Tenor
Tayte Mitchell was born and raised in small town Vulcan, Alberta, Canada. Most recently, Tayte sang with The Brott Opera Festival as Alfredo in La Traviata by Verdi conducted by Alain Trudel and directed by Anna Theodosakis. Tayte has successfully completed his residency as a McPhee Artist with Calgary Opera. Highlighted operatic engagements while in residence with Calgary Opera include Bénédict in Béatrice et Bénédict by Berlioz, the cover for Macduff in Macbeth by Verdi, El Remendado in Carmen by Bizet, Gastone in La Traviata by Verdi, and cover for Camille de Rosillon in The Merry Widow by Lehár. Other role experience highlights include Sam in Suzannah by Floyd, Le Prince Charmant in Cendrillon by Massenet, and the title role in Britten’s Albert Herring. Tayte has been both a Vocal Fellow at Marilyn Horne’s Music Academy of the West and a Studio Artist with Wolf Trap Opera. Tayte’s Masters degree in Voice at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music under William E. McGraw was greatly aided by the Arts Graduate Scholarship he won from the Government of Alberta both in 2019 and 2020.
Stage Director
Tayte’s directing debut was awarded first place by the National Opera Association Opera Production Competition for his production of Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine featuring soprano Juliana Zara with Oberlin Chamber Opera. Currently, Tayte is the resident stage director with Vancouver Opera as part of the Yulanda M. Faris progam.
Among his directorial highlights is Suor Angelica with Rezonanz Opera Company, a new indie opera company/training program in Mentor, Ohio, and Menotti’s The Medium with Oberlin Opera Theater. Tayte also produced and created a fully staged production of Schubert’s song cycle Die Schöne Müllerin re-titled The Miller’s Mind with bass-baritone Dominic Veilleux and classical guitarist Darren Young at cSpace Marda Loop, Calgary. In addition to covering the role of Macduff with Calgary Opera, Tayte was also the Assistant Director under Rachel Peake for their 50th Anniversary finale production of Verdi’s Macbeth.
As Artistic Director of Ammolite Opera, a Calgary-based chamber opera company dedicated to works by living composers, Tayte has led the successful Canadian premieres of Empty the House by Rene Orth and Proving Up by Missy Mazzoli. Tayte earned his Bachelors Degree in Music at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, dual majoring in Voice Performance under Lorraine Manz and Opera Directing under Jonathon Field.
Director Portfolio
Die Fledermaus, Assistant Director, Dir. Ashlie Corcoran, Vancouver Opera, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 2024
Proving Up, Ammolite Opera, Queen Elizabeth Theater, 2024
Macbeth / Verdi, Calgary Opera, Southern Alberta Jubilee, 2023
Empty the House, Ammolite Opera, cSpace Marda Loop, 2023
The Miller’s Mind (Die Schöne Müllerin by Schubert), cSpace Marda Loop, 2022
The Medium by Menotti, Oberlin Opera Theater, 2018
Suor Angelica by Puccini, Resonanz Opera, 2018
The Medium by Menotti, Rezonanz Opera, 2018
La Voix Humaine by Poulenc, Oberlin Chamber Opera, 2016
