Michael Kutner

Artist Teacher

Email: kutner@hartford.edu

Michael Kutner was raised in Philadelphia and is a graduate of the School of Music at Indiana University where he studied with the noted German baritone Gerhard Hüsch. He holds a Masters of Music degree in performance and vocal pedagogy from the University of North Texas and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in vocal performance from The Hartt School, University of Hartford.

Dr. Kutner has performed with Opera companies in the United States in such roles as Malatesta in Don Pasquale (Hawaii Opera Theatre), Fiorello in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Marullo in Rigoletto, Baron Duphol in La Traviata (The Dallas Opera), the Marquis in Massenet's Griselidis (Bel Canto Opera-NYC), Taddeo in L'Italiana in Algeri (Syracuse Opera), Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro (Opera at Florham-NJ) and Guglielmo in Così fan Tutte (Liederkrantz Opera, New York City). In Europe, he has toured Germany, France, and Austria as Renato in Un Ballo in Maschera with the Compagnia D'Opera di Milano and was the first American to perform the role of Petur Ban in Erkel's Bank Ban at the Hungarian National Opera.

Dr. Kutner's Operetta and Musical Theatre roles include Danilo in The Merry Widow (Connecticut Opera), Cleon in Der Bekhrte Trunkenbold (Podium Europa - Austria), Tarnitz in The Student Prince and Pooh Bah in The Mikado (New England Lyric Operetta), Laurent in the off-Broadway premiere of The Ballad of Therese (Theatre Row Theatre - NYC), Tommy in Brigadoon (Lyric Stage - Irving, Texas) and Lun Tha in The King and I (Bucks County Playhouse). He appeared onscreen as a singing soldier in the Alan Parker film of Evita and as Mr. Chadwell in Murder They Said which won first prize at the Locarno Film Festival. On stage he has also been seen as Smitty in Fortune and Men's Eyes (Three Muses Theatre - NYC), Robert Hand in James Joyce's Exiles (Bloomsday Theatre - NYC) and Joey in The Indian Wants the Bronx (13th Street Repertory - NYC).

In addition to Opera and Musical / Theatre, Dr. Kutner is a frequent recitalist. He has performed Fauré's "La bonne chanson" and Schumann's "Dichterliebe" with Dalton Baldwin at the Festival du Perigord Noir in France, choreographed and performed Mahler's "Wayfarer Songs" at the Regi Zeneakademia, and created "Reminiscence", a performance piece incorporating drama and chamber music for the Obuda Cultural Center in Budapest. In 1999, he was invited to participate in two commemorative concerts and recordings of the chamber music of the Austrian/American composer Karl Weigl (1881-1949) one of the banned composers of Nazi Era Germany. His orchestral concerts have included Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem and Carl Orff's Carmina Burana at the Liszt Academy in Budapest, the Bach Magnificat, Haydn's Creation, and Purcell's Ode for St. Cecilia's Day with the Putnam Chorale and Orchestra, as well as Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

Since 1999, Dr. Kutner has been actively involved in teaching and research into contemporary vocal pedagogy and science. His formal studies have included work with voice scientist, teacher, and Journal of Singing columnist, Dr. Stephen Austin at the University of North Texas and the renowned author and singing master, Cornelius Reid in New York City. In addition to his university teaching, Dr. Kutner maintains a private voice studio in New Canaan, Connecticut where he lives with his wife Cynthia, and their two children.