Bass-Baritone Philip Skinner

American bass-baritone Philip Skinner has established himself as a highly versatile artist, both dramatically and vocally. He has enjoyed critical successes in roles ranging from the standard bass repertoire such as King PhiIip in Don Carlo to dramatic baritone roles including the Dutchman in The Flying Dutchman and Scarpia in Tosca. Mr. Skinner has performed extensively throughout North America with prestigious companies including San Francisco Opera, The Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Los Angeles Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Washington National Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, Atlanta Opera, and San Diego Opera as well as international engagements with opera companies and symphony orchestras in Italy, France, Germany, Israel, Norway, and Australia.

The 2025-2026 season includes the Doctor in Wozzeck with West Edge Opera, a cover of the Priest in Innocence with The Metropolitan Opera, and return engagements with San Francisco Opera for their productions of Dead Man Walking (singing Prison Guard 2 and covering Owen Hart) and Parsifal (Klingsor cover).

During the 2024-2025 season, Skinner performed the bass solos in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 at Carnegie Hall and returned to San Francisco Opera for their productions of Tristan und Isolde and Innocence. He also performed the roles of Wotan/Gunther in West Edge Opera‘s The Legend of The Ring, as well as singing in Opera San Jose’s productions of Rigoletto (Monterone), The Magic Flute (Speaker), La bohème (Benoit/Alcindoro).

Mr. Skinner has enjoyed a long association with San Francisco Opera, with over 400 performances in more than 60 productions. In the Fall of 2022, he was awarded the San Francisco Opera Medal by the company to commemorate a long and successful association.

Skinner’s engagements with The Metropolitan Opera have included the Marquis de la Force in Dialogues of the Carmelites and covers of Klingsor in Parsifal, Wotan in Das Rheingold and Die Walküre, and Dansker in Billy Budd. The artist has also performed with Houston Grand Opera in the roles of Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro and the Villains in Les contes d’Hoffmann.

Additional professional highlights for the artist include Lepidus in the world premiere of John Adam’s Antony and Cleopatra, Nikitisch in Boris Godunov with the San Francisco Symphony, the King in Aida with the Pacific Symphony, Eric Gold/Ghost of Bazzetti in the West Coast premiere of Heggie’s Great Scott with San Diego Opera, covers of Wotan in Seattle Opera’s Ring Cycle, Crespel and Luther in Les Contes D’Hoffmann with Opera Colorado and Florida Grand Opera, Speaker in Die Zauberflöte and Escamillo in Carmen with Seattle Opera, Ratcliffe in Billy Budd with Pittsburgh Opera, Abimilech in Samson et Dalila with San Diego Opera, Jochanaan in Salome, Timur in Turandot, Banquo in Macbeth and Ferrando in Il trovatore with Atlanta Opera, Theseus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Teatro di San Carlo, Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Washington National Opera and Minnesota Opera, King Filippo in Don Carlo with Portland Opera, Colline in La bohème, and Ferrando in Il trovatore with Dallas Opera.

Equally prolific in the concert hall, Mr. Skinner has performed the Verdi Requiem at Carnegie Hall with the Masterworks Chorale and in Europe with the Budapest Symphony Orchestra. He also sang Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 at the Hollywood Bowl and with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with Kent Nagano and the Berkeley Symphony, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass at the Spoleto Festival in Italy, and Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, and Haydn’s Creation with the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, Minnesota Orchestra, and others.

Skinner was a Schwabacher Debut Recitalist and former Adler Fellow with San Francisco Opera. A graduate of Northwestern University, he received his master’s degree and the prestigious Performer’s Certificate from Indiana University.