Ben Wager is a fourth year Resident Artist at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia where he has recently sung the title role in Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte and Padre Guardiano in La forza del destino. In February 2008, Mr. Wager sang Monterone in Rigoletto with Opera New Jersey, followed by Masetto in Don Giovanni at Chicago Opera Theatre, under the baton of Jane Glover, in April 2008.

Mr. Wager spent the summer of 2008 as a member of the prestigious Merola Opera Program at San Francisco Opera, where he sang the role of Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni. During the 2008-2009 season, he will sing Enrico in Anna Bolena, Il Vescovo in La fiamma, and Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor with the Academy of Vocal Arts, and will join Minnesota Opera to sing the bass roles in the North American premiere of Jonathan Dove's Adventures of Pinocchio.

Future engagements include Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the Mozarteum of Salzburg under Ivor Bolton, and company debuts with Opera Company of Philadelphia (Collatinus in The Rape of Lucretia), Baltimore Opera (Der Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte) and Dallas Opera (Masetto in Don Giovanni).

In 2007, Mr. Wager bowed as Der Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte with Opera New Jersey and Kaspar in Der Freischütz with AVA Opera Theatre. The 2006 season found Mr. Wager performing at AVA Opera Theatre as Gremin and Zaretsky in Eugene Onegin, Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Sparafucile and Monterone in Rigoletto. Mr. Wager enjoys a strong relationship with Opera Delaware, where he has sung Monterone in Rigoletto, Spinelloccio and Il Notaro in Gianni Schicchi, Un Mandarino in Turandot and Second Armored Man in Die Zauberflöte.

In concert, Mr. Wager has performed Handel’s Messiah with Tindley Temple UMC, as well as Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Mozart’s Mass in C Minor at the Academy of Vocal Arts.

Ben Wager studies with world-renowned voice teacher Bill Schuman.