BIOGRAPHY
SKYLER SCHLENKER
BARITONE
Praised for his “big voice” and commanding stage presence, Skyler Schlenker is completing a Performers Diploma from the Jacobs School at Indiana University and has recently been seen as an emerging artist at Central City Opera, Opera Naples, and the Aspen Music Festival and School. He is an artist with an exceptional story from NCAA football to professional opera singing. Recently, he was seen as Count Pâris in Roméo et Julliette with Central City Opera, where he gathered praise for his performances and also covered the leading man of Fred Graham in Cole Porter’s Kiss Me Kate. He has also played several lead roles with Opera Naples, including Older Jim Thompson in Glory Denied, The Pirate King, and Ozzie in On The Town. In March 2023, he appeared as the father of Anne Frank in the world premiere of Anne Frank, a new opera by Pulitzer Prize winning composer Shulamit Ran with IU opera theater. He has performed leading roles from repertoire ranging from the contemporary, to Verdi and Puccini, and Sondheim and Cole Porter.
Skyler Schlenker is developing a fund to support his dream of pursuing an opera career full-time. The goal of pursuing a career in Europe is sought after by many young opera singers. Opera companies in Germany/Switzerland/Austria provide full-time “fest” contracts, making their singers government employees, and musical and cultural ambassadors. Pursuing a career in the arts can be a challenging endeavor, but is certainly possible with support of friends, family, sponsors, and grants. If you would like to support my journey, please make a donation to my fund via paypal through my website. The fund will support travel and housing accommodations, fees, and other expenses associated with auditioning in Europe.
Skyler was raised in the Upper Valley of New Hampshire and Vermont. He began studying music at 25 after playing NCAA football, competing in elite athletics in high school, and studying drama and psychology at Ithaca college. Before studying voice, he became a young artist at the Brevard Music Center’s Janiec Opera Company, and soon after played supporting and leading roles at the Aspen Music Festival and School as an opera fellow. Early in his development he performed the role of Jesus in Mark Adamo’s The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, with composer Mark Adamo directing, and the title role in Sweeney Todd, and has since sung Marcello and Ford in the Jacobs School of Music’s productions of La bohème and Falstaff in addition to many other roles in repertoire ranging from musical theater to grand opera, and contemporary opera.
Skyler holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder.