Biography
Tenor Neal Ferreira, especially noted for his dynamic and captivating stage presence, is quickly gaining national recognition. In the current season and beyond, performances include a return to Boston Lyric Opera in Macmillan's Clemency and as Monostatos in The Magic Flute; Curzio/Basilio in Le nozze di Figaro at the Syracuse Opera; and Dr. Blind in Die Fledermaus with Virginia Opera.
Most recent engagements include Tancredi in John Musto's The Inspector with Boston Lyric Opera, for which Opera News praised his "moving performance," the tenor soloist in Carmina Burana with the Syracuse Opera, Goro in Madama Butterfly at Opera on the James, and Bardolfo in a semi-staged production of Falstaff with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Ferreira was awarded the 2009 Stephen Shrestinian Award for Excellence from Boston Lyric Opera, and has since performed there as Spoletta in Tosca, Snout in A Midsummer Night's Dream, the Gran Sacerdote in Mozart’s Idomeneo, re di Creta and Ein Officer in Ariadne auf Naxos, in which he also covered the roles of Tanzmeister and Brighella.
He made his Opera Colorado debut performing Spalanzani and Andres in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, roles he first performed with Boston Lyric Opera under the direction of Maestro Keith Lockhart and reprised with the Florida Grand Opera. Other appearances have included Sheldon Segal in Later the Same Evening and Charlie Davenport (cover) in Annie Get Your Gun with Deborah Voigt at the Glimmerglass Festival.
As an oratorio soloist, Mr. Ferreira has performed the role of Uriel in Haydn’s The Creation with world-renowned soprano Jayne West, as well as noted performances in Orff’s Carmina Burana, Bach’s Mass in B minor and Magnificat, Mozart’s Requiem, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, and Dvořak’s Stabat Mater throughout the New England area. He is a regular guest soloist at his alma mater, Providence College, where he has most recently appeared in Handel’s Messiah and Dubois’ Seven Last Words of Christ with the Providence College Orchestra and Chorus.
Mr. Ferreira holds a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from New England Conservatory, graduating with Academic Honors in 2005. There he studied with international opera singer Patricia Craig, and he sang the role of Tamino in The Magic Flute as part of New England Conservatory Outreach Opera’s inaugural production.
As a recipient of the Roberts Music Scholarship for musical aptitude and achievement, Mr. Ferreira completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Providence College in 2002, graduating cum laude. While at Providence College, he studied voice with David Harper and appeared in many stage productions with both the Music and Theater Departments. Mr. Ferreira has returned several times to teach master classes to undergraduate and high school students at the Providence College Summer Vocal Institute.
