+++
date = "2017-11-13T17:47:00-05:00"
discipline = "Bass-baritone"
lastmod = "2017-11-13T17:47:00-05:00"
primary_image = "https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1546739198/media/2019/01/RichardOllarsaba.jpg"
publishDate = "2017-11-13T17:47:00-05:00"
related_companies = ["scene/companies/minnesota-opera.md", "scene/companies/lyric-opera-of-chicago.md"]
slug = "richard-ollarsaba"
title = "Richard Ollarsaba"
website = "https://www.richardollarsaba.com/"
[[social_media]]
platform = "Facebook"
template = "social-media"
url = "https://www.facebook.com/OllarsabaBassBaritone/"

+++
Praised	for	his	“expressive, resonant voice" (Sun-Times) and his "powerful,	beautiful	 and	 well	 controlled	 sound,"	 (Opera	 Lively) bass-baritone Richard Ollarsaba	[o-yar-SA-ba],	 is	 quickly gaining	ground	 in	 the	 operatic	and	 concert arenas.	 He	 recently	 finished	 his	 residency	 with the	 Patrick	 G.	 and	 Shirley	 W.	 Ryan	Opera	 Center	at	 the	 Lyric	Opera	 of	 Chicago,	where	he	recently	 stepped	 into	 the	 title	 role	 in	 their	 2014	 production	 of *Don	 Giovanni* as 	 well	 as	 the Major-Domo	 in	 *Capriccio*. Previous	 production	 at LOC	 include *Der	Rosenkavalier*, *Anna	 Bolena*,	 *Tosca*,	 *The	 Passenger*,	 *Otello*,	 *Madama	 Butterfly*, *Parsifal*, *La	traviata* and	the	world-premiere	of *Bel	Canto*. In	his	time	 in	Chicago,	Richard	performed	at the Grant	Park	Music	Festival	and	the	Ravinia	 Festival	 and	 with	 such	 ensembles	 as	 Apollo	 Chorus	 of	 Chicago,	 Elmhurst	 Symphony	Orchestra,	and	Civic	Orchestra	of	Chicago.

Engagements for last season included his return to Lyric Opera of Chicago for productions of *Lucia di Lammermoor*, *Les troyens*, and *Carmen*, covering the role of Timur in *Turandot* with Opera Philadelphia, and returning to Wolf Trap Opera as Luciano in *Bastianello*, Angelotti in *Tosca*, and Asdrubale in *La pietra del paragone*. The 2017-2018 season and beyond includes the title role in *Le nozze di Figaro* with Minnesota Opera, Pistola in *Falstaff* with both Opera Omaha and Intermountain Opera, Raimondo in *Lucia di Lammermoor* with Virginia Opera, Intermountain Opera, and his debut with The Dallas Opera.

Richard	was	a	resident	artist	with	Minnesota	Opera	in	2012-2013,	where	he	performed	the	roles	of	Rochefort	in	*Anna	 Bolena* and	Timur	in	*Turandot*.	While	in	Minnesota,	Richard performed	with	the	esteemed	St.	Paul	Chamber	Orchestra	 in	 performances	 of	 Handel’s	 *Messiah*	 under	 the	 baton	 of	 the	 SPCO	 former	 Principal	 Conductor	 and	 Music	 Director, Hugh	Wolff.	He	returned	to	Minnesota	Opera	to	perform	the	role	of	Escamillo	in	*Carmen*,	wrapping-up	their	2014-2015	 season.	The	previous	season,	Richard	debuted	with	Tulsa	Opera in	the	same	role	 for	their	production	of	*Carmen*.	“As Escamillo	the	bull	fighter,	Richard	Ollarsaba	makes	you	believe	he	could	halt	a	charging	bull	with	the	power of	his	voice	[...]	 the	 way	 he	 conveys	 the	 suspense	 of	 a	 corrida	 in	 “Votre	 Toast”	 (better	 known	 as	 the	 “Toreador”	 song)	 is	 most	 effective”	(Tulsa	World).

Richard	is	a	2016	Luminarts	Foundation	Competition	winner,	a	2015	winner	of	the	American	Opera	Society	of	Chicago	 Scholarship	 Competition,	the	 2014	winner	 of	 the	American	Opera	Society	 of	Chicago	Scholarship	Competition, and	a	2013	Metropolitan	Opera	National	Council	Auditions	grand finalist.	He	has	participated	as	a	fellow	at	the	Tanglewood	Music	 Center	(soloist	in	 Beethoven's	Choral	Fantasy,	 50th Anniversary	Gala	 PBS	 telecast)	and	Music	Academy	 of	 the West.	

Richard	earned	his	Bachelor	of	Music	degree	from	the	Cleveland Institute	of	Music	and	holds	a	post-graduate	certificate	and	Master	of	Music	degree	 from	 the	University	of	North Carolina	School	of	 the	Arts,	A.J.	Fletcher	Opera Institute	in	Winston-Salem,	North	Carolina.	In	North	Carolina,	Richard	debuted	with	Piedmont	Opera	in	the	role	of	Ferrando	in *Il	trovatore*	and	 subsequently	was	 seen	in	 productions	 of *Don	Giovanni*	as	Masetto	and	 Robert	Ward's	*The	 Crucible* as Reverend	Hale.	He	reprised	the	role	in	Il	trovatore	in	his	debut	with	North	Carolina	Opera.	Richard	was	1st	place winner in	the	Charles	A.	Lynam	Vocal	Competition,	earning	him	featured	solo	performances	with	the	Greensboro	Symphony	in	which	he	was	applauded	for	his	"wonderful	artistry	and	beautiful moving	voice"	(CVNC).