Kory Bickel, baritone, is a Master of Music degree recipient from Indiana University, where he studied with renowned soprano and Distinguished Chancellor’s Professor of Music, Costanza Cuccaro. Most recently, Mr. Bickel appeared as The Duke in Roméo et Juliette with The Minnesota Opera. Recently, Mr. Bickel appeared as Ragged Man in Ricky Ian Gordon’s new American opera, The Grapes of Wrath with Utah Opera, Hermann and Schlemiel in Minnesota Opera’s production of Les Contes d’Hoffmann and Don Giovanni in Theatre de la Jeune Lune’s hybrid opera, Don Juan Giovanni.

While at IU, he performed the roles of Masetto in Don Giovanni, Dr. Malatesta in Don Pasquale, Prosdocimo, the poet, in Il Turco in Italia, Dandini in Rossini’s La Cenerentola and Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette.  During the 2006 season, Mr. Bickel was a studio artist with the Utah Symphony and Opera, where he performed the Second Priest in Die Zauberflöte and Dr. Malatesta in Don Pasquale and Fiorello in Il barbiere di Siviglia, while covering the role of Figaro. 

In February of 2005, Mr. Bickel was named a 3rd place winner of the Midwest Region of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, after being named a winner of the Kansas District.  In the summer of 2005, Mr. Bickel was a Gerdine Young Artist at the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, where he performed the roles of Paris in Roméo et Juliette and the City Crier in Gloriana.  While at Saint Louis, he also covered the roles of Mercutio and Grégorio in Romeo et Juliette.  Previously, Mr. Bickel was an Apprentice Artist at the Des Moines Metro Opera.  He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he studied with Professor Jo Ella Todd. 

While at the University of Missouri, he was named the national winner of the 2002 Music Teacher’s National Association Collegiate Voice Competition, a title that lead to his New York solo debut at Weill Recital Hall in March of 2003.  Performance credits at the University of Missouri include Guglielmo in Così fan tutte and Falke in Die Fledermaus with the Columbia Civic Orchestra.  In addition, Mr. Bickel performed the role of John Potts in the world premiere of Michael Ching’s opera, Corps of Discovery.  Concert credits include Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Charpentier’s Te Deum, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Stravinsky’s Les Noces, Schubert’s Mass in G, Fauré’s Requiem, and Handel’s Messiah.