Goro: Brad Bickhardt

Praised for his “healthy and soaring tenor voice” (Herald Times), and “brilliant physical grace, timing, and precision” (Broadway World), Korean-American tenor Brad Bickhardt is vibrant and versatile in both opera and musical theatre. His 2024 season brought role debuts as Don Ottavio with Arizona Opera, as well as creating the role of Felix in the world premiere of Greg Kallor’s Frankenstein. He also appeared as Tybalt in a new production of Roméo et Juliette directed by Patricia Racette. Mr. Bickhardt made a company debut with Opera Theatre of St. Louis as A Priest in Philip Glass’ Galileo Galilei, directed by James Robinson, a company he returned to in 2025. Mr. Bickhardt has appeared as a soloist in concert, having sung Schubert’s Mass in G, Mozart’s Missa Brevis in Bb,the Beethoven Choral Fantasy, and The Messiah with The Phoenix Symphony. Notable awards include being named a District Winner (Wisconsin) for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, an Encouragement Award from the Central Region of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Third Place for the “Men in Opera (College Division)” with The American Prize, as well as the Shirley-Rabb Winston Award from the Society of Arts and Letters.

Mr. Bickhardt is proudly an alumnus of the young artist programs of The Marion Roose Pullin Studio at Arizona Opera, The Gerdine Young Artist Program at Opera Theatre of St. Louis, The Glimmerglass Festival, Tri Cities Opera, Opera Naples, Wolf Trap Opera, Opera Saratoga, and Charlottesville Opera in addition to receiving his Bachelor and Master degrees in Vocal Performance from Indiana University. With versatile proficiency in multiple areas of the performing arts, Mr. Bickhardt served as an Associate Instructor of Voice at Indiana University during his graduate studies in which his students were cast in principal roles with IU Theatre and IU Opera Theater. He has also received training in stage combat and is proficient in hand to hand combat, bo staff, dagger, and bullwhip.