Matthew Li
Bass
“Maybe here is a bass who will one day sing those near impossible to cast Rossini roles?”
-operaramblings
press
LesArtsZé
“It is a magnificent bass voice…with the offering of the 16 lieder of dichterliebe…revealed to us this valiant young man of 27 who did not disappoint us in the least, quite the contrary, skillfully accompanied by the agile pianist, christopher gaudreault.”
“Italian, German, or russian diction pose no problems, the firm voice is exceptionally beautiful and solid…”
Opera Canada
“His Sarastro is beautifully sung, with resonant, well-projected low notes and a simple command of the stage.”
operaramblings
“Li’s Sarastro provided real gravitas along with some properly sepulchral low notes.”
Vancouver Sun
“Intriguingly, the piece’s real heavy lifting is done by bass Matthew Li in the role of Xon Pon. Here is a young singer going places, and one hopes his singular success here unlocks doors for him.”
Revue L’Opéra
“Matthew Li (Seneca) perfectly incarnates righteous and eloquent stoicism.”
Ludwig Van Toronto
“…the two standout performers included li’s resonant bass voice singing the opening of ‘tuba mirum’.”
Upcoming performances
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Hamlet
Role: Polonius
Opéra de Montréal
November 16, 19, 21, 24, 2024
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Messiah
Bass Soloist
Brott Music Festival
December 18, 2024
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Die Schöpfung
Bass Soloist
Choeur Classique de Montréal
January 31, 2025
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Macina Voice Competition 2025
Finalist
Toronto City Opera
February 22, 2025
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Die Zauberflöte
Role: Sarastro
The Royal Conservatory of Music
March 19, 21, 2025
About
Possessing a “vibrant stage presence and a rich, commanding voice” (La Scena Musicale), bass Matthew Li is a proud graduate of the Atelier lyrique de Opéra de Montréal. His operatic roles include Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Dulcamara in Elisir d’amore, Seneca in L’incoronazione di Poppea, Polyphemus in Acis and Galatea, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Masetto and Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni, and Colline in La Bohème. Concert highlights include the bass solos in Handel’s Messiah, Dvořák’s Stabat Mater, and Mozart’s Requiem.
An ardent collaborator with contemporaries, Li created the leading bass-baritone role of Xon Pon in Alice Ping Yee Ho and Madeleine Thien’s opera Chinatown (2022) with City Opera Vancouver in its world premiere, to critical acclaim.
