ABOUT DAVID
David Howes noted for his “expressively compelling performance” (Opera Wire), described as “brilliantly droll” (Opera Now), and praised for a “flowing, articulate bass” (die Deutsche Bühne) and “richly nuanced and highly flexible vocal range” (Der Opernfreunde) is a Bass-Baritone from Limerick, Ireland and is currently a member of the Ensemble at Theater Magdeburg.
For the 2026/27 season David will reprise Don Bartolo / il Barbiere di Siviglia and make role debuts as: Don Alfonso / Cosi fan tutte, Colline / la bohème, Malyuta Skuratov / The Tsar’s Bride (Tsarskaya nevesta), and Mandarin / Turandot with Theater Magdeburg. David also returns to Irish National Opera for their second tour of The Bartered Bride where he will once again sing Kruşina.
In the 2025/26 season David performed the roles of: Reinmar von Zweter / Tannhäuser (directed by Adele Thomas), Dottore Grenvil / la traviata, Don Bartolo / il Barbiere di Siviglia, and Lazar Wolf / Anatevka (Fiddler on the Roof) with Theater Magdeburg. He made his Staatsoper Hannover Debut as Polizei Kommissar in der Rosenkavalier and his role debut as Krušina / The Bartered Bride (Smetna) with Irish National Opera. He also performed Soldier in the Irish Premier of Gerald Barry's Salome at the New Music Dublin Festival 2026, where he debuted with the National Symphony Orchestra Ireland.
Other opera performances with Theater Magdeburg include: Soldier in the World Premier of Gerald Barry's Salome (Directed by Julian Chavaz), and Sarastro / die Zauberflöte (Version for Children). With Irish National Opera: Count Ceprano / Rigoletto, Polizei Kommissar / der Rosenkavalier, and Don Fernando / Fidelio. With Oper Köln: William Parkinson in the World Premier of Frank Pesci’s The Strangers, Sciarrone / Tosca, Fiorello / Il barbiere di Siviglia, Premier Soldat Troyen & Un grand Prêtre de Pluton / les Troyens, Roland Angeler in the German Premier of Der Gesang Der Zauberinsel (Marius Felix Lange), Esel / die Bremer Stadtmusikanten (Attila Kadri Şendil), der Kerkermeister / die Kluge (Carl Orff), Deninskin / Der Meister und Margarita (York Höller), and Gottfried Klepperbein / Pünktchen und Anton (Ivan Eröd). With Theater Aachen: Envy & Ismeron / The Indian Queen (Purcell), and Abbot & Ferryman / Curlew River (Britten). Other opera roles include: Betta di Signa / Gianni Schicchi (Wernigerode Schlossfestspiele), Badger & Parson / The Cunning Little Vixen (Longborough Festival Opera Emerging Artist Programme), Count Ceprano / Rigoletto (Opera Theater Company), Title Role in Brundibar (Hans Krasa) (Killaloe Chamber Music Festival), Marchese d’Obigny / la traviata (Lyric Opera, Dublin), Figaro / le nozze di Figaro (Zerere Arts Festival, Portugal), Sciarrone / Tosca (Wexford Festival Opera), The Colour Green by Robert Coleman (INO’s 20 Shots of Opera), Father Truelove / The Rake’s Progress, and Quince / A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Oratorio performances include: Craig Hella Johnson’s Considering Matthew Shephard (Westdeutscher Rundfunkhausorchester, Köln), Verdi's Requiem and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony (Co-Orch, Dublin), Requiems by Mozart, Faure, and Brahms, Haydn’s The Creation and Handel's Messiah (Dun Laoghaire Choral Society, and Limerick Choral Union, Ireland).
David first studied singing with Oliver Cowpar in Limerick, and continued his studies at the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama where he graduated with First Class Honours. He was previously a member of the Opera Ensemble of Oper Köln for the 2023/2024 season and is a graduate of The International Opera Studio at Oper Köln, Irish National Opera's Opera Studio, and the inaugural Wexford Factory at Wexford Festival Opera.
