Will Liverman

A singular and commanding presence in the opera world, baritone Will Liverman mixes a knack for classic repertory with a contemporary perspective and has costarred in some of the most maverick works staged by major opera companies at the turn of the 2020s. Born in 1988 in Virginia, Liverman was a minister’s son, and his background in gospel singing led to an interest in opera in his early teens. After attending Wheaton College and Juilliard, Liverman saw his star rise in the mid-2010s through performances with esteemed companies around the world. He found breakout success in 2018 after his debut at the Metropolitan Opera. Three years later, he became the talk of the New York arts world as the lead in the Met premiere of Fire Shut Up in My Bones (2019), Terence Blanchard’s harrowing jazz-influenced opera. In the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, the singer also showcased his creative abilities, cocomposing and starring in 2020's The Factotum, an opera inspired by Rossini's The Barber of Seville (1816) that incorporates rap, R&B, and other Black musical styles. Liverman also released the acclaimed album Dreams of a New Day: Songs by Black Composers (2021), featuring both older and commissioned works by undersung composers.