Matthew Newlin

Lyric tenor Matthew Newlin has been a member of the ensemble at Deutsche Oper Berlin since 2013, where he performs leading roles like Tamino, Belmonte, and Count Almaviva.  In the 2018/19 season, Matthew debuted the roles of Alfredo, Lensky, Andres, and Prunier in Berlin. Elsewhere, he recently debuted the roles of Tom Rakewell in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress in Basel, the title role in Handel’s Samson, and Sali in Delius’ A Village Romeo and Juliet in Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw. In the 2019/20 season, Matthew will sing Froh for the first time in Calixto Bieito’s new production of Das Rheingold with Opera Nationale de Paris, Alfredo in La Traviata with Deutsche Oper am Rhein, as well as Leopold in Halevy’s La Juive with Staatsoper Hannover.

Additional roles performed include Don Ottavio, Ferrando, Rosenkavalier’s Italian Singer, Lucia di Lammermoor’s Arturo, Turandot’s Pong, Der fliegende Holländer’s Steuermann, Boris Godunov’s Holy Fool, and Cassio in Verdi’s Otello.

​Matthew has made several debuts outside of Deutsche Oper Berlin, such as at Opéra National de Paris and Dutch National Opera in a new production of Cavalli’s Eliogabalo. In the 2015/16 season, he performed at Atlanta Opera the role of Frederic in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, and the role of Ferrando in Mozart’s Così fan tutte at Stadttheater Klagenfurt. In the 2014/15 season Matthew appeared at Theater Basel in a special production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte directed by Calixto Bieito, at Wexford Opera Festival in the rarely performed Don Bucefalo by Cagnoni, at Theater Magdeburg as Count Almaviva, and at Buxton International Festival in Dvorak’s Jakobin.

​Equally comfortable in concert and recital, Matthew has appeared under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas with both the San Francisco Symphony and New World Symphony in performances of Stravinsky’s Pulcinella and Beethoven’s Fidelio. Other concert appearances include performances of Verdi’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah and Solomon, Mozart’s Requiem, Vaughan-Williams’ On Wenlock Edge, and Janáček’s The Diary of One Who Disappeared, both in Czech and his own English translation.

In competition, Matthew was awarded the Opera Prize at the International Vocal Competition ‘s- Hertogenbosch in 2014. In 2013 Mr. Newlin placed 2nd at the Marcello Giordani Foundation International Vocal Competition, 3rd at both The Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation Competition and Young Patronesses of the Opera Competition. He is the winner of the 2012 Opera Birmingham Competition, the 2011 American Opera Society of Chicago’s Scholarship Competition, and the 3rd Place winner of 2012 The Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition Regional Finals.

Matthew participated in the 2013 Merola Opera Program performing the role of Don Curzio in Le nozze di Figaro and a scene from L’italiana in Algeri as Lindoro. He began a residency at Florida Grand Opera in the 2012/13 Young Artist Studio singing Erste Geharnischter in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and Un notaro in Bellini’s La sonnambula, where he also covered the roles of Tamino and Elvino. In the 2011/12 season Matthew returned to the Santa Fe Opera singing performances of Condulmiero in the Rossini rarity Maometto II. He also sang Nikolaus Sprink in scenes from Kevin Puts’ Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Silent Night, and covered Matteo in Strauss’ Arabella. The preceding summer at the Santa Fe Opera, he performed English Tailor in Menotti’s The Last Savage and covered The Captain in Berg’s Wozzeck.

​Born in the village of Georgetown, Illinois, Matthew received his Bachelor of Music and Business Minor degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. He received his Masters Degree in Vocal Performance from the Chicago College of Performing Arts, where he also received an Artist Diploma in conjunction with two seasons in Chicago Opera Theater’s Young Artist Program.