Stephen Costello has been hailed as ‘a prodigiously gifted singer whose voice makes an immediate impact’ (Associated Press). The Philadelphia-born tenor quickly established a reputation as a ‘first-class talent’ (Opera News) after coming to national attention in 2007, when, aged 26, he made his Metropolitan Opera debut on the company’s season-opening night. Two years later, Stephen won the prestigious Richard Tucker Award, and he has since appeared at many of the world’s most important opera houses and music festivals, including the Royal Opera House, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Wiener Staatsoper, Opéra national de Paris, Deutsche Staatsoper, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Semperoper Dresden, Bayerische Staatsoper, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Hamburgische Staatsoper, San Francisco Opera, Washington National Opera, Bolshoi Theatre Moscow, Arena di Verona, Salzburger Festspiele, Bregenzer Festspiele, and Glyndebourne Festival. As Opera News noted in a recent ‘Spotlight’ double-page spread, ‘the all-American tenor’ is now ‘at the top of his game’.
In the 2025/26 season, Stephen debuts Riccardo Ballo in Maschera at Opernhaus Zurich and title role Werther at Bilbao Opera. He returns to the role of Rodolfo La bohème at the Metropolitan Opera and Bayerische Staatsoper, sings the title role Don Carlo at Dallas Opera, Pinkerton Madama Butterfly at Grand Théâtre de Genève and Santa Fe Opera and debuts at National Taichung Theater with Duca Rigoletto.
Last season saw Stephen return to the Metropolitan Opera for Duca di Mantua Rigoletto and Greenhorn Moby Dick, sing Romeo Romeo et Juliette at Opernhaus Zürich, title role Don Carlo at Bayerische Staatsoper and he made a role debut as Captain Vere Billy Budd at Teatro Colón. In concert, he performed Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Michael Tilson Thomas and the Houston Symphony, he sang a gala concert with Kristine Opolais in Saltillo, Mexico and a series of recitals alongside pianist Anthony Manoli with Arizona Opera.
He has appeared at many of the world’s most important opera houses and music festivals, including the Royal Opera House, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Wiener Staatsoper, Deutsche Staatsoper, Opéra national de Paris, Bayerische Staatsoper, Hamburgische Staatsoper, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Semperoper Dresden, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Washington National Opera, Bolshoi Theatre Moscow, Arena di Verona, Salzburger Festspiele, Bregenzer Festspiele, and Glyndebourne Festival.
In addition to winning the 2009 Richard Tucker Award and receiving further grants from the Richard Tucker Music Foundation, Stephen won First Prize in the 2006 George London Foundation Awards Competition, First Prize and Audience Prize in the Giargiari Bel Canto Competition, and First Prize in the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation Competition. Stephen is a graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts.