Praised for his “clean, clear voice,” David Walton dazzles stages across the country to critical acclaim, clearly staking his claim as the up-and-coming lyric tenor to watch. As Ernesto in Don Pasquale with Minnesota Opera, he was described as “this production's breakthrough performance” (Pioneer Press), and “the sweetest singing of the evening…a lyric tenor with strong Italianate stylings” (Star Tribune). As the title role in Albert Herring with Union Avenue Opera, Broadway World called him “the perfect voice for this role.” He sang Belmonte with “appealing warmth and richness” (Capital Times) in Mozart's The Abduction from the Seraglio with Madison Opera.
This season, engagements include Dorvil in La scala di seta with Opera Southwest, Ernesto in Don Pasquale with Opera Delaware, Ramiro in La Cenerentola with Annapolis Opera, Rodolfo in La boheme with Theater Latte Da, Tonio in St. Petersburg Opera’s La Fille du Regiment, Frederic in Pirates of Penzance with Cincinnati Opera, and Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos with Lakes Area Music Festival. He will also sing concert performances of Bach’s Coffee Cantata with the Minnesota Bach Ensemble, St. John’s Passion for the Breath Collective, and a Gala concert for Annapolis Opera. Next season’s engagements include a role debut as Delbert Grady/Stuart Ullman in a new production of Moravec’s The Shining.
Most recently, Mr. Walton performed Silvio in Acis and Galatea in a co-production with Annapolis Opera and Tri-Cities Opera, Ernesto in Don Pasquale with Pacific Northwest Opera, Don Ramiro in La Cenerentola with Virginia Opera, Tonio in La fille du régiment with Opera Carolina, Tom in the world première of Companionship with Fort Worth Opera, Oscar “Happy” Felsch in The Fix with Minnesota Opera, Scaramuccio/Tanzmeister in Ariadne auf Naxos with Cincinnati Opera, Belmonte in Abduction from the Seraglio with Livermore Valley Opera, Younger Thompson in Glory Denied with Union Avenue Opera, Acis in Handel’s Acis and Galatea with Out of the Box Opera, Jaquino in Fidelio with Atlanta Symphony, and returned to the Glimmerglass Festival as Count Almaviva in Francesca Zambello's new production of Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia. In concert, he performed as a soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with Reno Philharmonic and the National Lutheran Choir; Handel’s Messiah with Helena Symphony; Bach’s Cantata No. 132 and Cantata No. 164 with Minnesota Bach Ensemble and Schubert’s Auf dem Strom and Williams’ On Wenlock Edge in the JOYA Concert Series with players of Minnesota Orchestra.
David spent two years in the Resident Artist Program with Minnesota Opera. His assignments there included Tamino in The Magic Flute, where the Duluth News Tribune mentioned his “clean, clear voice,” Tybalt in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, and debuting the shepherd Silvio in a new production of the Lorenzo Da Ponte rarity: L’arbore di Diana by Vicente Martín y Soler. Other credits as a resident artist include multiple world premieres such as William Bolcom’s Dinner at Eight, covering Larry Renault and singing Delbert Grady in Paul Moravec's The Shining, with Opera News praising Mr. Walton as “equally chilling in his casual charm and suavity.”
Concert highlights include performing the tenor solo in Handel's Messiah with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, South Dakota Symphony Orchestra and Rogue Valley Symphony, Mendelssohn's Lobgesang with Lipscomb University, Carmina Burana with the Virginia Tech Symphony, Cantata BWV 88 with the Minnesota Bach Ensemble, and Cantata BWV 80 with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Robert Spano.
Mr. Walton made his Glimmerglass Festival debut as Parpignol in La bohème and sang the role of Count Alberto in Rossini's L'occasione fa il ladro as a member of their Young Artist Program. He also covered Reverend Parris in Francesca Zambello’s staging of The Crucible, performed the tenor solo from Rossini’s Stabat Mater, and played Frederic in a scene from Pirates of Penzance for special guest Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. As a Gerdine Young Artist with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, he sang a Student in La rondine, Belmonte in scenes from Mozart’s Abduction with the Saint Louis Symphony, and covered Matthew Gurney in Tobias Picker’s Emmeline. He also sang Azor in Opera for the Young’s tour of Zemire et Azor by André Grétry, and Ernesto with Brava! Opera Theatre of Ashland, Oregon. David is a 2017 Sullivan Grant Winner with the William Matheus Sullivan Foundation. He also won 2nd Place and Italian Diction award in the 2017 Marcello Giordani Foundation International Vocal Competition in addition to 2nd place and Audience Choice Award with the 2017 Opera Birmingham Vocal Competition. Other competitions include District Winner in Minnesota for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.