Mackenzie Whitney is gaining recognition nationwide for his expressive lyric tenor voice. Opera News has praised him for his “bright, warm tone, and his midrange” with “considerable power” and the New York Times hailed his “vibrant tenor.” This year, he made his Charlottesville Opera debut with his celebrated Rodolfo in La bohème. In the 2019-2020 season, he performed La bohème with Cleveland Opera Theater, La Traviata with Madison Opera, Roméo et Juliette with Knoxville Opera, and a holiday concert with the Madison Symphony. The 2018-2019 season saw the revival of his Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance with Intermountain Opera, Roméo in Roméo et Juliette with Pensacola Opera, joining the Great Falls Symphony in concert, and the Rapides Symphony Orchestra as Alfredo in La Traviata. In the 2017-2018 season, Mr. Whitney made debuts with San Diego Opera as Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance, Annapolis Opera as Alfredo in La Traviata, returned to Madison Opera as Arcadio in Florencia en el Amazonas, and joined the Glyndebourne Festival as the cover of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly. His 2016-2017 season saw debuts with Hawaii Opera Theatre as Rodolfo in La bohème, Opera on the James as the Duke in Rigoletto, Utah Opera as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, and Opera Maine as Alfredo in La Traviata. Engagements for the 2015-2016 season included Rodolfo in La bohème with Madison Opera, Avito in L’amore dei tre re and the title role in Werther at AVA, along with a company debut with Mill City Summer Opera as Anthony in Sweeney Todd and a return to Lakes Area Music Festival to debut the role of Lysander in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Additionally, he performed Rodolfo with both the Lakes Area Music Festival and the Academy of Vocal Arts, for which Philly.com reported “Mackenzie Whitney, who sang Rodolfo, has an appealing lyric tenor voice, his upper tones free and of lovely quality. This role suits him well both vocally and dramatically”. Mr. Whitney made his company debut with Des Moines Metro Opera in 2015 as Giovanni in Rappaccini’s Daughter. For this performance, Opera Today reported “young Mackenzie Whitney made a strong case for the infatuated lad with his pliable, impassioned tenor. Throughout the evening, Mr. Whitney revealed fine variety in his declamations, be they defiant, entranced, romantic or delusional, and his handsome figure lent credence to the story. His mezzo forte caressed some key phrases with creamy tone”. At AVA, Mr. Whitney performed Rodolfo (La bohème), the title role in Faust, Des Grieux (Manon) and Ferrando (Così fan tutte). Other roles performed include Tamino (The Magic Flute) Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni) and Alfred (Die Fledermaus). In addition, he was the tenor soloist in Handel’s Messiah, the Mozart Requiem, and the Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes. He was received the encouragement award in the Philadelphia District of the 2013 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and was granted an Encouragement Award from the Gerda Lissner Competition. He has participated in young artist programs at Opera New Jersey, Central City Opera, and Oberlin in Italy and holds an Artist Diploma from the Academy of Vocal Arts and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Northern Iowa.