La Bohème

Jeffery Buchman (Marcello)

http://www.jeffreybuchman.com/ 

Following his recent success directing the Nicaraguan premiere of MADAMA BUTTERFLY for the National Theater in Managua, Nicaragua, Mr. Buchman returned to direct LA BOHEME in 2009 and has been invited to mount an outdoor arena production of AIDA in 2012. During the 2009-2010 season, he will direct IL TROVATORE for Naples Opera, HANSEL & GRETEL for Sarasota Opera, THE BARTERED BRIDE for the New World School of the Arts and L'ELISIR D'AMORE for Toledo Opera. During the 2010-2011 season, he joins Seattle Opera where he will assistant direct productions of TRISTAN UND ISOLDE, LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, DON QUICHOTTE and DIE ZAUBERFLOTE.
Recently, Mr. Buchman was Resident Stage Director for Sarasota Opera's Apprentice Artist Program, where he coached and prepared singers, and staged 12 fully costumed scenes for performance on the company's main stage. He has also served as assistant director for Chautauqua Opera's productions of THE CONSUL and PIRATES OF PENZANCE (Jay Lesenger, dir.) and Tulsa Opera's production of PORGY AND BESS (Johnathon Pape, dir.). His work with Tulsa Opera has also included directing productions for their Young Artist Studio, including THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE and LUISA FERNANDA. Since 2005, Mr. Buchman has served as stage director and coach for the Opera Department of the New World School of the Arts in Miami, where he has created productions of THE MAGIC FLUTE, HANSEL & GRETEL, AMELIA GOES TO THE BALL, LA DIVINA, DIE FLEDERMAUS and COSI FAN TUTTE.

Highlights of Mr. Buchman's singing career have included performances at New York's prestigious Carnegie Hall, Avery Fischer Hall at Lincoln Center, Hong Kong Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Virginia Opera, Utah Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Tulsa Opera, Central City Opera and Opera Carolina. Winner of the prestigous Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition, Mr. Buchman has garnered equal acclaim for both his singing and his acting. Of his performances of Valentin with Opera Carolina, the press wrote, "Jeffrey Buchman, in the treacherously high baritone role of Valentin, provided the evening's most electric moment... his act III death scene, milked for drama by a real singing actor". And of his standout performances in the non-singing role of Pasha Selim in DIE ENTFUHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL "Jeffrey Buchman, in the non-singing role of Pasha Selim, seemed to have been lifted straight out of a period film". His intimate understanding of how to combine singing and acting into a seamless performance, along with his innate ability to tell a compelling story that has a natural sense of drama and flow has made him a truly compelling stage director.

Mr. Buchman studied German at the Goethe Institut in Prien am Chiemsee, Germany and Spanish at the Instituto Cervantes in New York. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Opera from the Boston Conservatory of Music and a Master of Music degree in Voice from the Peabody Conservatory of Music in his native city of Baltimore, Maryland. He trained in the Young Artist Program of the Florida Grand Opera, where he later was honored with the company's Evelyn P. Gilbert Award. He also trained in the Studio and Apprentice Artist Programs of the Central City Opera, where he was awarded their Studio Artist of the Year award. Other prizes include First Prize in the National Voice Competition of the National Society of Arts and Letters and a Richard F. Gold career grant from the Shoshana Foundation.