Damon Nestor Ploumis - Bass-Baritone

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Damon Nestor Ploumis, bass-baritone

Welcome

to the website of Damon Nestor Ploumis. With upcoming appearances at the National Theater in Weimar, the Royal Opera in Stockholm, as well as in Bremen, Radebeul, Hof and Belgium, Damon recently finished a busy season singing at the Landestheater Salzburg (Bartolo), the National Opera in Finland (Dulcamara and Don Magnifico), the Opera in Thessaloniki (Ramfis), as well as in Bremen and Cyprus (where he both directed and sang). Stage directing Cosi fan tutte at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, the first alumnus to do so, Damon Nestor Ploumis also recently founded the Lyric Opera Studio of Weimar now in its third year and had seventy students under his tutelage last summer.

Having sung at the Finnish National Opera, the Swedish Royal Opera, the Greek National Opera, the German National Theater, as well as numerous houses throughout Europe Ploumis is at home both on the stage and in the concert hall.

In the Media section you can click on the video and audio links with excerpts from the DVD Viaggio a Reims. The gallery shows photos from recent productions, where Damon Nestor Ploumis has sung. To contact Damon please click here.

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Resumé

Print Resumé and Repertoire

Damon Nestor Ploumis was educated at Eton College, the Universitiy of Cambridge (history), Athens University, the Ecole Biblique Française in Jerusalem (theology), and the University of East Anglia (law). Having received a scholarship from the European Community to study under baritone Costas Pascalis in Athens, he completed his formal vocal studies in the United States, graduating from the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, where he studied with Louis Quilico, and was also a participant in the Merola Program of the San Francisco Opera.

As a guest artist with the Finnish National Opera, his past appearances have included Don Magnifico (Cenerentola), under Maestro Zedda and Dulcamara (L’elisir d’amore). Additionally, he has sung Don Profondo, in Nobel prize winner, Dario Fo’s production of Viaggio a Reims (broadcast live throughout Europe) and Mephistopheles in La Damnation de Faust.

Making his debut at the Greek National Opera as Bartolo, Mr. Ploumis sang Dulcamara at the Swedish Royal Opera, under the stage direction of Jonathan Miller and recently in Stockholm Don Bartolo in il Barbiere di Siviglia. As a member of the German National Theater of Weimar, he has sung most recently Don Pasquale, der Gallwurm and Geronzio ( Der Menschenfeind. In previous seasons he performed , Figaro (Le Nozze di Figaro), Papageno, Colline, the Grand Inquisitor and Giacinto in Galuppi’s, Il Mondo alla roversa. Further roles performed include: Zacaria (Nabucco), Don Alfonso (Cosi Fan Tutte), Kecal (The Bartered Bride), Hortensius (Daughter of the Regiment), Collatinus (Rape of Lucretia), Bartolo (Le Nozze di Figaro), King Melchior (Amahl and the Night Visitors), Capulet (Romeo et Juliette), Mephistopheles (Faust), Falstaff ( Die Lustige Witwe), Ramfis ( Aida), Biterolf (Tannhaüser), Andrea Cornaro in Donizetti's last work Caterina Cornaro, Don Geronio (Il Turco in Italia), the title role of Telemann’s Pimpinone, Sam in Trouble in Tahiti, Leporello (Don Giovanni), Warlaam (Boris Godunov) and Gessler (Wilhem Tell) as well as the role of “Wissen” in the world premiere of The Speed of Light, a cross media Opera produced by Phase7 in celebration of Einstein. Appearances have included guest performances in Bremen, Bielefeld, Lubeck, Giessen, Munster, Flensburg, Radebeul, Rostock, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Graz, Heidelberg, Oldenburg, Hof, as well as in Belgium, France, the UK and Greece

In addition to his busy singing schedule, Damon Nestor Ploumis is the head of the Lyric Opera Studio Weimar (www.lyricoperastudioweimar.com), which recently had sixty–eight students under his tutelage in the summer of 2009. He has also begun to stage direct successfully in both Europe and North America.

