Harold Meers

Since his professional debut with the Opera Theater of St. Louis, Harold Meers has established himself as one of the outstanding American tenors of his generation. He has garnered both critical and popular praise for his work at the most important venues in North America including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, San Diego Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Minnesota Opera, Madison Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Opera Omaha, Des Moines Metro Opera, New Orleans Opera and Baltimore Opera, among others.

Mr. Meers joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera during the 2014/15 season for the company’s new production of Verdi’s Otello. Mr. Meers returned to repeat his assignment and was further engaged as Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Bohème. Internationally, Mr. Meers has performed Riccardo in Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera at the Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden (Germany), Boris in Katya Kabanova with Opera North (United Kingdom), Cassio in Otello with the Filharmonica de Jalisco in Mexico at the historic Teatro Degollado (Mexico), the title role of Hoffmann in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Boris in Katya Kabanova and Rodolfo in La Bohème with Theater Freiburg (Germany).  This season he travels to the Czech Republic at the National Theater in Brno Czechia as Manolios in Martinu’s Greek Passion.

Additional career highlights for the tenor include Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Kentucky Opera, Des Grieux in Massenet’s Manon and Don Josè in Carmen for Opera Santa Barbara, the title role of Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann for Los Angeles Opera under the baton of Placido Domingo, a role he debuted with Madison Opera under the baton of John DeMain. He further appeared as Nadir in Les Pecheurs des perles and Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Nashville Opera, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Opera Columbus, and acclaimed performances of Macduff in Verdi’s Macbeth and Rodolfo in La Bohème with Minnesota Opera, and the dual roles of Luigi and Rinuccio in Puccini’s Il Trittico with the Utah Festival Opera. On the concert stage, he has appeared with leading symphonies across North America including performances of Beethoven’s Symphony No.9, Handel’s Messiah and Verdi’s Requiem with Charleston  Symphony Orchestra.

As Producing Director, Meers has prepared concert events for the past decade with Opera Illinois League in Peoria, Illinois. These events provide scholarship funding for deserving young vocal talents in Central Illinois. With partner Scott Flaherty, he produced Broadway Legends starring Emmy® Award Winner Ron Raines and Tony® Award winner Don Pippin at the Peoria Civic Auditorium. His passion for producing opera and theater was nurtured at University of Illinois, where he served as scenic shop assistant at The Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and as assistant to the Auditorium Manager at Braden Auditorium, Illinois State University. During his tenure, he served the production staff for the main performing arts series, National touring productions of Broadway musical productions and the New York City Opera National Company annual tour.

A respected vocal teacher, Mr. Meers was faculty at Illinois Wesleyan University. He holds a BM from Judson College, an MM from Illinois State University and an Artist Diploma from The Boston University Opera Institute. He currently maintains private vocal studios in Charleston and Chicago. His wife Saundra DeAthos-Meers is Director of Opera at College of Charleston.