Biography

American tenor James Flora, hailed for his “resonant, impeccably-trained voice and fearlessness to his singing", has received acclaim in repertoire ranging from Verdi and Wagner to works by Carlisle Floyd and Daron Hagen where he sang Louis Sullivan from  Hagen’s Shining Brow at Frank Lloyd Wright’s 20th century masterpiece: Fallingwater.  James has sung with the Metropolitan Opera Chorus under Maestro Donald Palumbo in their most recent productions of Die Meistersinger von Nürenberg and Fidelio. He made his Pittsburgh Opera debut as Fenton in Falstaff, and has since returned for seven productions, including Carmen, Turandot, Lucia di Lammermoor, and most recently as 2nd Jew alongside the Salome of Patricia Racette.  James has performed leading roles in opera companies across the United States, including Alfredo (La Traviata), Tamino (The Magic Flute), Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), Rodolfo (La Bohème), Don José (Carmen), appearing with companies including Washington Concert Opera, Arizona Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Opera Company Middlebury, Opera Columbus and others. Equally at home on the symphonic stage, he has sung with the Pittsburgh Symphony, Reno Philharmonic, Erie Chamber Orchestra, and Buffalo Philharmonic, and recently debuted with the La Voz Humana: Lenguajes Múltiples festival in Cuba with Maestro Leo Brouwer and guitar virtuoso Joaquin Clerch. James' recent performances include a debut as Cavaradossi in Tosca with Opera Company Middlebury, where has previously been seen as Nicias (Thaïs) and Mitch (A Streetcar Named Desire). Upcoming performances include Florestan (Fidelio) with Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra in 2022.

James was a Young American Artist with Glimmerglass Opera, a Resident Artist with Pittsburgh Opera, and a Marion Roose Pullin Studio Artist with Arizona Opera where he made his operatic debut as Malcolm in Verdi’s Macbeth. In 2010, James was a Richard Tucker finalist. He holds voice degrees from The Ohio State University (B.M. in Vocal Performance, Summa cum laude) and Florida State University (M.M. in Vocal Performance). 

Repertoire

Don José, Carmen

Cavaradossi, Tosca

Pinkerton, Madama Butterfly

Edgardo, Lucia di Lamermoor

Il Duca, Rigoletto

Florestan, Fidelio

Canio, Pagliacci

Rodolfo, La bohème

Macduff, Macbeth

Werther, Werther

Alfredo, La traviata

Nemorino, L’elisir d’amore

Lensky, Eugene Onegin

Roméo, Roméo et Juliette

Faust, Faust

Tamino, The Magic Flute

Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni

Idomeneo, IdomeneoSam Susannah

Count Vaudemont, Iolanta (Tchaikovsky)

Male Chorus, The Rape of Lucretia

Fenton, Falstaff

Rinuccio, Gianni Schicchi

Alfred, Die Fledermaus

Chevalier, Dialogues des Carmélites

Acclaim 

Tenor solist in Strauss’ Guntram, Washington Concert Opera

"Tenor James Flora brought a resonant, impeccably-trained voice and fearlessness to his singing as ein Alter Mann and der Herzogs Narr, first touchingly ruing the condition of his homeland and then soaring above the staff in the Fool’s interjections."
Voix Des Arts

Alfredo in La Traviata, Opera Company of Middlebury

"Tenor James Flora, as Alfredo, had a beautiful lyrical delivery...he was convincing and sang beautifully and dramatically."
Vermont Today

Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Pittsburgh Opera

"In the last act, wedding celebrations are interrupted by news that Lucia has murdered Arturo, who was impressively sung by the young tenor James Flora."
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Fenton in Falstaff, Pittsburgh Opera

"Fenton was well cast in the person of James Flora, who held his lyrical tenor voice back to keep in character of the young lover."
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"James Flora was delightful as Fenton, a fine romantic partner for Nannetta."
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

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