A native of Honolulu, Hawaii, Kelsey has risen to prominence for his interpretations of opera’s most demanding roles, and has been called “the premier Verdi baritone of his generation” (Bachtrack).
In the 2024/25 season, Kelsey returns to The Metropolitan Opera in three roles: the title role in Verdi’s Rigoletto, the villainous Scarpia in Puccini’s Tosca, and Amonasro in Michael Mayer’s new production of Verdi’s Aida. Both Tosca and Aida will be performed as part of The Met: Live in HD series. He was seen as Filippo Visconti in Bellini’s Beatrice di Tenda at Opéra National de Paris, and he joins Opernhaus Zürich as Rigoletto, a role he will also sing for LA Opera. Later this year, he travels to Japan for Germont in Verdi’s La traviata with the Seiji Ozawa Music Academy. Future projects include returns to The Metropolitan Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opéra National de Paris, Royal Opera and Ballet, Canadian Opera Company, and a debut with the Royal Danish Opera.
Central to Kelsey’s artistic identity is his portrayal of the title role in Rigoletto, igniting praise from critics and audiences alike. “Kelsey gives Rigoletto immense presence even before he opens his mouth,” said Justin Davidson of Vulture. “When he does, out comes a richly human creature, sincere in his love, fiery in his resentment, implacable in his rage … Kelsey’s musical sophistication — the way he booms without bellowing, gives buoyancy to a legato phrase, finds his way into the conductor’s plastic beat — is what separates a tragic figure from a pathetic one.” He has performed this signature role on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including The Metropolitan Opera, in a performance that appeared as part of The Met: Live in HD series, Opéra National de Paris, Opernhaus Zürich, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and many others. Kelsey’s lauded interpretation is preserved on the 2022 Apple Music-exclusive live recording of Rigoletto.
Kelsey’s mastery of Verdi’s baritone roles extends far beyond Rigoletto; he has contributed his artistry to the title roles in Macbeth, Simon Boccanegra, and Falstaff, as well as Renato in Un ballo in maschera, Il Conte di Luna in Il Trovatore, Amonasro in Aida, Germont in La traviata, Don Carlo in Ernani, and Guido di Monforte in Verdi’s I vespri Siciliani. While Verdi forms the cornerstone of Kelsey’s artistry, his versatility as a performer is evident in his ability to shine in other repertoire. He has achieved great success in a number of career-defining roles, including his richly-sung Marcello in Puccini’s La bohème and darkly compelling interpretation of Scarpia in Tosca, praised by Bachtrack as “the ‘Italian’ baritone we’ve been looking for, with a big, resonant sound and a wonderful, dramatic snarl that never stretches or distorts the vocal line.”
Kelsey’s artistry has earned him numerous accolades, including The Metropolitan Opera’s Beverly Sills Artist Award in 2015 and the prestigious Opera News Award in 2022. He was a finalist of the Operalia Competition in 2004, and represented the United States in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition in 2005.
