Praised for his "rich, powerful voice" and "bravura-filled stage presence," Neal Ferreira is a nationally recognized lyric tenor with a handsome, masculine tone quality to which he brings a cultivated vocalism and eloquent expression. Performing professionally for two decades in opera and oratorio, the tenor was the recipient of the 2012-13 Artist of the Year Award from Syracuse Opera. He has also appeared with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Florida Grand Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, Virginia Opera, Opera Colorado, American Repertory Theatre, Handel & Haydn Society, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Odyssey Opera, Emmanuel Music, and Guerilla Opera.
Contact Neal at nealferreira@gmail.com
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"Ferreira's rich, supple tenor was perfect...”
~Opera News
"a firm yet sweet tenor."
~The Boston Globe
"sang ... with an otherwordly character that befit
the voice of God.”
~Wall Street Journal
"the standout was Neal Ferreira ... Handsome and slim, he has a clear, sweet standard-order tenor voice..."
~Berkshire Fine Arts
Doctor | The Voyage of Edgar Allen Poe Odyssey Opera |
*2024 |
Loud Stone | Eurydice Boston Lyric Opera |
*2024 |
Foreman | Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk Boston Symphony Orchestra |
*2024 |
Flavio | Norma Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra |
*2024 |
Auctioneer/Taylor | Omar Boston Lyric Opera |
2023 |
Ring Announcer | Champion Boston Lyric Opera |
2022 |
Ein Soldat | Wozzeck Boston Symphony Orchestra |
2022 |
Laertes | Hamlet (Summer) State Opera Ruse, Bulgaria |
2021 |
Macheath | The Beggar's Opera (Britten) Emmanuel Music |
2019 |
Tamino | The Magic Flute Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra |
2019 |
Mr. Sengupta/ Khattam-Shud |
Haroun and the Sea of Stories Boston Modern Orchestra Project |
2019 |
Master Turner | Brother Nat Asim Team Productions |
2018 |
Parpignol | La bohème Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood |
2018 |
Jazz Trio Tenor | Trouble in Tahiti Boston Lyric Opera |
2018 |
Le Remendado | Carmen Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra |
2018 |
Giovanni d'Aire | L'assedio di Calais Odyssey Opera |
2017 |
Jack | The Importance of Being Earnest Odyssey Opera |
2017 |
Tierhändler | Der Rosenkavalier Boston Symphony Orchestra |
2016 |
Pritschtisch | The Merry Widow Boston Lyric Opera |
2016 |
Alan | The Tenor's Suite The Shakespeare Concerts |
2016 |
Roderigo | Otello Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra |
2016 |
The Visitor | In the Penal Colony Boston Lyric Opera |
2015 |
Ferdinand | The Tempest The Shakespeare Concerts |
2015 |
Giudice/ Servitore di Amelia |
Un ballo in maschera Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra |
2015 |
Alfred | Die Fledermaus Syracuse Opera |
2014 |
Charlie Gould (Orlofsky) | The Polar Bat (Die Fledermaus) Anchorage Opera |
2014 |
Spoletta | Tosca Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra |
2014 |
Monostatos | The Magic Flute Boston Lyric Opera |
2013 |
Basilio/Curzio | Le nozze di Figaro Syracuse Opera |
2013 |
Traveler | Clemency Boston Lyric Opera |
2013 |
Borsa | Rigoletto Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra |
2013 |
Dr. Blind | Die Fledermaus Virginia Opera |
2012 |
Tancredi | The Inspector Boston Lyric Opera |
2012 |
Bardolfo | Falstaff Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra |
2012 |
Goro | Madama Butterfly Opera on the James |
2011 |
Sheldon Segal | Later The Same Evening The Glimmerglass Festival |
2011 |
Charlie Davenport (cover) | Annie Get Your Gun The Glimmerglass Festival |
2011 |
Snout | A Midsummer Night's Dream Boston Lyric Opera |
2011 |
Spalanzani/Andres | Les contes d'Hoffman Florida Grand Opera |
2011 |
Spoletta | Tosca Boston Lyric Opera |
2010 |
Gran Sacerdote | Idomeneo, re di Creta Boston Lyric Opera |
2010 |
Tanzmeister/Brighella (cover) | Ariadne auf Naxos Boston Lyric Opera |
2010 |
Ein Offizier | Ariadne auf Naxos Boston Lyric Opera |
2010 |
Spalanzani/Andres | Les contes d’Hoffmann Opera Colorado |
2009 |
Monostatos | The Magic Flute Boston Lyric Opera for Young Audiences |
2009 |
Spalanzani/Andres | Les contes d’Hoffmann Boston Lyric Opera |
2008 |
Assistant | Heart of a Dog Guerilla Opera |
2007 |
Requiem, W.A. Mozart Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, New World Chorale |
2023 |
Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, W.A. Mozart Salisbury Singers |
2021 |
Te Deum, Anton Bruckner Commonwealth Chorale |
2020 |
Opera and Broadway's Greatest Hits Symphony New Hampshire |
2019 |
The Spectre's Bride, Antonín Dvořák Harvard Summer Chorus |
2019 |
Symphony No. 9, Ludwig van Beethoven Wellesley Symphony Orchestra |
2019 |
Messiah, G.F. Handel Assabet Valley Mastersingers |
2017 |
Lobgesang, Felix Mendelssohn Chorus North Shore |
2017 |
Summer's Distillation, Joseph Summer The Shakespeare Concerts |
2017 |
Requiem, W.A. Mozart Chorus North Shore |
2016 |
Petite Messe Solennelle, Gioacchino Rossini Emmanuel Music |
2015 |
Around the World in Eighty Minutes Boston Lyric Opera and Boston Landmarks Orchestra |
2012 |
Carmina Burana, Carl Orff Syracuse Opera |
2012 |
King David, Arthur Honegger Newburyport Choral Society |
2011 |
Christmas Oratorio, Camille Saint-Saëns Newburyport Choral Society |
2010 |
Mass No. 2 in G Major, Franz Shubert Newburyport Choral Society |
2010 |
Carmina Burana, Carl Orff Newburyport Choral Society |
2009 |
Mass in B minor, J.S. Bach Newburyport Choral Society |
2009 |
The Creation, Joseph Haydn First Religious Society, Newburyport, MA |
2008 |
Magnificat, J.S. Bach First Religious Society, Newburyport, MA |
2007 |
Stabat Mater, Antonin Dvořak First Religious Society, Newburyport, MA |
2007 |
Praised for his "rich, powerful voice" and "bravura-filled stage presence," Neal Ferreira is a nationally recognized lyric tenor with a handsome, masculine tone quality to which he brings a cultivated vocalism and eloquent expression. Dubbed a “Boston mainstay” by the Boston Globe, he recently appeared with Boston Lyric Opera as Auctioneer/Taylor in the New England premiere of Rhiannon Giddens’ and Michael Abels’ Pulitzer Prize winning opera, Omar. The tenor regularly appears with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and returns in 2024 for performances of Lady MacBeth of Mtsensk at Symphony Hall and Carnegie Hall, under the baton of Maestro Andris Nelsons.