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REPERTOIRE

Role	Opera	Organisation	Dates
Don Bartolo	Barbiere di Siviglia	Alden Bisen Festival	May -June 2010
Don Magnifico	Cenerentola	Theater Bremen	April- May 2010
Don Pasquale	Don Pasquale	Landesbühnen Sachsen	Mar. 2010
Don Pasquale	Don Pasquale	Theater Hof	Dec. 2009
Geronzio	Menschenfeind	Deutsches National Theater Weimar (DNT)	Nov. '09-April.'10
Bartolo	Barbiere di Siviglia	Swedish Royal Opera	October. 2009
Gallwurm	Die Grille	Deutsches National Theater Weimar (DNT)	April-Dec.2009
Don Magnifico	Cenerentola	Theater Bremen	Feb.-April 2009
Don Pasquale	Don Pasquale	Deutsches National Theater Weimar (DNT)	2008-09
Bartolo	Barbiere di Siviglia	Landestheater Salzburg	2008-09
Don Pasquale	Don Pasquale	Landesbühnen Sachsen	2008-09
Don Magnifico	Cenerentola	Theater Bremen	March- June.07
Don Magnifico	Cenerentola	Finnnish National Opera	Jan-Feb.07
Dulcamara	L'elisir d'amore	Finnnish National Opera	Nov.- Dec.07
Stage Director	Cosi fan tutte	Academy of Vocal Arts	Oct. 2008
Ramfis	Aida	Opera Thessaloniki	Sept. 07
Don Pasquale	Don Pasquale	Festival de la Vezere	Jul.- Aug. 07
Don Magnifico	Cenerentola	Theater Giessen	March- Jun 07
Dulcamara	L'elisir d'amore	Theater Oldenburg	Nov-March 07
Don Profondo	Viaggio a Reims	Finnnish National Opera	Nov.2006
Pooh Bah	Mikado	Okanagan Arts Festival	August 2006
Bartolo	Nozze Di Figaro	Okanagan Arts Festival	July 2006
Zaccaria	Nabucco	Tir Landestheater Innsbruck	March- April 2006
Bartolo	Barbiere di Siviglia	Lord Mayor of London Charity Trust	April 2006
Bartolo	Barbiere di Siviglia	Finnish National Opera	2005
Mephistopheles	Faust	Shaker Mountain Festival	2005
Don Profondo	Viaggio a Reims	Bielefeld	2005-2006
Bartolo	Barbiere di Siviglia	Buffalo New York	July 2005
Wissen	Speed of Light	Bebelplatz, Berlin	2005
Dulcamara	L'Elisir d'Amore	Volkstheater Rostsock	2005-2006
Don Magnifico	Cenerentola	Stadttheater Muenster	2004-2005
Don Profondo	Viaggio a Reims	Finnish National Opera	April-May 2004
Dulcamara	L'Elisir d'Amore	Swedish Royal Opera	Dec. 2003
Biterolf	Tannhaeuser	Theater Heidelberg	2003-2005
Figaro	Figaros Hochzeit	Deut. National Theater Weimar	Feb.2003
Don Profondo	Viaggio a Reims	Finnish National Opera	Jan. 2003
Don Magnifico	Cenerentola	Finnish National Opera	Dec.2002
Il Grand Inquisitore	Don Carlo	Deut. National Theater Weimar	Oct. 2002
