American lyric tenor Matthew Newlin is one of the most versatile tenors of his generation and inspires audiences in a wide range of roles from baroque operas to contemporary pieces. In the current season, he can be heard as Don José (Carmen) and Tamino (Die Zauberflöte) at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, with his role and house debut as Vova in Kirill Serebrennikov’s new production of Schnittke’s Life with an Idiot at the Zurich Opera, as Narraboth in the new production of Salome at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, with his house debut at La Monnaie in Brussels in the Monteverdi project I Grotteschi, as well as in Christian Spuck’s Winterreise at the Staatsballett Berlin. 

Matthew Newlin has been a member of the Deutsche Oper Berlin ensemble from the 2013/14 to the 2023/24 season, where he has sung roles such as Tamino, Don José, Belmonte (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Conte Almaviva (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Alfredo (La traviata), Lensky (Eugene Onegin), Andres (Wozzeck), Prunier (La rondine), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Italian Singer (Der Rosenkavalier), Arturo (Lucia di Lammermoor), Pong (Turandot), Helmsman (Der fliegende Holländer), God’s Fool (Boris Godunov) and Cassio in Verdi’s Otello, among others.

In addition to his engagements at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Matthew Newlin has already appeared at many major opera houses and festivals. Recent highlights include his debut with the title role in Leonard Bernstein’s Candide at the Theater an der Wien, his debut at the Bayreuth Festival 2024 as Steuermann among others, his highly successful role and house debut as Matteo in Christof Loy’s new production of Richard Strauss’ Arabella at the Teatro Real in Madrid, Jupiter/Apollo in Handel’s Semele at the Komische Oper Berlin and the title role in Joachim Raff’s Samson at the Nationaltheater Weimar. Further guest appearances have taken him to the Leipzig Opera as Tamino, to the Opéra national de Paris as Pong in the new production of Turandot under the direction of Gustavo Dudamel and as Andres in Wozzeck, to the Staatsoper Berlin as Conte Almaviva and to the Grand Théâtre de Genève and the Opéra Royal de Versailles with the title role in Lully’s Atys, and to the Semperoper Dresden as Belmonte, as Froh (Das Rheingold) at the Opéra national de Paris and at the Munich Opera Festival, as Pong at the Bavarian State Opera, with the Omroep Muziek in Judith Weir’s Blonde Eckbert at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, as Léopold in Halévy’s La Juive at the Hanover State Opera, as Alfredo at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein and at the Theater Basel as Tom Rakewell (The Rake’s Progress). He has appeared several times at the Festival d’ Opéra Baroque & Romantique de Beaune and the Festival Musical de Namur. His collaboration with Leonardo García Alarcón at these festivals has resulted in several CD recordings. He has also been a guest at the Dutch National Opera Amsterdam, the Atlanta Opera, the Stadtheater Klagenfurt, the Wexford Opera Festival, the Theater Magdeburg, the Buxton International Festival, the Florida Grand Opera, the Santa Fe Opera and others.

Equally comfortable in concert and recital, Matthew was guest at the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and Bach’s Magnificat, and he also sang in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra at the Quincena Musical San Sebastián and the Festival Internacional Santander. He has appeared under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas with both the San Francisco Symphony and New World Symphony in performances of Stravinsky’s Pulcinella and Beethoven’s Fidelio. Other concert appearances include performances of Verdi’s Requiem, Handel’s Messiah and Solomon, Mozart’s Requiem, Vaughan Williams’ On Wenlock Edge, and Janáček’s The Diary of One Who Disappeared, both in Czech and his own English translation.

In competition, Matthew was awarded the Opera Prize at the International Vocal Competition ‘s- Hertogenbosch in 2014. In 2013 he placed 2nd at the Marcello Giordani Foundation International Vocal Competition, 3rd at both The Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation Competition and Young Patronesses of the Opera Competition. He is the winner of the 2012 Opera Birmingham Competition, the 2011 American Opera Society of Chicago’s Scholarship Competition, and the 3rd Place winner of 2012 The Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition Regional Finals.

Born in the village of Georgetown (Illinois) Matthew received his Bachelor of Music and Business Minor degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. He received his Masters Degree in Vocal Performance from the Chicago College of Performing Arts, where he also received an Artist Diploma in conjunction with two seasons in Chicago Opera Theater’s Young Artist Program.