Biography

Hailed as “the real thing, a classic Verdi baritone with resonance, flexibility, and vigor,” baritone Kenneth Stavert is a fixture on operatic and concert stages throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia. With his strong “sense of theatricality,” he brings a signature boldness to each role he inhabits.

Kenneth’s 2026-27 season commenced with a return to Europe for Belcore (L’elisir d’amore) with Musica Le Mans, followed by a debut with Wichita Grand Opera for Scarpia (Tosca) and returns to Pacific Opera Project for Franceschetti in Donizetti’s Il Fortunato Inganno and Southern Illinois Music Festival for Enrico (Lucia di Lammermoor). His 2025-26 season featured debuts with the Opera Festival of Chicago as Marcello (La Boheme), Indianapolis Opera as Riff (West Side Story), Opera in Williamsburg as Figaro (Le Nozze di Figaro), Amarillo Opera as Silvio (Pagliacci) and Winter Opera St. Louis as Mercutio (Romeo et Juliette).

Kenneth’s recent performances include Silvio with Union Avenue Opera, Pacific Opera Project and Vero Beach Opera, Sam (Trouble in Tahiti) with Opera Company of Middlebury, Sonora (La Fanciulla del West) with Washington Opera Society, Belcore, Enrico (Anna Bolena), Conte di Luna (Il Trovatore), Jochanaan (Salome) and his role debut as Don Carlo (Ernani) with Southern Illinois Music Festival, the title role in Verdi’s Macbeth with Heartbeat Opera, and Sharpless in Pacific Opera Project’s revival production of the Japanese/English translation of Madama Butterfly at the famous Aratani Theater in Los Angeles.

Other highlights include Marcello with Dayton Opera, Newport Classical Music Festival, Gulfshore Opera and Pacific Opera Project, Scarpia and Renato (Un ballo in maschera) with Opera in the Heights, Yamadori (Madama Butterfly) with Santa Fe Opera, Prince Afron (Le coq d’or) with Sarasota Opera, Harlekin (Ariadne auf Naxos) with Palm Beach Opera, the title role in Sweeney Todd with Holy City Arts & Lyric Opera, Ponchel (Silent Night) with Opera San José, Escamillo (Carmen) with Glow Lyric Theatre and Masetto (Don Giovanni) and Marco (Gianni Schicchi) with Opera Montana.