Donald Maxwell was born in Perth, Scotland and graduated in geography from Edinburgh University. He studied singing with Joseph Hislop.
Donald Maxwell has appeared with the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, Welsh National Opera, English National Opera, Opera North, Scottish Opera, Opera Holland Park, Opera London, Chelsea Opera Group New Sadler’s Wells Opera, the Glyndebourne, Edinburgh, Wexford, Buxton, Camden and Chester Festivals and the BBC Proms. Foreign engagements have included performances at the Metropolitan Opera New York, Teatro alla Scala Milan, the Vienna Staatsoper, Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Chicago, Houston, Bregenz, Zurich, Buenos Aires, Macao, Japan, Cyprus and Athens in a repertoire including the title roles in FALSTAFF, IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, RIGOLETTO, DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER, DON PASQUALE and WOZZECK, Prus THE MAKROPOULOS CASE, Leander L’AMOUR DES TROIS ORANGES, The Father HANSEL UND GRETEL, Eisenstein DIE FLEDERMAUS, Escamillo CARMEN, Geronio IL TURCO IN ITALIA, Germont and The Baron LA TRAVIATA, Don Alhambra THE GONDOLIERS, Wurfl, Patron and Councillor THE EXCURSIONS OF MR BROUCEK, Sharpless MADAMA BUTTERFLY, Don Alfonso COSÌ FAN TUTTE, Enrico LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, Zurga LES PÊCHEURS DE PERLES, Ipparco L’EGISTO, the Poacher THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN, Shishkov FROM THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD, Filip THE JACOBIN, Sancho Panza in Massenet’s DON QUICHOTTE, Renato UN BALLO IN MASCHERA, Nick Shadow THE RAKE’S PROGRESS, Amonasro THE DRAMA OF AIDA, Alcindoro, Benoit and Marcello LA BOHÈME, Don Carlos ERNANI, Iago OTELLO, the Count and Antonio LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, Isacio RICCARDO PRIMO, Jack Rance LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST, Golaud PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE Pandolphe CENDRILLON, Scarpia, Sacristan TOSCA, Thoas IPHIGENIE EN TAURIDE, Somarone BEATRICE ET BENEDICT, Shadbolt THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD, Balstrode and Swallow PETER GRIMES, Klingsor PARSIFAL, Riccardo I PURITANI, Pizarro FIDELIO, Dulcamara L’ELISIR D’AMORE, Geronio IL TURCO IN ITALIA, Krusina THE BARTERED BRIDE, Tierbändiger, Rodrigo and Athlet LULU, Yeletsky THE QUEEN OF SPADES, the English Archer in the British premiere of THE KING GOES FORTH TO FRANCE, the Herald LOHENGRIN, Kothner DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG, Alidoro LA CENERENTOLA, Donner DAS RHEINGOLD, Gunther GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG, Baron Zeta THE MERRY WIDOW, Dr. Bartolo IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, Rambaldo LA RONDINE, La Rocca UN GIORNO DI REGNO, Gamekeeper RUSALKA, Imam KISMET, Bailli WERTHER, Hortensius LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT, Melitone FORZA DEL DESTINO, Colonel Calverley PATIENCE, Pooh-Bah THE MIKADO, Alfred Doolittle MY FAIR LADY, Lockit THE BEGGAR’S OPERA, 2nd Priest DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Doctor/Boilerman HEART OF DARKNESS, General Garcia Conchez in Kurt Weill’s KUHANDEL, and the world premieres including Don Perlimpin in Simon Holt’s THE NIGHTINGALE’S TO BLAME, Dai Great Coat in Iain Bell’s IN PARENTHESIS and Dr Bloom in Olga Neuwirth’s new version of LULU.
Donald Maxwell is much in demand as a concert singer both in this country and abroad. He is a regular broadcaster on both radio and television, and videos include PELLEAS ET MELISANDE and LULU. His many recordings include AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS, Antonio LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, NOYE’S FLUDDE, CARMINA BURANA, Bottom A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, Tarquinius THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA, Howells’ MISSA SABRINENSIS, Lockit THE BEGGAR’S OPERA, Hangman in Weill’s FIREBRAND OF FLORENCE, Shadbolt THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD, KISMET, BITTER SWEET, THE STUDENT PRINCE, title role SIR JOHN IN LOVE and a Scottish Song recital.
Engagements in 2020 include Benoit and Alcindoro LA BOHEME for Metropolitan Opera, New York and concerts throughout the UK. Future performances include Buxton Festival, Royal Opera House, Coven Garden and Metropolitan Opera, New York