Ferreira’s 2023-24 engagements include the role of Flavio in Norma with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, as well as a return to Boston Lyric Opera as Loud Stone in Matthew Aucoin’s Eurydice, conducted by the composer. In spring 2024, he will sing the Doctor in Dominick Argento’s The Voyage of Edgar Allen Poe with Odyssey Opera.
A much sought-after interpreter of new music, Mr. Ferreira made his European debut in 2021, creating the role of Leartes in the world premiere of Joseph Summer's operatic Hamlet with State Opera Rousse, Bulgaria. His successful performance as the Visitor in Boston Lyric Opera’s production of Philip Glass’ In the Penal Colony was called “poignant” by the Wall Street Journal and “perfect” by Opera News. The tenor can be heard on the premiere recordings of numerous operas, including Charles Wuorinen’s Haroun and the Sea of Stories (BMOP/Sound), James MacMillan’s Clemency (BIS), Joseph Summer’s The Tempest (Albany), and Mario Castenuovo Tedesco’s The Importance of Being Earnest (Odyssey Opera).
Among his 2020-21 performances cancelled due to the pandemic were engagements with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Odyssey Opera, Symphony New Hampshire, the Orchestra of Indian Hill, the Salisbury Singers, the Commonwealth Chorale, and Chorus North Shore (MA). In the 2019-20 season, Ferreira starred in multiple leading roles, including Tamino in The Magic Flute with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Hall, as well as Macheath in Benjamin Britten's version of The Beggar's Opera with Emmanuel Music.
Mr. Ferreira made his Tanglewood debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the summer of 2018 in a concert performance of La bohème under the baton of Maestro Andris Nelsons. He first performed with the BSO in the 2016-17 season as Ein Tierhändler in Der Rosenkavalier with Renée Fleming and Susan Graham. In October 2018, Ferreira created the role of Master Turner in the world premiere of Brother Nat, a new opera based on Nat Turner’s historic slave insurrection of 1831, with book/lyrics by Jabari Asim and Liana Asim and music by Damien Sneed and Allyssa Jones. Later that season he returned to Odyssey Opera singing the role of Giovanni D’Aire in Donizetti’s rarely heard L’assedio di Calais.
The tenor received the 2013 Artist of the Year Award from Syracuse Opera, where he last performed the role of Alfred in Die Fledermaus to much acclaim. He was also awarded the 2009 Stephen Shrestinian Award for Excellence from Boston Lyric Opera, with whom he has performed numerous roles over the last fifteen seasons, including Tancredi in John Musto's The Inspector, Monostatos in The Magic Flute, the Gran Sacerdote in Mozart’s Idomeneo, re di Creta, and Snout in A Midsummer Night's Dream, to name a few.
Mr. Ferreira made his Opera Colorado debut performing Spalanzani and Andres in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, roles he first performed with Boston Lyric Opera under the direction of Maestro Keith Lockhart and reprised with the Florida Grand Opera. Other appearances have included Sheldon Segal in Later the Same Evening and Charlie Davenport (cover) in Annie Get Your Gun with Deborah Voigt at the Glimmerglass Festival.
As an oratorio soloist, Mr. Ferreira has performed the role of Uriel in Haydn’s The Creation, as well as noted performances in Orff’s Carmina Burana, Dvořák's The Spectre's Bride and Stabat Mater, Bach’s Mass in B minor and Magnificat, Mozart’s Requiem, and Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle throughout the New England area. He is a regular guest soloist at his alma mater, Providence College, where he most recently appeared in Handel’s Messiah and Dubois’ Seven Last Words of Christ with the Providence College Orchestra and Chorus.
Mr. Ferreira is a student of the world-renowned tenor, Frank Lopardo. He holds a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from New England Conservatory, graduating with Academic Honors in 2005. There he studied with international opera singer Patricia Craig, and he sang the role of Tamino in The Magic Flute as part of New England Conservatory Outreach Opera’s inaugural production.
As a recipient of the Roberts Music Scholarship for musical aptitude and achievement, Ferreira completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Providence College in 2002, graduating cum laude. While at Providence College, he studied voice with David Harper and appeared in many stage productions with both the Music and Theater Departments. The tenor has returned several times as a guest artist to perform in recital as well as teach masterclasses to undergraduate students.
In addition to performing, Ferreira is an avid voice pedagogue and has served as an Assistant Professor of Voice at Berklee College of Music since 2021.