As one of opera’s foremost emerging artists, David Cushing is earning sensational acclaim in his young career. His versatile bass-baritone range is effortlessly demonstrated in a variety of roles including the title role in Don Pasquale, Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro, Frère Laurence in Roméo et Juliette and Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Of a recent buffo performance, the Boston Herald exclaimed, “his portrayal of hoodwinked old Pasquale, filled with pathos and unself-conscious humor, was a revelation. He could easily specialize in Italian opera’s wealth of foolish-old-man roles and become the basso buffo of his generation.”

Over the past few seasons, Mr. Cushing’s noted engagements include Nourabad in Les Pêcheurs des Perles, Bonze in Madama Butterfly, title role cover in Don Pasquale, Count Horn/Tom in Un Ballo in Maschera and Dr. Grenvil in La Traviata all with Opera Colorado; Truffaldino in Ariadne auf Naxos, Osmin in Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Count Horn/Tom in Un Ballo in Maschera with Boston Lyric Opera; Masetto in Don Giovanni with Florentine Opera of Milwaukee and Nashville Opera; Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte with Florentine Opera of Milwaukee; the Bonze in Madama Butterfly with Opera Theatre of St. Louis; Colline in La Bohème with Opera Columbus and Opera East Texas; Mephistopheles in Faust with Baltimore Concert Opera; and the leading role of Maometto in Rossini’s rarely performed opera L’Assedio di Corintoalongside renowned soprano Elizabeth Futral with the former Baltimore Opera.

Mr. Cushing first debuted with Boston Lyric Opera in the role of Count Monterone in Rigoletto, and has returned in performances as Angelotti in Tosca, Palèmon in Thaïs, Truffaldino in Ariadne auf Naxos, Osmin in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Count Horn/Tom in Un Ballo in Maschera and Raymond in Lucia di Lammermoor. Other recent performances include his Michigan Opera Theatre debut as Fifth Jew and Capadoccian in Salome,the title role in Don Pasquale and Frère Laurence in Roméo et Juliette with Boston University’s Opera Institute, Alidoro in La Cenerentola with Lake George Opera, the title role in Don Pasquale with Newton Symphony, and Masetto in Don Giovanni with Opera North.

In his recent Symphony Hall debut as soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the Boston Herald described his performance as “dynamite, with spine-tingling resonance.” Additionally, he has performed as the soloist in Händel’s Messiah, Dvovák’s Stabat Mater, the Brahms Requiem, Fauré Requiem, Mozart Requiem, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Beethoven’s Mass in C, Bruckner’s Te Deum and Schubert’s Mass in G.

Next, Mr. Cushing returns to the Boston Lyric Opera as Lesbo in Agrippina, makes his role debut as Leporello in Don Giovanni at the Syracuse Opera and the Commonwealth Opera, and reprises the role of Masetto in Don Giovanni with Opera New Jersey during the summer 2010.