This season baritone Paul Soper makes his first appearance with The Shakespeare Concerts. In 1998 he debuted with Boston Lyric Opera, recently performing as the Imperial Commissioner in their 2006 production of Madame Butterfly. Paul has sung many roles with the Glimmerglass, Longwood, and Cambridge Chamber Opera companies, as well as Houston Grand Opera, Raylynmor Opera, and the New England Conservatory Opera Theater (where he received his Master of Music degree.) He is a graduate of the Boston University Opera Institute, where he performed in (amongst others) Midsummer Night's Dream. Paul won first place in the concerto competiton there; as well as receiving a fellowship and the C.D. Jackson Memorial Award at the Tanglewood Music Center.