the Modus Opera Company

Christopher Devage
Count

With a powerful voice and a strong sense of drama, American baritone Christopher DeVage is making a name for himself in the world of opera. Critics have described his voice as “rich and firm,” “resilient and strong,” and “most satisfying.” A past district winner in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Mr. DeVage is currently an artist-in-residence in the highly competitive Artist Diploma program at The Juilliard School. He returns to Juilliard from a successful summer as a Gerdine Young Artist at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, where he performed, and covered the roles of Sir Robert Cecil in Britten’s Gloriana, and Sander in Gretry’s Beauty and the Beast. In July Mr. DeVage was in concert with The National Spiritual Ensemble at Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C. During the summers of 2003 & 2004, Mr. DeVage was an Apprentice Artist at the Santa Fe Opera where he covered the roles of Pietro in Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra, Pallante in Handel’s Agrippina, and Kuligin in Janacek’s Kát'a Kabanová and was awarded a Santa Fe Opera Foundation Grant for excellence. Mr. DeVage had the distinct honor to be chosen by the world-renowned mezzo soprano Marilyn Horne to perform/study at the famed Music Academy of the West where he sang L’Horloge Comtoise & Le Chat in Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortilèges during its 2002 summer festival season. The spring 2005 season saw Christopher DeVage’s Alice Tully Hall debut in Brahms’ Neue Liebeslieder Walzer and his Avery Fisher Hall debut as the baritone soloist in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy. This Christmas season included critically-acclaimed performances as soloist in Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the Concordia Festival Chorus and Orchestra and Handel’s Messiah with the Danbury Chamber Orchestra and Chorus. During the month of March Mr. DeVage was on tour with Juilliard Dance Ensemble performing Brahms’ Neue Liebeslieder Walzer in Los Angeles and Chicago. This coming April Christopher can be heard as soloist in Rossini’s Messe Solennelle with the St. George’s Choral Society, NYC. In July Mr. DeVage will be performing at the Ravinia Festival, Chicago, as young artist in the Steans Institute Vocal Chamber Music program.

More recently, Mr. DeVage earned a master of music degree from the University of Maryland College Park where he performed as part of the acclaimed Maryland Opera Studio under the direction of Leon Major. He attended on a graduate opera assistantship and was awarded the coveted Homer Ulrich Award for Excellence in Performance in 2002. As part of the MOS he performed the roles of Lindorf, Dapertutto, Miracle, and Schlémihl in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann and Elviro in Handel’s Serse. He was also selected to premiere the role of Ollie Jr. in a concert reading of Christopher Patton’s new opera A Family Reunion.

Mr. DeVage holds a bachelor of music degree from the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music where, upon graduation, he was honored with the 2002 Cecilia Award for Vocal Excellence. He was later honored with the Shenandoah University Alumni Association’s Young Career Award in 2003. He attended Shenandoah Conservatory on both academic and talent scholarships and was a Ruebush scholar in voice. While at the conservatory he appeared in numerous opera productions and scenes including the leading baritone role of Belcore in Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love. Other important roles include Peter in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, Don Giovanni in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Il Conte di Almaviva in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Ben in Menotti’s The Telephone, and Spinelloccio in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. Mr. DeVage also sang under the baton of Grammy Award-winning conductor, Robert Shafer, as a part of the Conservatory and Chamber Choirs. He participated in two bi-annual European tours, with the choirs, of the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, singing in such renowned venues as St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice, and St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome. He also participated in performances of Brahms’ A German Requiem, Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine, Duruflé’s Requiem, Poulenc’s Stabat Mater, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Faure’s Requiem and Berlioz’s Requiem with the Washington Chorus and National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ Concert Hall, also under the baton of Maestro Shafer. Other accolades include winning first place at the 2001 National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition.

	The Modus Opera Company Justin Bischof, Artistic Director & Conductor Mission Statement Marriage of Figaro Don Giovanni Artists Young Artist Recital Series Artistic Director Board of Directors Donate
	Christopher Devage Count With a powerful voice and a strong sense of drama, American baritone Christopher DeVage is making a name for himself in the world of opera. Critics have described his voice as “rich and firm,” “resilient and strong,” and “most satisfying.” A past district winner in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Mr. DeVage is currently an artist-in-residence in the highly competitive Artist Diploma program at The Juilliard School. He returns to Juilliard from a successful summer as a Gerdine Young Artist at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, where he performed, and covered the roles of Sir Robert Cecil in Britten’s Gloriana, and Sander in Gretry’s Beauty and the Beast. In July Mr. DeVage was in concert with The National Spiritual Ensemble at Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C. During the summers of 2003 & 2004, Mr. DeVage was an Apprentice Artist at the Santa Fe Opera where he covered the roles of Pietro in Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra, Pallante in Handel’s Agrippina, and Kuligin in Janacek’s Kát'a Kabanová and was awarded a Santa Fe Opera Foundation Grant for excellence. Mr. DeVage had the distinct honor to be chosen by the world-renowned mezzo soprano Marilyn Horne to perform/study at the famed Music Academy of the West where he sang L’Horloge Comtoise & Le Chat in Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortilèges during its 2002 summer festival season. The spring 2005 season saw Christopher DeVage’s Alice Tully Hall debut in Brahms’ Neue Liebeslieder Walzer and his Avery Fisher Hall debut as the baritone soloist in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy. This Christmas season included critically-acclaimed performances as soloist in Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the Concordia Festival Chorus and Orchestra and Handel’s Messiah with the Danbury Chamber Orchestra and Chorus. During the month of March Mr. DeVage was on tour with Juilliard Dance Ensemble performing Brahms’ Neue Liebeslieder Walzer in Los Angeles and Chicago. This coming April Christopher can be heard as soloist in Rossini’s Messe Solennelle with the St. George’s Choral Society, NYC. In July Mr. DeVage will be performing at the Ravinia Festival, Chicago, as young artist in the Steans Institute Vocal Chamber Music program. More recently, Mr. DeVage earned a master of music degree from the University of Maryland College Park where he performed as part of the acclaimed Maryland Opera Studio under the direction of Leon Major. He attended on a graduate opera assistantship and was awarded the coveted Homer Ulrich Award for Excellence in Performance in 2002. As part of the MOS he performed the roles of Lindorf, Dapertutto, Miracle, and Schlémihl in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann and Elviro in Handel’s Serse. He was also selected to premiere the role of Ollie Jr. in a concert reading of Christopher Patton’s new opera A Family Reunion. Mr. DeVage holds a bachelor of music degree from the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music where, upon graduation, he was honored with the 2002 Cecilia Award for Vocal Excellence. He was later honored with the Shenandoah University Alumni Association’s Young Career Award in 2003. He attended Shenandoah Conservatory on both academic and talent scholarships and was a Ruebush scholar in voice. While at the conservatory he appeared in numerous opera productions and scenes including the leading baritone role of Belcore in Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love. Other important roles include Peter in Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, Don Giovanni in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Il Conte di Almaviva in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Ben in Menotti’s The Telephone, and Spinelloccio in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. Mr. DeVage also sang under the baton of Grammy Award-winning conductor, Robert Shafer, as a part of the Conservatory and Chamber Choirs. He participated in two bi-annual European tours, with the choirs, of the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, singing in such renowned venues as St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice, and St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome. He also participated in performances of Brahms’ A German Requiem, Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine, Duruflé’s Requiem, Poulenc’s Stabat Mater, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Faure’s Requiem and Berlioz’s Requiem with the Washington Chorus and National Symphony Orchestra at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ Concert Hall, also under the baton of Maestro Shafer. Other accolades include winning first place at the 2001 National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition.