Brett Sprague

American-German tenor Brett Sprague has emerged as a compelling and distinctive presence on the international stage, an artist whose work sits at the intersection of lyrical refinement and dramatic power. Praised for his fearless dramatic instinct, psychological depth, and extraordinary stamina, he is an artist who shapes characters from the inside out, brought to life with a rigorous textual intelligence that matches his vocal command. For Mr. Sprague, the stage knows no compromise. 

The 2026/2027 season marks his arrival on the international stage as a freelance artist, after several years of development in ensembles in Germany. His season begins with role debuts as Erik in Der fliegende Holländer and Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus at the Hessisches Staatstheater Kassel. He continues to expand his reach in Europe as the tenor soloist in Britten‘s War Requiem with Phil Zuid in the Netherlands and returns to the Luzerner Theater for a second new production as Erik. The watershed moment of the season is his debut as Siegfried in the new Siegfried production at Opéra de Monte Carlo. He also sings Britten‘s Serenade for Strings, Horn, and Tenor with Phil Zuid and the Lizst Faust symphony with the Biel Solothurn Symphony. Previous major guest artist credits include the title role in Les contes d‘Hoffmann at Semperoper Dresden, Peter Grimes at the Lucerne Festival/Luzerner Theater, Loge in Das Rheingold at the Croatian National Theater Rijeka, and Lord Barrat in Henze‘s Der junge Lord at Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz.

From 2024-2026, Mr. Sprague was in the ensemble at Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe, performing Mark in Ethel Smyth's The Wreckers under director Keith Warner. His subsequent roles included Lensky in Eugene Onegin and Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, among others. During his tenure at Theater Erfurt (2019–2024), Mr. Sprague portrayed the title roles in Peter Grimes, Les contes d’Hoffmann, and Weingartner‘s Orestes, as well as the roles of Loge in Das Rheingold and Ismaele in Nabucco, among others.

Since beginning his career in Europe in 2019, Mr. Sprague has expanded his reputation in both opera and concert repertoire. Recent concert highlights include Carmina Burana with orchestras such as the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Poland, Göteborgs Symfoniker, Tampere Filharmonia, Oslo Filharmonia, with an upcoming concert with the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, all led by Santtu-Matias Rouvali. He has also received acclaim for his performances of Verdi‘s Requiem, Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle, and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, as well as his recital work.

Prior to his European engagements, Mr. Sprague built a notable presence in American opera, premiering roles in contemporary works with Indianapolis Opera, Opera Colorado, and OnSite Opera New York, among others. His formative years included roles such as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Don José in Carmen, and resident artist engagements with Opera Colorado and Chautauqua Opera. Mr. Sprague holds a Master’s degree from Manhattan School of Music and a Bachelor’s from Chapman University. His accomplishments include awards from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Seattle Opera Guild, and the Joan Taub Ades Vocal Competition.