Grammy Award Winner Mark S. Doss returns to Milan's La Scala Opera House to star in Janacek's "Makropulos Case"

Grammy Award Winner Mark S. Doss returns to Milan's La Scala Opera House to star in Janacek's "Makropulos Case"

MILAN, Italy Jan. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- International opera star and Grammy Award winner Mark S. Doss is returning to Milan's legendary Teatro alla Scala (La Scala) to star in The Makropulos Case, the three-act opera by Czech master Leos Janacek, running from January 16 to February 3, 2009.

Mr. Doss will take on the role of Baron Jaroslav Prus in the La Scala production of the opera, which premiered in December 1926. The Makropulos Case was written in the composer's later career, two years before his death, and tells the fantastical story of a search for a secret alchemical formula that can extend a person's life by 300 years.

This will be Mr. Doss's seventh principal role at La Scala since 2004, where he most recently played Charrington in Lorin Maazel's "1984" and Jochanaan (John the Baptist) in Richard Strauss' Salome, among others.

Before Mr. Doss traveled to Milan, the Metropolitan Opera in New York was fortunate to have him covering his acclaimed role of Jochanaan, as recent reviews have applauded his work in this role. Following performances at Florentine Opera, the Journal Sentinal said, "Mark S. Doss' potent and steadfast bass-baritone sound and imposing physical presence made him a worthy foil for (Erika) Sunnegardh." Equally complimentary was a review of his performance as Jochanaan at La Scala, which described soprano Nancy Gustafson and Mark S. Doss as very effective in portraying the abysmal distance of the world of whim from that of faith. In the same review, Mr. Doss was also lauded as a rock-like and monolithic baritone with an imposing vocal presence. Additionally, of his work in this role at Opera Regio Torino, a review highlighted his visual appeal in the Robert Carsen production, stating, "the idea to use a strong room as a cistern for the good looking Jochanaan by Mark Doss was a great one." Mr. Doss will make his Teatro Real debut in Madrid to reprise this role and production in March 2010.

Also this season, Mr. Doss sang a concert of Aaron Copland's Old American Songs (Sets 1 & 2) with Florida's Ocala Symphony Orchestra and performed as Don Pedro in Donizetti's Maria Padilla with Washington Concert Opera. He also triumphantly performed, with just two days notice and having only sung the role once and 10 years before, the High Priest of Dagon in Samson et Dalila with the Pittsburgh Opera.

These roles follow a busy 2007-2008 for Mr. Doss, during which he played Escamillo in Portland Opera's Carmen, Mephistopheles in a revival of Faust with Oper Frankfurt and Jochanaan in Salome with Florentine Opera while simultaneously performing the same role with Teatro Regio Torino. In addition, Mr. Doss made his debut with the Pittsburgh Opera as Amonasro in Aida, followed by Charrington at La Scala, and immediately going on to sing Diomede in Walton's Troilus and Cressida with The Opera Theatre of St. Louis.

Following his performance in The Makropulos Case, Mr. Doss will star as Mephistopheles in Faust at Opera Tampa in Tampa, Florida.

ABOUT MARK S. DOSS:

Mark S. Doss is a celebrated bass-baritone whose accomplishments include a Grammy Award (1993) for his work on the recording of Semele (Handel). The Cleveland-born star began his musical studies to aid in his ambitions to become a Catholic priest, but was seduced by the opera world and has since emerged as one of the world's leading singers.

   FURTHER INFORMATION AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS:    Christine Payne or Amy Aravantinos         Mark S. Doss   Publicity office for Mark S. Doss          + 1 (847) 826-4530   + 1 (416) 489-0092                         MSDoss57@aol.com   media@msdoss.com  

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CONTACT: AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS: Christine Payne or Amy Aravantinos,
Publicity office for Mark S. Doss, (416) 489-0092, media@msdoss.com; Mark S.
Doss, (847) 826-4530, MSDoss57@aol.com

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Profile: International Entertainment