{{short description|American opera singer}}
[[File:James Valenti.JPG|thumb|upright|Valenti in front of the Plaza Hotel in New York City on April 13, 2014]]
'''James Valenti''' (born September 2, 1977) is an American operatic tenor with an active international career specializing in leading roles in the Italian and French repertoire. Born and raised in New Jersey, in the United States, he attended St. Helena School and North Hunterdon High School before becoming a graduate of West Virginia University and the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Valenti also holds a Master of Voice Pedagogy degree from Westminster Choir College of Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-03-08 |title=Westminster's Master of Voice Pedagogy program offers classical and musical theatre tracks |url=https://www.rider.edu/about/news/westminsters-master-voice-pedagogy-program-offers-classical-and-musical-theatre-tracks |access-date=2022-03-10 |website=Rider University |language=en}}</ref> Valenti made his professional debut in 2003 as Rodolfo in ''La bohème'' at the Rome Opera, and was the 2010 winner of the Richard Tucker Award.
==Life and career==
Born in Summit, New Jersey, he was raised in Clinton. He developed an interest in performing as a student at North Hunterdon High School.<ref>Reich, Ronni. [http://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/index.ssf/2010/11/post_49.html "NJ tenor James Valenti sings at the Richard Tucker Gala"], ''The Star-Ledger'', November 15, 2010. Accessed June 29, 2018. "He sang pop songs in high school — he's a Billy Joel fan, and he still often pays tribute to his Jersey roots by making Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer" his karaoke anthem — but it was his choir teacher at North Hunterdon High School, David Lockart, who convinced him to try out the role of Lt. Cable in ''South Pacific.''"</ref> Valenti is a graduate of West Virginia University and the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia.<ref>Reich, Ronni. [http://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/index.ssf/2010/11/post_49.html "NJ tenor James Valenti sings at the Richard Tucker Gala"], ''The Star-Ledger'', November 15, 2010. Accessed February 18, 2011. "Originally from Summit, Valenti grew up primarily in Clinton. (He now lives in Palm Beach, Fla.)"</ref> In the course of his studies he received grants from the Singer's Development Foundation, the Sullivan Foundation, and the Sergio Franchi Music Foundation.{{citation needed|date=July 2013}}
He made his professional debut at age 25 as Rodolfo in the Franco Zeffirelli production ''La bohème'' at the Rome Opera. He went on to perform in many of the world's major opera houses, including La Scala, Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House, Paris Opera, Sydney Opera House, Opernhaus Zürich and Teatro Colón. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut in March 2010 as Alfredo in Verdi's ''La traviata'' in a cast that included Angela Gheorghiu and Thomas Hampson, and at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in the same role in June 2010.<ref name="NYT March 30, 2010">Tommasini, Anthony: [https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/31/arts/music/31traviata.html "In Revival of Verdi, a New Note of Drama "], ''The New York Times'', March 30, 2010</ref><ref name="TheObserver July 18, 2010">Kellaway, Kate: [https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2010/jul/18/punchdrunk-eno-duchess-malfi-traviata "The Duchess of Malfi; La traviata"], ''The Observer'', July 18, 2010</ref> His roles include Cavaradossi in ''Tosca'',<ref>[http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/performing-arts/article18912702.html "Emotional performances and orchestral energy in Lyric Opera’s ‘Tosca’ "], ''The Kansas City Star'', April 18, 2015</ref> Don José in ''Carmen'', Don Carlo in ''Don Carlo'', the Duke of Mantua in ''Rigoletto'', Lt. Pinkerton in ''Madama Butterfly'', Maurizio in ''Adriana Lecouvreur'', Edgardo in ''Lucia di Lammermoor'', Werther in ''Werther'' and Doctor Faust in ''Faust''.
