Stephen Powell will make his LA Opera debut as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, a role he has performed with San Francisco Opera, New York City Opera, the San Diego Opera, Arizona Opera, and at the Aspen Music Festival. The American baritone's recent credits include Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro with Indianapolis Opera and the Opera Company of North Carolina; Jokanaan in Salome and the title role of Eugene Onegin with Cleveland Opera; and Zurga in The Pearl Fishers with Kentucky Opera. Powell began his long relationship with New York City Opera in 1995, substituting on short notice to sing the title role in Hindemith's Mathis der Maler; his subsequent roles with that company have included Ford in Falstaff, the title role in Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Zurga in The Pearl Fishers and Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor. Mr. Powell's roles with the Metropolitan Opera have included Ping in Turandot and Shchelkalov in Boris Godunov. Other career highlights include Marcello in La Bohème with Lyric Opera of Chicago and in concert with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; Valentin in Faust with Opera Company of Philadelphia; Germont in La Traviata with Portland Opera and Utah Opera; and Guglielmo in Così fan tutte with Florida Grand Opera, the San Diego Opera, and at the Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro. Upcoming engagements include Germont with Arizona Opera and Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Hawaii Opera.