Thomas Wazelle

Tommy performed the role of Ferrando in Mozart’s opera Cosi fan tutte in Haifa, Israel with the New Israeli Opera and the New Haifa Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Ori Leshman and the direction of Niv Hoffman.

Tommy performed the role of Mr. Bennett in Séance on a Wet Afternoon with composer Stephen Schwartz, Lauren Flanigan and the American Opera Projects at the Angel Orensanz Center in Manhattan and & the South Oxford Space in Brooklyn.

Tommy performed in the Composers & the Voice: Six Scenes produced by American Opera Projects at South Oxford Space in Brooklyn, NY, singing leading roles in Paul’s Case by Gregory Spears, Love/Hate by Jack Perla, and Antinuous and Handrian by Clint Borzoni.

Tommy joins the cast of Showboat at the Gateway Playhouse as the gambling wayfarer, Gaylord Ravenal.

Tommy sang the Brahms Liebeslieder Walzes as part of the Music at Southampton: Sustainable Treasures concert series.

Tommy joins soprano Ann Hoyt in a concert of My Favorite Songs from A to Z at the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts in Menomonie, WI.

Tommy sings Tamino in The Magic Flute as a guest artist with the University of Memphis.

Tommy returned to Indianapolis for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Yuletide Celebration with Sandy Patti and the African Children’s Choir.

Tommy returns to the International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv-Yafo to sing the title role of Alexander Zemlinsky’s tragic one act opera, Der Zwerg under the baton of Maestro Paul Nadler and the direction of David Drisin.

Tommy performed classics from The Guys and Dolls of Broadway with the Westfield Symphony Orchestra conducted by Maestro David Wroe.

Tommy sang with Sandi Patty and Maestro Jack Everly in Sandi Patty on Broadway with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Tommy performed in the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Yuletide Celebration with Santa Claus and Maestro Jack Everly.

Tommy performed with Tulsa Opera in the new opera The Little Prince singing the roles of the Lamplighter, the Drunkard, and a Baobab under the baton of Maestra Carol I. Crawford. The opera, written in 2004, is by Rachel Portman. You might have heard her music in such films as The Lake House and Cider House Rules.

Tommy performed the role of Reverend Samuel Parris in the Isreali premiere of Robert Ward’s opera The Crucible at the International Vocal Arts Institute in Tel Aviv-Yafo. The opera is based on Arthur Miller’s play about the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, and the production was conducted by Stephen Byess and directed by David Drisin.

He sang the role of Don Basilio in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro with Tulsa Opera, conducted by Kostis Protopapas and directed by Joshua Major.

American tenor Thomas Wazelle is praised as much for his dramatic stage presence and imaginative acting as for his “strong, keening tenor” (Tulsa World). His signature roles show a dedication to both old and new works and the versatility to crossover into popular styles, including the title role in Der Zwerg and Reverend Parris in The Crucible, Ernesto in Don Pasquale and Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Gaylord Ravenal in Showboat and Tommy in Tommy. “Wazelle sang like tenors are supposed to sing. Beautiful diction and liquid tonal qualities that made us say that we could sit and listen to him all night. If there were any justice in show biz, he would be starring on Broadway.” (Dan’s Papers). Also a trumpeter, composer and songwriter, he holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Trumpet Performance and Music Composition as well as a Master’s in Vocal Performance.

Tommy began the 2008-2009 season performing the role of Gaylord Ravenal in Showboat at the Gateway Playhouse under the direction of Bil Theisen. He also sang the Brahms Liebeslieder Walzes as part of the Music at Southampton: Sustainable Treasures concert series. In October, he performed with the American Opera Projects in their annual Composers & the Voice: Six Scenes, singing leading roles in Paul’s Case by Gregory Spears, Love/Hate by Jack Perla, and Antinuous and Handrian by Clint Borzoni. In November, he sang the role of Mr. Bennett in Séance on a Wet Afternoon with composer Stephen Schwartz, soprano Lauren Flanigan, and the American Opera Projects at the Angel Orensanz Center in Manhattan and & the South Oxford Space in Brooklyn. He began the new year in Israel singing Ferrando in Mozart’s opera Cosi fan tutte with the New Israeli Opera and the New Haifa Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Ori Leshman and the direction of Niv Hoffman.