Valenti is an ambassador for Children International and resides in West Palm Beach, Florida.<ref>Children International (11 September 2013). [http://www.children.org/Articles/Article/11308 Don Carlos in the D.R."]</ref>
New York City Opera Renaissance mounted Puccini’s “Tosca” in January 2015, at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center, in the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle, with Valenti performing.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/12/arts/music/effort-to-revive-city-opera-includes-a-tosca-staging.html|title=Effort to Revive City Opera Includes a 'Tosca' Staging|first=Michael|last=Cooper|work=The New York Times |date=11 November 2015|publisher=|accessdate=5 November 2017|via=www.nytimes.com}}</ref>
==Awards== {{BLP sources section|date=July 2013}} *2002 The Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation – 1st place award *2002 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions – winner<ref>[http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=350388&limit=5000&xBranch=ALL&xsdate=&xedate=&theterm=Valenti,%20James%20[Tenor]&x=0&xhomepath=http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/&xhome=http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/bibpro.htm Met Concert/Gala April 21, 2002], Metropolitan Opera Archives</ref> *2002, 2003 Opera Index Vocal Competition – winner<ref>Opera Index Vocal Competition. [http://www.operaindexinc.com/singers/previous_winners.html Previous winners] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304114656/http://www.operaindexinc.com/singers/previous_winners.html |date=2016-03-04 }}</ref> *2003 Loren Zachary Competition – 1st-place winner *2003 Enrico Caruso Competition – 1st-place winner *2003 Mario Lanza Opera Competition – 1st-place winner *2008 New York City Opera – Outstanding Debut Artist *2009 Dallas Opera – Maria Callas Debut Artist Award *2010 Richard Tucker Award<ref name="NYT November 15, 2010">Tommasini, Anthony: [https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/16/arts/music/16tucker.html?_r=1 "When Opera Stars Show Their Frisky Side"], ''The New York Times'', November 15, 2010</ref> *2014 West Virginia University College of Creative Arts Distinguished Alumnus Award<ref>West Virginia University College of Creative Arts (9 April 2014). [http://ccarts.wvu.edu/ccablog/2014/04/09/acclaimed-tenor-james-valenti-to-return-to-cac-as-visiting-artist "Acclaimed tenor James Valenti to return to CAC as visiting artist"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426214835/http://ccarts.wvu.edu/ccablog/2014/04/09/acclaimed-tenor-james-valenti-to-return-to-cac-as-visiting-artist |date=2014-04-26 }}.</ref> *2015 West Virginia University Induction into Academy of Distinguished Alumni <ref>West Virginia University College of Creative Arts. [http://ccarts.wvu.edu/ccablog/2015/2/2/music-alumnus-james-valenti-named-to-wvu-academy-of-distinguished-alumni "Music alumnus James Valenti named to WVU Academy of Distinguished Alumni"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518074515/http://ccarts.wvu.edu/ccablog/2015/2/2/music-alumnus-james-valenti-named-to-wvu-academy-of-distinguished-alumni |date=2015-05-18 }}, February 2, 2015.</ref>
== Opera roles == *Mario Cavaradossi in Giacomo Puccini's ''Tosca'' – Lyric Opera Kansas City (2015) *Don José in Bizet's ''Carmen'' – Hamburg Staatsoper (2014)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hamburgische-staatsoper.de/de/2_spielplan/index.php?tmpl=besetzung&event=123291&t=|title=Staatsoper Hamburg|website=www.hamburgische-staatsoper.de|accessdate=5 November 2017}}</ref> *Rudolph Valentino in Argento's ''The Dream of Valentino'' – Minnesota Opera (2014) *Maurizio in Cilea's ''Adriana Lecouvreur'' – Washington Concert Opera (2010) *Nemorino in Donizetti's ''L'elisir d'amore'' – Hamburg State Opera (2008) *Edgardo in Donizetti's ''Lucia