Eric Halfvarson

American bass opera singer

Eric Halfvarson (born December 1, 1951 in Aurora, Illinois) is an American operatic basso. He made his professional debut in 1973 with the Lake George Opera (now the Opera Saratoga) as Don Basilio in The Barber of Seville. Since then he has specialized in the repertoire for the basso profundo, singing such roles as the Grand Inquisitor in Don Carlos, Sarastro in The Magic Flute, Baron Ochs in Der Rosenkavalier and, in the Wagner repertoire, Heinrich (Lohengrin), Hagen (Götterdämmerung) and Hunding (Die Walküre) as well as Claggart in Billy Budd. He has sung in many theaters including The Lyric Opera of Chicago, Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, La Fenice, Teatro alla Scala Milano, Wiener Staatsoper, Deutsche Oper and has taken part in the Bayreuth Festival.