A bass-baritone singer whom The New Yorker declared is “changing what it means to be a classical singer,” Davóne Tines and his powerful voice first made waves leading operas by Kaija Saariaho (Only the Sound Remains), Matthew Aucoin (Crossing), and Terence Blanchard (Fire Shut Up in My Bones). But the Harvard and Juilliard graduate—who sang some of his first notes with his Baptist church choir in Virginia—really started turning heads with carefully curated, avant-garde recitals such as "Recital No. 1: MASS," a deeply personal statement that finds a throughline between Bach and the Agnus Dei. Whether in conventional roles at opera houses or with his own works that push the boundaries of what we consider “classical,” Tines has undoubtedly established himself as one of the most exciting singers of his generation. For his performance in the Matthews Theater, Tines is accompanied by the Afro-Dominican pianist John Bitoy, who’s performed with both symphonies and Sigur Rós.