Giacinto	Il mondo alla Roversa	Deut. National Theater Weimar	Sept.2002
Dulcamara	L'Elisir	Finnish National Opera	Sept 2002
Don Magnifico	Cenerentola	Finnish National Opera	March 2002
Der Narr	Was Ihr Wollt	Deut. National Theater Weimar	March 2002
Colline	La Boheme	Deut. National Theater Weimar	Nov.2001
Mephistopheles	La Damnation de Faust	Finnish National Opera	Okt.2001
Papageno	Die Zauberfloete	Deut. National Theater Weimar	Sept. 2001
Sprecher	Die Zauberfloete	Deut. National Theater Weimar	Sept. 2001
Don Bartolo	Barbiere di Siviglia	Opera Holland Park	July 2001
Kottwitz	Prinz von Homburg	Landestheater Schl.-Holstein	May- June 2001
Don Magnifico	Cenerentola	Theater Bielefeld	April-May 2001
Warlaam	Boris Godounow	Landestheater Schl.-Holstein	2000-2001
Falstaff	Lustige Weiber	Landestheater Schl.-Holstein	2000-2001
Gessler	Guillame Tell	Landestheater Schl.- Holstein	Sept.-Oct.2000
Bartolo	Barbiere di Siviglia	Alden Bisen Festival and Concertgebouw Amsterdam	June-July 2000
Don Geronio	Il Turco in Italia	Theater Luebeck	Feb.-June 2000
Sam	Trouble in Tahiti	New Opera of Geneva	Sept. 1999
Antonio (Caissier)	Les Brigands	Basel Summer Festival	August 1999
Pimpinone	Pimpinone	Zurich Summer Festival	June 1999
Don Profondo	Viaggio a Reims	Zurich Opera	May 1999
Capulet	Romeo et Juliette	Zurich Opera	Feb.- April 1999
Bartolo	Le Nozze di Figaro	Academy of Vocal Arts	May 1998
Hortensius	Fille du Regiment	Opera Company of Philadelphia	April 1998
Don Pasquale	Don Pasquale	Academy of Vocal Arts	March 1998
Collatinus	Rape of Lucretia	Academy of Vocal Arts	Jan 1998
Melchior	Amahl and the Night Visitors	Little Orchestra Society, Avery Fisher Hall	Dec. 1997
Bartolo	Barbiere di Siviglia	National Opera of Greece	May 1997
Dimitri	A Chekhov Trilogy	Academy of Vocal Arts	May 1997
Sergei	A Chekhov Trilogy	Academy of Vocal Arts	May 1997
Gianni Schicchi	Il Tritico	Academy of Vocal Arts	Feb 1997
Doctor Bartolo	Barbiere di Siviglia	Western Opera Theater (San Francisco Opera Tour)	Sept-Nov 1996
Dulcamara	L'Elisir d'Amore	Merola Opera Program	July 1996
Leporello	Don Giovanni	Academy of Vocal Arts	May 1996
Dimitri/Sergei	A Chekhov Trilogy	Academy of Vocal Arts	Feb 1996
Benoit/Alcindoro	La Boheme	Academy of Vocal Arts	Nov 1995
Don Alfonso	Cosi fan Tutte	National Opera of Cyprus	Okt 1995
Kecal	Die Verkaufte Braut	New Jersey Opera	April 1995