At the beginning of the 2007-2008 season, Tommy returned to Tel Aviv to sing the title role in the Israeli premiere of Alexander von Zemlinsky’s tragic one act opera Der Zwerg, under the baton of Maestro Nadler and the direction of internationally acclaimed opera director David Drisin. Then he returned to sing with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Yuletide Celebration, hosted by Sandi Patty and the African Children’s Choir. Beginning in January, Tommy performed in several new operas, singing the role of the Hunger Artist in Jeff Myers new opera The Hunger Art with the American Lyric Theatre, and the role of Stevie in Michael Dellaira’s new opera The Secret Agent. Then in the spring, he sang the role of Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte as a guest artist at the University of Memphis with Maestro Mark Ensley and director Ted Christopher.

The 2006-2007 season began when Tommy was invited back to Tel Aviv to sing the role of Reverend Parris in the Israeli premiere of The Crucible, as well as perform excerpts from L’amico Fritz (Mascagni), Don Giovanni and Die Zauberflöte (Mozart), and Les Pêcheurs de Perles (Bizet) in several concerts with Maestro Nadler. He also performed the world premiere of Three Rounds on the Hill of Winter by John Turner, the first of a cycle of songs set to the poetry of Native American writer Duane Niatum. The conflict with Hizbollah began a few days after his arrival, but no rockets fell in Tel Aviv, making it possible for him and the many talented artists there to continue their work of bringing beautiful music to the public. He returned to Tulsa Opera in the fall to sing the roles of the Lamplighter and the Drunkard in Rachel Portman’s new opera The Little Prince with Maestra Carol Crawford at Tulsa Opera. Then, he celebrated the Christmas holiday with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in their famous Yuletide Celebration. in the spring he performed in the successful run of a new Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra production entitled Sandi Patty on Broadway, with Maestro Jack Everly, director David Levy, and of course the lovely Sandi Patty. Tommy ended the season as a featured artist in The Guys and Dolls of Broadway with the Westfield Symphony Orchestra under the baton of David Wroe.

The 2005-2006 featured his debut singing Martin in Copland’s Tenderland at the prestigious International Vocal Arts Institute in Israel. While in Tel Aviv, he was also featured in several concerts including the Orchestra at the Pisga Park in Jaffa and in the final Gala Concert singing the famous duet from Les Pêcheurs de Perles with the New Israeli Chamber Orchestra, under the baton of Paul Nadler. He was also featured in a concert of American musical theatre where he delivered a show-stopping rendition of “Gethsemene” from Jesus Christ Superstar. He returned to Tulsa Opera for their fall performances of Gounod’s Faust, then he sang the role of Alfred in Die Fledermaus (J. Strauss) with Opera in the Heights, was a featured artist in a holiday concert at the Donnell Library in New York City, and he returned to performed the Evangelist and arias in the Bach Christmas Oratorio with the New York Choral Symphony Society under the baton of Maestro David Labovitz at St. Stephen’s Church in Manhattan. He finished the season back at Tulsa Opera, singing the roles of the Officer in Ariadne Auf Naxos (R. Strauss) and Don Basilio in Le Nozze di Figaro (Mozart) in the Spring.

The 2004-2005 began with a concert of popular opera selections at the Donnell Library in Manhattan, then he sang the Evangelist and a number of arias in the Bach Christmas Oratorio with the New York Choral Symphony Society, and sang in the New York Philharmonic’s New Year’s Eve performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony as a member of the New York Choral Artists under the baton of Maestro Kurt Masur. In January, Tommy made his operatic debut with the Tulsa Opera as Ernesto in Don Pasquale (Donizetti) as a member of their studio artist program, and he was the offstage soloist in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, and he covered the role of Beppe in Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci. In the Spring of he joined the Young Artist program at Des Moines Metro Opera, where he covered the role of the Earl of Essex in Britten’s Gloriana.

In 2003-2004, Tommy was a featured artist on the Italian cruise ship Costa Atlantica. The increasing demand for his thrilling vocal abilities prompted the cruse line to invite him to develop additional shows featuring his rarely diverse talents in Broadway, pop, jazz and opera.

Musically sound, he enjoys exploring the contemporary music repertoire, and has performed works such as Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, Villa-Lobos’ Suite for Voice and Violin, Stravinsky’s Mass, Blacher’s Abstrakt Oper No. 1, Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, Barber’s A Hand of Bridge, and Argento’s Postcards from Morocco.

This young tenor’s talent has been singled out by the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions where he was named a regional finalist, and he was a state and region winner of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Vocal Competition, and an encouragement award from the Girda Lissner Foundation.

Other Musical theatre credits include the Balladeer in Assassins (Sondheim), Tommy in Tommy, Tom in Babes in Toyland, Nathan Rothschild in The Rothschild’s, John Astor in Titanic (Yeston), the Professor in South Pacific, and Joseph Buquet in Yeston’s Phantom at Gateway Playhouse.