Mr. Curtis Rayam, Jr., the American tenor, serves as an Assistant Professor of Music/Voice/Opera at Bethune-Cookman University. His professional debut began with the Miami Opera in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut. He has appeared in Dallas, Houston and Jackson Opera/South and established a national reputation with the Houston Grand Opera in the role of Remus in Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha, which was recorded on Deutsche Grammophon. His European debut started at the Wexford Festival in Giovanna d'Arco by Verdi, returning as the Sultan in Mozart's Zaide and as Wilhelm Meister in Thomas' Mignon. Mr. Rayam’s previous experience includes performance at the Baldwin-Wallace College Bach Festival, appearance as an Olympion at the USA premiere of Tippett's The Ice Break conducted by Sarah Caldwell in Boston and as Massenet's Werther in Amsterdam. He rose to international prominence, when he substituted for the ailing Luciano Pavorotti and sang the title role of Idomeneo to critical acclaim and was further engaged at Salzburg, Paris, Frankfurt and Venice; La Scala in George Frideric Handel's Alcina, returning as Orcane in Fetonte by Jommelli; Spoleto as Creon in Traetta's Antigone. He performed in Berlioz’ The Damnation of Faust with the Philadelphia Opera for PBS. His other roles include Rossini's Otello and Cleomene (L'Assedio di Corinto), Mozart's Idomeneo, Belmonte and Mitridate, Irus in Il Ritorno di Ulisse, Nemorino and Puccini's Pinkerton and Rodoldo.
Mr. Rayam has extensively performed in the U.S., Germany, Austria, France, Israel, Vienna, and South Africa with major opera companies and symphony orchestras and continues to perform in the U.S. and abroad. His recordings include: Treemonisha by Scott Joplin (Deutsche Grammophon); Da-ud in Die Aegyptische Helena by R. Strauss (Decca); G.F. Handel’s Rodelinda (on Decca label) with Dame Joan Sutherland.
Mr. Rayam holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Miami, has conducted further studies at Fontainbleau with Nadia Boulanger, and has completed nine graduate credits in music education from Rollins College.
