Stephen Costello is the recipient of the 2009 Richard Tucker Award. His debut on Opening Night of the Metropolitan Opera’s 2007-2008 season announced the arrival of a major new tenor. Mr. Costello’s performance as Arturo in the new production of Lucia di Lammermoor under the direction of James Levine led to an invitation to sing the role of Edgardo in the same season.

Mr. Costello made his debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, opening the 2009-2010 season, in concert performances of Carlo in Linda di Chamounix, followed by performances of Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi. Also this season, the tenor debuts at Lyric Opera of Chicago as Camille in The Merry Widow and at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow as Roméo in Roméo et Juliette, the role of his subsequent San Diego Opera debut. Stephen Costello originates the role of Greenhorn in the world premiere of Jake Heggie's Moby Dick at the Dallas Opera in the Spring of 2010, and sings Rodolfo in La bohème at Deutsche Oper Berlin and Cincinnati Opera before returning to the Salzburg Festival for Roméo in Roméo et Juliette.

Future seasons will find his return to the Metropolitan Opera for the opening production of the 2011-2012 season, and debuts with San Francisco Opera, the Glyndebourne Festival, and the Wiener Staatsoper. He will appear in concert in Washington, DC with soprano Ailyn Pérez and will make an American Debut Recital on the Harriman-Jewell Series in March 2011.

His recent engagements include: Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi at the Spoletto Festival in Italy under James Conlon and with Opera Company of Philadelphia, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Montreal Opera, the title role in Roberto Devereux with Dallas Opera, the Duke in Rigoletto with Teatro delle Muse in Ancona, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore with Michigan Opera Theater, Alfredo in La traviata with Florida Grand Opera, the Duke in Rigoletto with Deutsche Oper Berlin, Cassio in Otello at the Salzburg Festival under Riccardo Muti, his return to London for a recital, alongside soprano Ailyn Pérez, with the Rosenblatt Series, and Christian in David DiChiera’s new opera Cyrano with Opera Company of Philadelphia.

While still in school, Mr. Costello made his professional stage debut as Rodolfo in La bohème with Fort Worth Opera in March 2006, and his European debut with Opéra National de Bordeaux as Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore in September 2006. He also made noted debuts with Dallas Opera as Leicester in Maria Stuarda and with Opera Orchestra of New York as the Fisherman in Guillaume Tell in his Carnegie Hall debut in this same period. He sang his first recital in London on the Rosenblatt Recital Series in January 2006.

Stephen Costello is a 2007 graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. At AVA, he performed the Duke in Rigoletto, Rodolfo in La bohème, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, Ferrando in Così fan tutte, Fritz in L’amico Fritz, Roberto in Le villi, and Des Grieux in Massenet’s Manon.

Mr. Costello was awarded a 2007 Career Grant from the Richard Tucker Music Foundation, as well as a 2006 Sara Tucker Study Grant. He won First Prize in the 2006 George London Foundation For Singers Competition as well as First Prize and Audience Prize in the Giargiari Competition and First Prize in the Licia Albanese Puccini Foundation Competition. He studies with internationally acclaimed voice teacher Bill Schuman.