Pianist Craig Rutenberg, “whose playing ranged from sterling directness to expansive beauty,” (San Francisco Chronicle) has collaborated with many of the world’s greatest vocalists and is recognized as one of the most distinguished accompanists on the stage today.
He studied piano and interpretation with John Wustman, Geoffrey Parsons, Pierre Bernac and Miriam Solovieff, and has appeared in recital with Denyce Graves, Sumi Jo, Harolyn Blackwell, Susanne Mentzer, Frederica von Stade, Angelika Kirchschlager, Dawn Upshaw, and frequently with Thomas Hampson. He performed with Mr. Hampson for President Clinton at the White House.
Mr. Rutenberg, whose recording with Susanne Mentzer prompted Opera News to praise him for “(making) the piano sing with clean articulation and a palette of colors to coordinate with…every mood,” records for Deutsche Grammophon, EMI/Angel, BMG/RCA and Koch International. As a solo pianist, he is recording the complete piano portraits and etudes of Virgil Thomson. He has appeared repeatedly in concert on national and international television and radio, including numerous PBS specials.
Currently Visiting Professor at the Royal College of Music in London and Guest Coach at Operahögskolan in Stockholm, Sweden, Mr. Rutenberg also is Head of Music Administration at the Metropolitan Opera. He regularly coaches and gives master classes at the Chicago Lyric Opera for American Artists, the Pittsburgh Opera Center, Chicago Opera Theatre and the Vancouver Opera as well as the training programmes at the Washington Opera and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He has also worked for the Opera Studio de Paris, the Glyndebourne Festival Opera, the San Francisco Opera, the Houston Grand Opera, the Santa Fe Opera and the Glimmerglass Opera.