baritone
"gorgeously warm tone"
"electrifying"
"spot-on timing"
Darren Lekeith Drone
Biography
Described as having “a gorgeously warm tone and deep resonance” (Opera News), baritone Darren Drone is quickly making a name for himself in the opera world. In the summer of 2023, Mr. Drone debuted at The Glimmerglass Festival as Marcello in La bohème and Grégorio in Roméo et Juliette, and participated in a workshop of Nmon Ford’s House of Orfeus with Cincinnati Opera. In the 2023-2024 season, Mr. Drone will be seen as Belcore in L’elisir d’amore in a debut with Florentine Opera, and returns to the Metropolitan Opera covering Moralès in Carmen and singing Foreman/Adult James and covering Chester in Fire Shut Up in My Bones. He also will appear with the Dayton Philharmonic singing as a soloist in Brahms' Requiem.
In the 2022-2023 season, Mr. Drone made a series of exciting debuts with esteemed American companies including Seattle Opera as Baron Douphol in La Traviata, Portland Opera as Zuniga in Carmen, and Opera San José in the title role of Verdi’s Falstaff. He also performed in a concert of operatic favorites with the Santa Fe Symphony and joined the Lyric Opera of Chicago roster where he covered Preacher Man and Bilal in the world premiere of Daniel Roumain and Anna Deavere Smith’s The Walkers.
During the 2021-2022 season, Mr. Drone joined the Metropolitan Opera roster as a featured soloist in Porgy & Bess, covered Mtchll in the world premiere of Carlos Simon and Marc Bamuthi Joseph’s it all falls down at Washington National Opera, made his Opera Memphis debut as Guglielmo in Così fan tutte and was set to make a debut with Florentine Opera as Schaunard in La bohème (COVID-19). In the summer of 2021, Mr. Drone joined the Santa Fe Opera roster, covering the roles of the Count in Le nozze di Figaro, Starveling in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and the Captain in Eugene Onegin. He returned to Santa Fe the following summer, singing Moralès in Carmen and covering the title role of Falstaff.
GIANNI SCHICCHI & BUOSO'S GHOST at Michigan Opera Theater
"The audience was in good hands with Studio Artist Darren Drone as Gianni Schicchi. Ideally cast in the broad comedic role, Drone has a gorgeously warm tone and deep resonance which he deployed with spot on timing." -Opera News
"Darren Drone, as the wily Schicchi, proved he has the chops,
the charisma, and the comedic nuance to excel in this role."
-Encore Michigan
LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT at Opera in the Heights
"As Sulpice, surrogate father to Marie, baritone Darren Drone projects lighthearted macho charm and a drill sergeant's commanding voice." -Houston Press
AMAZING GRACE at Utah Festival Opera
"In the second act he sings 'Nowhere Left to Run' which is one of the most powerful numbers in the show. Drone's rich baritone voice is filled with such passion as he sings it, and it received the biggest applause from the audience." -Front Row Reviewers
"Darren Lekeith Drone is electrifying as Thomas." -HJ News