Tenor Blake Michaux headlines Guest Artist Recital at Mercyhurst

Mercyhurst University welcomes classically trained tenor Blake Michaux to its Guest Artist Recital on Saturday, March 18, at 3 p.m. in Walker Recital Hall. The free public performance will also be livestreamed.

Michaux, born and raised in Connellsville, began cultivating his voice during elementary school when, at age 11, he was invited to accompany a local dance company to Sydney, Australia, to sing in the Summer Olympics 2000.

During high school, he was encouraged to pursue opera and sang his first aria, "La Donna e Mobile," from the opera "Rigoletto" by G. Verdi. He later studied under Merle Stutzman, who helped develop his tenor sound before enrolling at Seton Hill University. From there, he studied with renowned opera singer Katerina Musetti, who cultivated his voice and grounded him in great technique.

In 2010, following a nationwide audition, Michaux studied in Italy through an opera program of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. He is now polishing his voice under the vocal direction of tenor Rob Chafin at West Virginia University.

Meanwhile, Dr. Nathan Hess, the Mary A. Spadafor Endowed Chair of Music at Mercyhurst, said Michaux will perform songs and arias by Schubert, Hogan, Donizetti, Rossini, and Verdi. Collaborating with him at the piano will be Lucas Barkley.