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PRESS

Bass Baritone Damon Nestor Ploumis, for whom Fo wrote a sharp new text, sang with strength and style. As one of the outstanding voices of the evening, one was reminded of the star baritones of the past. Ploumis was also one of the most charismatic in his portrayal.
Etalan Sanomat 19. 02 .03

Don Profondo’s pattersong was dispatched with stunning adroitness by Damon Nestor Ploumis.
Financial Times 23.02.03

Damon Nestor Ploumis was a menacing Mephisto that matched well with Monica Groop. His fine bass rang with metal but with a supreme ease. He has a big future before him.
Etalan Sanomat 28.10.2001

Damon Nestor Ploumis as the beggar monk Varlaam plunged into his role and was the only performer who received applause before he even finished the scene.
Die Welt 22.12. 2001

Dominating the proceedings, as Mephistopheles should, Damon Nestor Ploumis brings a rich, powerful bass voice and a deliciously smarmy bearing to one of the lyric theatre’s great villains. Displaying superb agility and elegance in movement and conveying ruthlessnes he reigns over virtually every other being and object on the stage.
The Berkshire Eagle August 4, 2004

The favourite of the audience, however, was Damon Nestor Ploumis whose Don Magnifico had a physical comedy bordering on the slapstick without ever going over the top. The supple spark of the higher tones was complemented by the thunderous bass and brilliant comic abandon.
Münsterische Zeitung April 2004

Damon Nestor Ploumis is dynamic and hysterical as Dulcamara!
Sydsvenska Dagbladet

Bassobaritoni Damon Nestor Ploumis oli saanut aariaansa Folta uudet terävät sanatja esitti ne vakuuttavan temperamenttisesti ja autoritaarisesti. Äänessä oli parhaimmillaan suurten lavojen sointa ja väriä, muistoja meneiden vuosikzmmenten tähtibaritoneista. Ploumis oli illan kaismaattisimpia esiintyjiä.
Etalan Sanomat 19. 02 .03

Damon Nestor Ploumis is a prime example of a vivacious southern European with a powerful voice and impressive stage craft. His Don Magnifico is however not just a simple comic character, as in many stagings, but posseses to some degree an almost tragic element.
Online Music Magazine April 2004

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DATES:

2009-2010

Sept.- Jan.: Die Grille (German National Theater Weimar)

October: Barbiere di Siviglia (Swedish Royal Opera)

November- April: Der Menschenfeind (German National Theater Weimar)

Dec.:Don Pasquale (Theater Hof)

March: Don Pasquale (Landesbühnen Sachsen)

April-May: Cenerentola (Theater Bremen)

May- June: Barbiere di Siviglia ( Alden Bisen)

2008-2009

Sept- Oct . Don Pasqule (Landesbühnen Sachsen)

Nov.-Jan. Barbiere di Siviglia(Landestheater Salzburg)

Dec. Amahl and the Night Visitors(Nikosia, Cyprus)

Jan. Cenerentola( Theater Bremen)

Feb. Don Pasquale (German National Theater Weimar)

April Die Grille (German National Theater Weimar)

2007-2008

January - March. Dulcamara- l’elisir d’amore - Theater Oldenburg
March – June Don Magnifico- Cenerentola -Stadttheater Giessen
June- August – Don Pasquale – Title Role- Festival de la Vezere (France)
September- Ramfis- Aida- Opera of Thessaloniki
October- Stage Director- Cosi Fan Tutte- Academy of Vocal Arts Philadelphia
November- December- Dulcamara- l’elisir d’amore- Finnish National Opera
December- Stage Director - Amahl and the Night Visitors- Cyprus
January- February- Don Magnifico- Cenerentola- Finnish National Opera

March -April Don Magnifico- Cenerentola- Theater Bremen

July- August - Lyric Opera Studio Weimar

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MULTIMEDIA

Click here for: LINK to the PHOTO GALLERY

YouTube
Aria di Don Profondo from Viaggio a Reims (Rossini)
Finnish National Opera

Dulcamara Stunt
Video

DVD:
Rossini, Gioacchino
Il viaggio a Reims ossia L’Albergo del Giglio d’oro -
Ritva-Liisa Korhonen (Madame Cortese) – Corinna Mologni (Contessa Folleville) – Mario Zeffiri (Conte Libenskof) – Anna-Kristiina Kaappola (Corinna) – Lilli Paasikivi (Marchesa Melibea) – Gert Hennig-Jensen (Cavalier Belfiore) - Hannu Forsberg (Lord Sidney) – Damon Nestor Ploumis (Don Profondo) – Juha Kotilainen (Barone Trombonok) – Petteri Salomaa (Don Alvaro) – Tiina Vahevaara (Delia) – Jaakko Hietikko (Don Prudenzio) – Minna Kesäläinen (Maddalena) – Hannele Aulasvuo (Modestina) – Marko Puustinen (Antonio) – Juha Moisio (Zeferino) – Jussi Miilunpalo (Gelsomino) - Dir: Maurizio Barbacini / Reg+Bü+Ko: Dario Fo - Helsinki Opera House 29.1.2003 - Stereo