Biography
Tenor and Virginia native, Elliott Paige is an alumnus of the Manhattan School of Music where he received his M.M. in opera performance, and James Madison University where he received a B.M. in vocal performance. Most recently, he performed with White Snake Projects as the titular role in Samiir’s Feast and in the ensemble of the Grammy-nominated recording of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X with Boston Modern Opera Projects. Within the 2022 season, Mr. Paige performed in other productions of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X with Opera Omaha, and Detroit Opera and as Anton McCray’s Father in Anthony Davis’s The Central Park Five with Portland Opera. Other previous season highlights include performing as a Steet Person soloist in Bernstein’s MASS at the Kennedy Center, and with On Site Opera in their production of What Lies Beneath. In previous years, Elliott has sung with the Metropolitan Opera in their productions of Der fliegende Holländer and as a soloist in Porgy and Bess. He has been an Apprentice Artist with the Santa Fé Opera, where he sang the role of Parpignol in a new production of La Bohème, and performed as the ‘Quartet Tenor’ in the world premiere of Today It Rains with Opera Parallèle. Other credits include apprenticeship with the Santa Fé Opera; Palm Beach Opera, and Opera Theater of Saint Louis, where he sang the role of Bombur Yambarzal in the world premiere of Jack Perla’s Shalimar the Clown. As a Manhattan School student, he performed as Duncan in Bloch's Macbeth and the titular role in Haydn's Orlando Paladino.
More About Elliott
In previous seasons, Mr. Paige covered Grand inquisitor and Baron in Candide at Santa Fe Opera. Prior to his arrival in Santa Fe, Elliott premiered Laura Kaminsky's new chamber opera Today It Rains with Opera Parallel in San Francisco as the "Quartet Tenor" while covering the role of Aubrey, In past years, Elliott was an Apprentice Artist with Palm Beach Opera, where he covered Spoletta in Tosca, and Governor in Candide. In Summer 2017, he was a Young Artist at the Glimmerglass Festival where he performed as Giacomo de Wisants in The Siege of Calais and as Nelson while covering Peter and Crab man in Porgy and Bess.
In 2016, at The Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Mr. Paige premiered the role of Bombur Yarmbazal in Jack Perla's world premiere opera, Shalimar the Clown based on the novel of the same name by Salman Rushdie. He also covered Malcolm in Verdi's Macbeth while contracted at OTSL. After his time in St. Louis, Elliott made his international debut in Germany where he performed the role of Crab Man and Robbins in Porgy and Bess while on a five-city tour of the opera, which included multiple performances at Semperoper Dresden, Kölner Philharmonic, München Deutsches Theater, Hamburg Staatsoper, and Alte Oper Frankfurt. Following his return to the states, he began his time with Palm Beach Opera as an Apprentice Artist where he performed as an ensemble member in Pirates of Penzance. sung Yakuside in Madama Butterfly, and sung Uscire and covered Borsa in Rigoletto.
Elliott's previous credits include Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus (scenes), chorus and peasant leader in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, and chorus in Verdi’s Macbeth with the Chautauqua Opera Young Artist Program. While in attendance, he received the Jay Lesenger award for promising young artists. His other roles include Second Priest and First Armored Man in Die Zauberflöte, Duncan in Ernest Bloch's Macbeth, the title role in Haydn's Orlando Paladino, and an ensemble member in Virgil Thomson's The Mother of Us All with The Manhattan School of Music Opera Studio; as well as Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi) with the Luray Opera Theater in Virginia.
Elliott is a graduate of The Manhattan School of Music where he received his Master of Music in opera performance and is an alumnus of James Madison University where he received a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance. He is the 2nd place winner of the 2015 Alan M. and Joan Taub Ades Vocal Competition was a scholarship recipient at The Manhattan School and was awarded 'Best Male Classical Singer' for Virginia in the VANATS Competition.
While Elliott was in attendance at James Madison, he was afforded the opportunity to perform in various productions with the James Madison University Opera including the role of Pish Tush in Gilbert and Sulivan’s Mikado, covering the role of Dr. Blind in Die Fledermaus, being a featured soloist in the annual Opera Scenes Gala, The Pirates of Penzance, L'Elisir d'Amore, Ba-Ta-Clan, L’Enfant Prodigue, Le Nozze di Figaro, and a variety of scenes from various opera’s, operetta’s, and musicals. He was also chosen to be the ambassador of song at the JMU senior commencement ceremony and to be the premier singer for the inaugural ceremony for James Madison's newest president, Jonathan Alger. Throughout his time at University, he received multiple awards for his achievements, such as the VAHCDO scholarship award, scholarship from the Richmond Boys Choir of Virginia, and was a member of the James Madison University Centennial Scholarship Program, which included a full scholarship to the University.
While in attendance in University, Elliott had private coachings with Metropolitan Opera tenor, Gerhard Siegel and coaching with world class pianist, Gabriel Dobner. He has been in masterclasses with Craig Rutenberg, Leonna Mitchell, George Shirley, and various other opera stars. He has also been able to perform as a soloist with The Shenandoah Choral Society and the Masterworks Chorus of the Shenandoah Valley. Elliott's former voice teachers include Mark Oswald and Kevin McMillan.
Before his University Studies, He was a member of the Richmond Boys Choir. This experience afforded him the opportunity to perform at the Kennedy Center for the Arts in Washington, D.C. with renowned stepping troupe Step Afrika. He was also provided the opportunity to sing for former First Lady Laura Bush at the Smithsonian Art Museum in Washington, D.C. In his earlier years he performed with Nikki Giovanni and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.