BioGraphy
Dr. J. Adam Shelton is a lyric tenor based in Madison, WI. Hailed for his lyric sound and command of comedy, Dr. Shelton has performed with Madison Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Madison Savoyards, Music Theatre of Madison, Four Seasons, MidColumbia Mastersingers & Orchestra, La Musica Lirica, Arizona Opera, Knoxville Opera, and Opera For the Young. He served as the tenor studio artist in the inaugural year of the Madison Opera Studio Artist program performing in Un ballo in Maschera as “Il Giudice”, “Damon” in Acis and Galatea, and covering “Don Ottavio” in Don Giovanni. He also originated the role of “Prince Charming” for Opera for the Young’s adaptation of Massenet’s Cendrillion in English. He apprenticed two seasons with Des Moines Metro Opera where he performed “Elder Gleaton” in Susannah with composer, Carlisle Floyd, in attendance and “Rinuccio” in Gianni Schicchi for the one-act festival. He is a three-time recipient of the Ratcliffe award at the Southern Arizona Opera Guild's Quest for the Best competition as well as the grand prizewinner of the Amelia Reiman Opera Competition, and the second prizewinner at the Battle of the Tucson Tenors.
He has performed such roles as: “Frederic” in The Pirates of Penzance, “The Magician” in The Consul, “Ferrando” in Così fan tutte, “Lyric Tenor” in Argento’s Postcard from Morocco, the title role in Mascagni’s L’amico Fritz, “Leicester” in Maria Stuarda, and “Nemorino” in Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore. Audiences have also heard Dr. Shelton perform the tenor solos in oratorio and concert settings including: Handel’s Messiah, Handel’s Esther, Haydn’s The Creation, Britten’s St. Nicolas, and The Company of Heaven.
As a director, he has staged Die Fledermaus, Trial By Jury, PATTER! A G&S Gala Concert, Digital Pirates, and Opera Workshop at UW-Whitewater. He also assistant directed for Music Theatre of Madison's production of Murder Ballad and looks forward to directing a production for them post-pandemic in late 2021.
Dr. Shelton completed his doctorate at the University of Wisconsin where his dissertation, “The Singing Dream: A 21st Century Critical Edition of Tauberlieder”, explored the compositions of the great Austrian tenor, Richard Tauber. Additionally, Dr. Shelton teaches at the University of WI-Whitewater while maintaining his career as a performer. He has also completed all three levels of the Contemporary Commercial Music Vocal Pedagogy Institute at Shenandoah Conservatory where he received training in jazz styles, pop/rock vocals, musical theatre, country, and gospel.
He has performed such roles as: “Frederic” in The Pirates of Penzance, “The Magician” in The Consul, “Ferrando” in Così fan tutte, “Lyric Tenor” in Argento’s Postcard from Morocco, the title role in Mascagni’s L’amico Fritz, “Leicester” in Maria Stuarda, and “Nemorino” in Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore. Audiences have also heard Dr. Shelton perform the tenor solos in oratorio and concert settings including: Handel’s Messiah, Handel’s Esther, Haydn’s The Creation, Britten’s St. Nicolas, and The Company of Heaven.
As a director, he has staged Die Fledermaus, Trial By Jury, PATTER! A G&S Gala Concert, Digital Pirates, and Opera Workshop at UW-Whitewater. He also assistant directed for Music Theatre of Madison's production of Murder Ballad and looks forward to directing a production for them post-pandemic in late 2021.
Dr. Shelton completed his doctorate at the University of Wisconsin where his dissertation, “The Singing Dream: A 21st Century Critical Edition of Tauberlieder”, explored the compositions of the great Austrian tenor, Richard Tauber. Additionally, Dr. Shelton teaches at the University of WI-Whitewater while maintaining his career as a performer. He has also completed all three levels of the Contemporary Commercial Music Vocal Pedagogy Institute at Shenandoah Conservatory where he received training in jazz styles, pop/rock vocals, musical theatre, country, and gospel.