This user has not added any information to their profile yet.
Sam Carl is a rising bass-baritone whose rich, resonant voice and commanding stage presence are drawing increasing attention across European and American stages. Admired for his vocal precision, magnetic stagecraft, and commitment to character, he is steadily emerging as a compelling interpreter of more dramatic repertoire.
This season, Sam makes his role debut as Claggart in a revival of Billy Budd at the Glyndebourne Festival under Nicholas Carter. He also debuts at Detroit Opera as The Commander in a new production of The Handmaid’s Tale, and returns to Opera Vlaanderen as Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor, to Dutch National Opera as Angelotti in Barrie Kosky’s Tosca, and to Theater Basel as Banquo in a new production of Macbeth directed by Herbert Fritsch.
In the 2024/25 season, he returned to Dutch National Opera for two new productions: as Hobson in Peter Grimes, directed by Barbora Horáková and conducted by Lorenzo Viotti, and as Der Geisterbote in Katie Mitchell’s staging of Die Frau ohne Schatten, conducted by Marc Albrecht. He also returned to the Bayerische Staatsoper as Astradamors in Le Grand Macabre, made his role debut as Alidoro in La Cenerentola at the Opéra national de Lorraine (also touring to Caen, Reims and Luxembourg), and debuted as Timur in Christof Loy’s new production of Turandot at Theater Basel. His US debut followed soon after in the role of Nick Shadow in The Rake’s Progress for Des Moines Metro Opera.
Other recent highlights include his debut at the Bayeriche Staatsoper as Panthée in a new production of Les Troyens, returning as Astradamors in a new production of Le Grand Macabre; also he returned to Dutch National Opera in Il trittico (La Talpa/Betto di Signa) and Königskinder (Der Holzhacker); debuts at the Gran Teatre del Liceu as Prince Gremin in Eugene Onegin and multiple appearances at the Glyndebourne Festival, including Leporello in Don Giovanni, Achilla in Giulio Cesare, and Nick Shadow in The Rake’s Progress. He has also appeared at Opera Vlaanderen as Mephistopheles in Schumann's Szenen aus Goethes Faust, and at the Staatstheater Darmstadt as Colline in La bohème and in the title role of Don Quichotte.
Born in London to American-British parents and now based in Amsterdam, Sam began his career as a member of the Dutch National Opera Studio. He was a Jerwood Young Artist at the Glyndebourne Festival and an Equilibrium Young Artist.
Biography not for publication, for an up to date version please contact Oliver Clarke.
"His antagonist is a fruitily-voiced Sam Carl as Nick Shadow. Carl alternates a feathery and ghostly head voice, like something out of Schubert’s “Erlkönig.” He has an inky lower register, that is pungent, indulgent, and more than a little portentous. His top notes, especially in the graveyard scene, were dark and bronzed. It is a stylish and slithering rendition.” – Operawire
"Sam Carl also received the audience's approval; adding Zaretsky to Prince Gremin and confidently handled the almost two octaves of tessitura of his famous Act III aria.” – El Pais
"Sam Carl entertains and beguiles with, not only a wonderfully rich, full-voiced Bass-Baritone, but also conducts himself with the mannerisms of a silent movie actor, effortlessly providing much needed comedic interactions throughout the performance as well as injecting almost palpable emotions of horror, fear, and wretchedness at key moments. On this outing, he stole the show.” – Operawire
"The vocal cast had outstanding soloists, Sam Carl performed in an exemplary way a Gremin (and also as Zarestky), with emphatic bass and rich harmonics.” – ARA
"The best of the voices this time came from the hands of the supporting cast: a splendid Sam Carl as Gremin who exhibited a sonorous and resounding instrument, ideal for this part, embroidering his demanding aria 'Lyubvi vsye vozrasti pokorni'. Without a doubt, a singer to follow.” – Platea Magazine
"Sam Carl – a mackintosh clad Leporello – inhabits his role as put-upon servant and reluctant co-conspirator with ease. He brings plenty of assurance and gusto to his ‘Catalogue’ aria and makes a persuasive job later of his impersonation of the Don. He captivates with the authority of his performance, and there’s no lack of chemistry with his master.” – Opera Today
"…and a star turn from Sam Carl’s saturnine Nick Shadow” – The Stage
"Sam Carl is an urbane Nick Shadow, unleashing infernal power...” – Financial Times
"The aforementioned wingman, the visitor from below disguised as factotum Nick Shadow – a demonic Figaro – was sung convincingly by bass-baritone Sam Carl, in excellent voice – forceful at the top, cavernous at the bottom." – Bachtrack
"The Holzhacker, sung by Sam Carl with his his sonorous, warmly timbered bass-baritone...not only sounded beautiful, but was extremely joyful to play..." – Das Opernglas
"Obvious is the vocal health of Sam Carl - the deep emission, the full-bodied voice, long, imposes itself by its gravity (Mors stupebit), its authority, its sweetness and cantabile in the arioso of Confutatis. A name to remember." – Forum Opera
"The resonant bass-baritone Sam Carl made a delightfully devilish Nick Shadow, persuasive and sinister in equal measure. His presence filling the auditorium." – Opera Magazine
"True to form, Stravinsky gives most humanity to the Devil, and Sam Carl sauntered away with the part of Nick Shadow — poised, droll and radiating plausibility, whether cajoling his way around Stravinsky’s mock-baroque courtesies, or using his sulphurous bass-baritone to drain all remaining light from the (genuinely chilling) graveyard scene." – The Spectator
"But the show is stolen by Sam Carl's Nick Shadow. Carl looks and sounds truly devilish (a compliment!), and his sardonically charismatic stage presence is the best I have seen in the role. The young man will go far.” –Daily Mail
"...he is outshone by the forceful presence and comic phrasing of Sam Carl’s Nick Shadow, the devil incarnate and Tom’s strikingly oleaginous tour guide to the London fleshpots..” – The Times
"Sam Carl sounds supreme in the powerful bass-baritone moments - could this be a Wotan in the making? - but has also mastered the art of sinister confidentiality.” – The Art’s Desk
"...the demonic Nick Shadow, realised in a witty yet alarmingly sinister performance from Sam Carl” – The Stage
"...aided and abetted by the utterly brilliant Sam Carl as a sonorous and perfectly cast Leporello. (Catch him as Nick Shadow in the Glyndebourne Touring production of The Rake’s Progress this autumn. Believe me, this is a world-class voice and a first-rate actor!)” – The Express
"Sam Carl's presentation of the bewitched bottom was masterly: sonorous and sincere, this was a Bottom we could truly believe in.” – Opera Magazine
"But it is Sam Carl, as Mephistopheles, who rightly receives the loudest applause.” – De Standard
"The bass-baritone Sam Carl with his perfidiously haunting and alluring, manipulative timbre drives the lemurs together as Mephistopheles.” – Frankfurter Allgemeine
"Conducted by Philippe Herreweghe, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra presents a complex and intense work, which allows us to discover superb voices... Sam Carl is striking as Mephistopheles.” – Toute la Culture
No recordings found.
Copyright © 2025 Owl Artist Management. All rights reserved.
Web Development By Intelidevs Digital Agency
