BIOGRAPHY

Recent highlights for American tenor Erin Caves include performances as Tristan in Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde at the Shanghai Grand Theatre in 2025 for the inaugural Bayreuth in Shanghai project, the first Bayreuth Festival production presented outside Europe, and at Stadttheater Klagenfurt, also in 2025; Hermann in Pique Dame at the Anhaltisches Theater Dessau in the 2025/26 season; his role debut as Siegfried in Wagner’s Götterdämmerung at Biwako Hall in Otsu, Japan, concluding Michael Hampe’s Ring Cycle under the baton of Ryusuke Numajiri, a production released on Blu-ray; and his theatre debut at Teatro alla Scala as Walther von Stolzing in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, conducted by Daniele Gatti, with whom he also sang Hans Schwalb in Mathis der Maler at Oper Zürich.

In 2026, Caves expanded his work offstage as Assistant Director for ALMA at the Anhaltisches Theater Dessau.

Erin Caves has earned a reputation for his dynamic interpretations of leading Wagner tenor roles such as Tristan in Tristan und Isolde, which he performed at Staatsoper Stuttgart, Opéra National de Bordeaux, Teatro Nacional de São Carlos Lisbon, Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe, La Monnaie/De Munt, Brussels, Stadttheater Klagenfurt, Shanghai Grand Theatre and an award-winning performance at Suntory Hall, Tokyo. Other Wagner roles include: Parsifal at Vlaamse Opera, Teatro Nacional de São Carlos Lisbon and Coliseu Porto Ageas; Walther von Stolzing in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at Komische Oper Berlin and Staatstheater Kassel; Erik in Der fliegende Holländer at Staatsoper Stuttgart, Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar, Staatstheater Nürnberg, Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, Aalto Theater Essen and Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden. From Wagner’s Ring Cycle, Mr. Caves has also sung Siegmund in Die Walküre at Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar and Loge in Das Rheingold at Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar, Nationale Reisopera, Aalto Theater Essen and Staatsoper Hannover. Both roles are featured on DVD by Arthaus.

Other dramatic roles include: Florestan in Fidelio at Národní Divadlo Prague and Teatro Comunale di Bologna, and a production of the seldom performed Leonora in Weimar; Hermann in Pique Dame at Stuttgart Oper and Anhaltisches Theater Dessau; Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos at Stuttgart Oper and Deutsche Oper am Rhein Düsseldorf; Max in Der Freischütz at Staatstheater Nürnberg, Staatstheater Wiesbaden, Stuttgart Oper and Oper Zürich; the title role Les contes d’Hoffmann at Komische Oper Berlin, Staatstheater Kassel, Staatstheater Wiesbaden, Theater Magdeburg and Theater Winterthur; Alwa in Lulu at Theater Basel, Staatstheater Wiesbaden, Oper Graz and Aalto Theater Essen; Don José in Carmen at Oper Stuttgart and at the Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid. At Teatro Real in Madrid, Erin Caves sang the roles of Emperador and Prestidigitador in the world-premiere of the opera El Público by composer Mauricio Sotelo and conducted by Pablo Heras-Casado, which included a command performance for the Spanish King and Queen.

 

On the concert platform, highlights include Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with the Staatstheater Stuttgart, as well as performances under Ralf Weikert at the Kultur- und Kongresszentrum (KKL) Luzern and Vladimir Fedosejev at the Opernhaus Zürich. Further performances include Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde at Müpa Budapest on 22 April 2022 and at the Gustav Mahler Music Weeks in Toblach in July 2022 under the baton of Roberto Paternostro, former General Music Director of the Staatstheater Kassel. With the MDR Radio Symphony Orchestra at the Gewandhaus Leipzig, Erin Caves sang the tenor soloist in Bernstein’s Songfest. He sang the tenor soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with Het Gelders Orkest and Staatskapelle Weimar, and in Berlioz’s Te Deum with the Kraków Philharmonic Orchestra. He sang 8 Romanze per Tenore e Orchestra (Verdi/Berio) with the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra, Moscow and the Beethoven Orchester Bonn, both under the baton of Vladimir Fedoseyev and Schnittke’s Faust Cantata opus 167, “Seid nüchtern und wachet” with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio at the Salle Pleyel in Paris. Erin Caves was raised in Stockton, California, and completed his musical studies at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, Yale University School of Music and The Juilliard School. Following his dream to sing in Europe, he apprenticed with Central City Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Glimmerglass Opera, Chautauqua Opera and began his European career at the Dutch International Opera Centrum in Amsterdam. After initially singing professionally as an award-winning baritone and with the guidance of renowned artists Mario Brell, Jean Cox, Anna Reynolds and Gregory Lamar, Mr. Caves transitioned to Heldentenor (hero tenor) repertoire.