Derek Welton

Opera

Described as being “in possession of a magnificent voice” (Opera) and a “splendid Wotan” (Die Zeit), Australian bass-baritone Derek Welton has established himself as one of the leading dramatic voices of his generation. At the same time, he is a committed and versatile interpreter of concert repertoire from Bach and Handel to contemporary works.

In the 2025/2026 season, Welton returns to the Wiener Staatsoper as Orest in “Elektra,” to the Deutsche Oper Berlin in the title role of “Der fliegende Holländer,” and to the Opéra de Lyon as Claggart in “Billy Budd.” He makes his house debut at Opernhaus Zürich as Pizarro in “Fidelio” and his house and role debut at the Hungarian State Opera as King Heinrich in “Lohengrin.” Further engagements include appearances as the Wanderer in “Siegfried” at Müpa Budapest and as King Marke in a concert performance of “Tristan und Isolde” with the Houston Symphony Orchestra.

He is a regular guest at many of the world’s leading opera houses and festivals, including the Royal Opera House, the Salzburg Festival, the Bayreuth Festival, the Bavarian State Opera, the Semperoper Dresden, Teatro Real Madrid, Dutch National Opera, and Lyric Opera of Chicago. His wide-ranging repertoire includes Wotan/Wanderer in “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” Amfortas in “Parsifal,” the Father in “Hänsel und Gretel,” Bluebeard in “Bluebeard’s Castle,” and the Forester in “The Cunning Little Vixen.”

On the concert stage, Welton has sung with orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. His repertoire includes Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion,” “St. John Passion,” and “Mass in B minor,” Handel’s “Messiah,” Haydn’s “The Creation,” Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Mendelssohn’s “Elijah,” and Tippett’s “A Child of our Time.”

Last updated: September 2025