di Lammermoor'' – Sydney Opera House (2012), Florida Grand Opera (2005) *Faust in Gounod's ''Faust'' – Royal Opera House (2011), Opera Carolina (2008), Teatro Verdi (2005) *Roméo in Gounod's ''Roméo et Juliette'' – Minnesota Opera (2008),<ref name="MPR News February 29, 2010">Birge, John: [http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/01/30/romeoandjuliet/ "'Romeo and Juliet' come home"], ''MPR News'', January 31, 2008</ref> *Werther in Massenet's ''Werther'' – Minnesota Opera (2012), Opera Lyon in Bunkamura Concert Hall, Tokyo (2009), Opéra Bastille (2010) *Viscardo in Mercadante's ''Il giuramento'' – Washington Concert Opera (2009)<ref name="The Washington Post June 2, 2009">Midgette, Anne: [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/01/AR2009060103370.html "'Il Giuramento': No Rust on This Missing Link"], ''The Washington Post'', June 2, 2009</ref> *Rodolfo in Puccini's ''La bohème'' – The Minnesota Opera (2010), Palacio de Festivales de Cantabria (2010), Dallas Opera (2009), La Scala (2009), Aubade Hall (2008), Florida Grand Opera (2008), Semperoper (2007), New York City Opera (2006), Teatro Verdi ( 2006) *Lt. Pinkerton in Puccini's ''Madama Butterfly'' – Teatro Colón (2014), Metropolitan Opera (2014), Opernhaus Zürich (2013), Lyric Opera of Chicago (2013), Opéra Bastille (2011), Vancouver Opera (2010),<ref name="Straight.com May 8, 2010">Smith, Janet: [https://www.straight.com/article-326453/vancouver/madama-butterfly-wings-its-way-town-once-lifetime "'A Madama Butterfly like this wings its way into town once in a lifetime'"], ''Straight.com'', May 30, 2010</ref> Michigan Opera Theatre (2008), New York City Opera (2008),<ref name="NYTimes March 8, 2010">Schweirzer, Vivien: [https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/08/arts/music/08butt.html?ref=arts "'On a Minimal Set, Maximizing Puccini'"], ''The New York Times'', May 30, 2010</ref> San Francisco Opera (2007), Opéra de Marseille (2007), Semperoper (2007), Palm Beach Opera (2007), Teatro Carlo Felice (2006) *Don Carlo in Verdi's ''Don Carlo'' – Caramoor Festival (2013),<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/22/arts/music/don-carlos-in-its-original-tongue-reveals-intricacies.html|title='Don Carlos,' in Its Original Tongue, Reveals Intricacies|first=Corinna da|last=Fonseca-Wollheim|work=The New York Times |date=21 July 2013|publisher=|accessdate=5 November 2017|via=www.nytimes.com}}</ref> Austin Lyric Opera (2013) *Alfredo in Verdi's ''La traviata'' – Bavarian State Opera (2012), Dallas Opera (2012), Royal Opera House (2011, 2010), Metropolitan Opera (2010), Deutsche Oper Berlin (2009), Korean Opera (2007), Teatro Pérez Galdós de Las Palmas (2007), Canadian Opera Company (2007), La Monnaie (2006), Hamburg State Opera (2006), Teatro Comunale di Bologna (2005) *Duke of Mantua in Verdi's ''Rigoletto'' – Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (2009), Palm Beach Opera (2008), Opera Carolina (2007), Academy of Vocal Arts (2006)
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== *[https://www.jamesvalenti.com/ Official website] {{Portal bar|Opera}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Valenti, James}} Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:Academy of Vocal Arts alumni Category:American operatic tenors Category:North Hunterdon High School alumni Category:People from Clinton, New Jersey Category:People from Palm Beach, Florida Category:Musicians from Summit, New Jersey Category:Richard Tucker Award winners Category:Singers from New Jersey Category:Winners of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Category:21st-century American singers Category:Classical musicians from New Jersey Category:21st-century American male opera singers Category:Singers from Florida Category:Classical musicians from Florida Category:Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation competition winners