José Rubio - Mercurio

Baritone

Previously at Portland Opera:

Baron Douphol, La Traviata (2008); Mercury, La Calisto (2009); Marullo, Rigoletto (2009); Schaunard, La Bohème (2009); Policeman, Orphée (2009)

Returning for his second year in the Studio Artist program is Portland native, baritone José Rubio.  He was born in Portland and grew up in Vancouver, WA.  He saw his very first opera, Rigoletto, at Portland Opera in 1998, so it was fitting that last season he played Marullo in Rigoletto and covered the title role.  During the 2008/09 Season he also sang Baron Douphol in La Traviata and Mercury in La Calisto.  Prior to joining the Studio Artists, his roles included Rappaccini in La Hija de Rappaccini for the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and Marcello in La Bohème for Opera Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca in Italy.  Also at Cincinnati College, he sang Bailli in Werther, Pausanias in Une Education Manqueé, and Son Beau-Pere in Le Pauvre Matelot.  His other credits include Big Bad Wolf in Three Little Pigs for Rising Star Opera Theater, Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro and Betto in Gianni Schicchi for Opera Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca, and Colline in La Bohème for Tacoma Opera.  In 2002 he sang for the opening day of the Legislative Session in Olympia, WA and also for Archbishop Desmond Tutu Convocation in Seattle, WA.  He received his Masters of Music from Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, and his Bachelors of Music in Vocal Performance from University of Washington. This season José’s roles include Schaunard in La Bohème, Policeman in Orphée, Ombre in Il ballo delle ingrate, Tancredi in Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, Sam in Trouble in Tahiti and Fiorello in The Barber of Seville.  He will also cover the title role in Orphée.