Sam Carl

Sam Carl is a rising bass-baritone whose rich, resonant voice and commanding stage presence are drawing increasing attention across European and American stages. Admired for his vocal precision, magnetic stagecraft, and commitment to character, he is steadily emerging as a compelling interpreter of more dramatic repertoire. 

This season, Sam makes his role debut as Claggart in a revival of Billy Budd at the Glyndebourne Festival under Nicholas Carter. He also debuts at Detroit Opera as The Commander in a new production of The Handmaid’s Tale, and returns to Opera Vlaanderen as Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor, to Dutch National Opera as Angelotti in Barrie Kosky’s Tosca, and to Theater Basel as Banquo in a new production of Macbeth directed by Herbert Fritsch.

In the 2024/25 season, he returned to Dutch National Opera for two new productions: as Hobson in Peter Grimes, directed by Barbora Horáková and conducted by Lorenzo Viotti, and as Der Geisterbote in Katie Mitchell’s staging of Die Frau ohne Schatten, conducted by Marc Albrecht. He also returned to the Bayerische Staatsoper as Astradamors in Le Grand Macabre, made his role debut as Alidoro in La Cenerentola at the Opéra national de Lorraine (also touring to Caen, Reims and Luxembourg), and debuted as Timur in Christof Loy’s new production of Turandot at Theater Basel. His US debut followed soon after in the role of Nick Shadow in The Rake’s Progress for Des Moines Metro Opera.

Other recent highlights include his debut at the Bayeriche Staatsoper as Panthée in a new production of Les Troyens, returning as Astradamors in a new production of Le Grand Macabre; also he returned to Dutch National Opera in Il trittico (La Talpa/Betto di Signa) and Königskinder (Der Holzhacker); debuts at the Gran Teatre del Liceu as Prince Gremin in Eugene Onegin and multiple appearances at the Glyndebourne Festival, including Leporello in Don Giovanni, Achilla in Giulio Cesare, and Nick Shadow in The Rake’s Progress. He has also appeared at Opera Vlaanderen as Mephistopheles in Schumann's Szenen aus Goethes Faust, and at the Staatstheater Darmstadt as Colline in La bohème and in the title role of Don Quichotte.

Born in London to American-British parents and now based in Amsterdam, Sam began his career as a member of the Dutch National Opera Studio. He was a Jerwood Young Artist at the Glyndebourne Festival and an Equilibrium Young Artist.