Jesse Merlin,
Bass

2002 - 2006

After departing OSJ's resident company, JESSE MERLIN (2002 - 2006) performed the leading role in the world premiere of The Beastly Bombing at the Steve Allen Theater in Los Angeles which received rave reviews from the LA Times and The New Yorker. In December 2006, Mr. Merlin returned to the Bay Area to perform Marquis d'Obigny (La traviata) with Martinez Opera, and then in February 2007, he made his debut with Sacramento Opera in the role of Zuniga (Carmen).

While a member of OSJ's resident company, Mr. Merlin performed the roles of Francis Nurse (The Crucible), Colline and Benoit/Alcindoro (La bohème), Leporello (Don Giovanni), Dr. Bartolo (Le nozze di Figaro), the Sacristan (Tosca), Zuniga (Carmen), and Daland (Der fliegende Holländer). Other roles performed for Opera San Josè include the title role in Don Pasquale, Nourabad (Les Pêcheurs de perles), Frank (Die Fledermaus), Sarastro (Die Zauberflöte), Ferrando (Il trovatore), Mephistopheles (Faust), Alidoro (La Cenerentola), Yamadori (Madama Butterfly), Count des Grieux (Manon), Benoit (La bohème), and Count Ceprano (Rigoletto).

Roles performed with West Bay Opera include Benoit (La bohème), Wagner (Faust), and Marquis d'Obigny (La traviata).  In 2001, he created the role of Aileen’s Grandfather in the world premiere of WUORNOS at the Yerba Buena Center.

With Lamplighters Music Theatre, Merlin performed the title role in The Mikado and the Boatswain’s Mate (H.M.S. Pinafore), with Lyric Theatre of San Jose, Lord Mountararat (Iolanthe), and with the Stanford Savoyards, Lord Mountararat (Iolanthe), the Sergeant of Police (The Pirates of Penzance), and Arac (Princess Ida).

Mr. Merlin made his international debut in the world premiere of Benjamin Hamon's opera Le Terrain Vague in Paris at the Théâtre du Rond-Point and the Théâtre Lucernaire in June of 2005.

For more information, please visit Mr. Merlin's website: http://www.jessemerlin.com/