Dr. Christopher O'Rear
Education Information
Assistant Professor / Voice Faculty
Baritone, Chistopher O’Rear appears regularly around the southeastern U.S. in recital, opera, and oratorio. He has also appeared internationally as both recitalist and conductor in Berlin, London, and Milan. He holds the Bachelor of Arts in Music from Winthrop University, Master of Music in Choral Conducting with emphasis in Church Music from Samford University, and the Doctor of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance from The University of Alabama.
At home on both the theatrical and operatic stage, Dr. O’Rear’s performance credits cover a wide variety of genres, both as singer and director. Among his favorite roles receiving acclaim on the operatic stage, he has brought voice to characters such as Bud in Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring, Scarpia in Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca, Tonio in Ruggiero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, and Dr. Falke in Richard Strauss’s Die Fledermaus.
Among his musical theater credits, Dr. O’Rear has given voice to characters such as King Arthur in John Du Prez and Eric Idle’s Spamalot and Lord Evelyn Oakleigh in Cole Porter’s Anything Goes! – both productions in which, along with Rogers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma, he has provided musical direction, as well.
Among his favorite performed solo roles in oratorio, he has appeared in performances of Mozart’s Requiem, Johannes Brahms’ Ein Deutches Requiem, George Frideric Händel’s Messiah, Ralph Vaughan Williams Five Mystical Songs and Dona Nobis Pacem, and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana.
An avid outdoorsman and photographer, in his leisure time, Dr. O’Rear can be found exploring area lakes, rivers, and trails with his dog, photographing nature landscapes and fishing.