Joshua Zabatta-Stanton
Voice
Office: TC 430
Email: jstanto7@uwo.ca
Joshua Zabatta-Stanton, tenor, never imagined that singing while driving a tractor on a Montana farm where he grew up would eventually lead to a promising music career. Although initially studying for a career in broadcasting, Mr. Zabatta was lured into the world of opera when he was invited to participate in the Johanna Meier Opera Theatre Institute.
Since emerging onto the professional scene, Mr. Zabatta has been praised for being a dynamic storyteller, an engaging performer, and his full, warm voice described by audiences as "audible chocolate." He quickly received acclaim as a “terrific soloist” by Sarah Bryan Miller of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch after singing engagements with the Bach Society of St. Louis, with whom he was an apprentice for three seasons. In addition to his multiple appearances with the Bach Society and Union Avenue Opera, Mr. Zabatta served as a soloist in Alban Berg’s Wozzeck with the St. Louis Symphony under the baton of David Robertson.
After relocating to Colorado, some of this versatile tenor's concert performances in the region included Mass in G by Weber, Oratorio de Noël by Saint-Saëns, Dvořák's Mass in D, and Beethoven's Mass in C. In 2016, Mr. Zabatta-Stanton made his debut with Opera Colorado singing Harry in La Fanciulla del West (Puccini). Then, through engagements with Boulder Opera, he further expanded his repertoire, performing Don José in Carmen, Fernando in Goyescas, and Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana. Mr. Zabatta-Stanton was later seen performing the roles of Harlekin and Ein Soldat in Ullmann's Der Kaiser von Atlantis with the People's Theatre of Denver, Count Barigoule in Viardot’s Cendrillon with Loveland Opera, and the roles of Eduardo Jr. and Mr. Xoloti in Frida Kahlo and the Bravest Girl in the World as part of a television production for Opera Steamboat and in live performances with Central City Opera.
In recent years, Joshua made his debut with Bravo! Vail Festival and the Philadelphia Orchestra performing the role of Parpignol in La Boheme (Puccini). He also returned to Opera Colorado, performing the First Philistine in Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns) and Parpignol in La Boheme.
An avid music education advocate, Mr. Zabatta-Stanton has taught and mentored dozens of students in Denver and around the continent. Through piano tuning and repair work, he also helps ensure that families and teachers can access working and well-tuned pianos. He formerly served as a touring and teaching artist with Central City Opera and faculty for the Rushmore Music Festival as well as being Vice President of the Denver Area Music Teachers Association.
Joshua Zabatta-Stanton is excited to be in Canada pursuing his doctoral degree in Voice at Western University. He loved singing the role of Ferrando in Così fan tutte (Mozart) and later stage managing Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd as part of his TA work for the Opera at Western ensemble. Joshua’s research interests include: the development and updating of Mental-Health-Aware and Trauma-Informed approaches to Opera Stage Direction and Production; tracing the evolution of Declamation-Style in tenor voices from the Bach Passions through the works of Benjamin Britten; and Practical and Recovery-Based Nutrition for travelling opera singers. You can follow Joshua’s career through his website, Facebook and Instagram.
