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Jonathan performed as baritone soloist in Mozart’s Thamos, King of Egypt, sang the role of the Usher in Verdi’s Rigoletto, and went on as cover for the role of Jailer in Puccini’s Tosca.
Also an avid performer of contemporary chamber opera, Jonathan’s recent roles include Manfred in Two Remain (Heggie), Hannah-before in As One (Kaminsky), and the titular character in a Tom Waits adaptation of Woyzeck, each a Midwest premiere with Chicago Fringe Opera. His appearances as The Poet in When Adonis Calls (Borzoni) and as Robert Dziekański in I will fly like a bird (Plant) with Chicago-based Thompson Street Opera Company also received critical acclaim.
On the concert stage, Jonathan regularly sings with many of Chicagoland’s top ensembles. As a soloist, he has performed with the New Philharmonic Orchestra, the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, the South Shore Orchestra, and many Chicago-area sacred organizations. He also routinely sings as part of the Lyric Opera Chorus, the Chicago Symphony Chorus, and the Grant Park Chorus.