Tenor Blake Friedman has garnered praise from The New York Times for the “plummy fullness and dusky hue” of his voice and by New York Classical Review for his voice’s “buttery top.” Blake has performed leading roles and fulfilled soloist engagements for multiple performing arts organizations across the United States.
Since his first solo performance with Canterbury Choral Society in 2015 (in the title role of Benjamin Britten’s Saint Nicolas), Blake has performed with the Society in works spanning over 200 years of musical history. Notable roles include St. Francis of Assisi in the Society’s revival of Adriano Ariani’s Oratorio di San Francesco, the Evangelist in Johann Sebastian Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, and Judas in George Frideric Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus.
Operatic career highlights include the world premiere of A Nation of Others by Paul Moravec and Mark Campbell at Carnegie Hall; creating the role of Marc in the world premiere of Dan Shore’s Freedom Ride at Chicago Opera Theater; singing Irving Tashman in the New York City premiere of Morning Star by Ricky Ian Gordon for On Site Opera; portraying Iago in Rossini’s Otello with LoftOpera; and scoring critically acclaimed performances of Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Chautauqua Opera, where he was praised by OperaNews for his “romantic and funny” portrayal which “proved a highlight.”Other companies Blake has performed with include Dallas Opera, St. Pete Opera, Bel Canto at Caramoor, and Ash Lawn Opera.
On the concert stage, he has appeared as soloist with New York Choral Society, New York City Ballet, New York Oratorio Society, Ensemble for the Romantic Century, Choral Artists of Sarasota, Key Chorale, and York Symphony in repertoire ranging from baroque masterpieces to world premieres.
A champion of new American music, Blake served as the resident tenor for American Opera Projects Composers and the Voice Symposium from 2015-2018. He made his Prototype Opera Festival debut as Jimmy Smith in the reading of Stinney: An American Execution by Frances Pollock. Blake holds a Master’s and Professional Studies Diploma from Manhattan School of Music and a Bachelor’s from The Eastman School of Music.