Praised for his “rich vibrant bass” (Opera Today), William Meinert is a member of the Young Ensemble at Grand Théâtre de Genève, where his roles include Lord Rochefort in Anna Bolena, La voce di Nettuno in Idomeneo, Titurel in Parsifal, Gran Sacerdote in Nabucco, and Antinoo in Il ritorno di Ulisse in patria, which he reprised in concert with Europa Galante in Barcelona and Madrid. He recently made his European debut with Tiroler Festspiele Erl as Mordred in Le roi Arthus, joined the Internationale Meistersinger Akademie in Neumarkt i.d.OPf., Germany, and returned to the United States to perform Sarastro in The Magic Flute with Opera Orlando and Sodbuster in Missy Mazzoli’s Proving Up with Opera Las Vegas.
In the 2021-22 season, he debuted with Santa Fe Opera as Snug in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and with Dallas Opera as the Imperial Commissioner in Madama Butterfly. He also joined Atlanta Opera as a Studio Artist, debuting as Curio in Giulio Cesare. On the concert stage, he performed as bass soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra in Handel’s Messiah, with the NEC Philharmonia & Symphonic Choir in Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 13 “Babi Yar,” and with the American Bach Soloists in “Pious & Profane,” a concert of Monteverdi madrigals and sacred works.
William was the First Prize Winner in the 2022 Shreveport Opera Mary Jacobs Smith Singer of the Year Competition and the 2019 Houston Grand Opera Eleanor McCollum Competition, and a finalist of the 2022 Loren L. Zachary National Vocal Competition. He is a recent graduate of the Cafritz Young Artist program at Washington National Opera, where he performed Sarastro in The Magic Flute and the Secret Police Agent in The Consul. He has sung Commendatore in Mozart's Don Giovanni (Baltimore Concert Opera), Commentator in Derrick Wang's Scalia/Ginsburg (Opera North), Vodník in Rusalka (Madison Opera), and Le Duc in Gounod's Roméo et Juliette (Pensacola Opera). As a Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Artist, he covered Hjarne and Corbin in the world premiere of Poul Ruders’ The Thirteenth Child in 2019. He has been featured in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with Baltimore Choral Arts Society, Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610 with American Bach Soloists, and Handel’s Messiah with Washington Bach Consort.
“William Meinert s’illustre par la solidité de sa voix de basse en Gran Sacerdote.”
“William Meinert stands out for the solidity of his bass voice in Gran Sacerdote.”
“...une voix bien projetée et bien contrôlée au phrasé impeccable et assez expressive.”
“...a well-projected and well-controlled voice with impeccable and quite expressive phrasing.”
“William Meinert campe un puissant Titurel.”
“William Meinert plays a powerful Titurel.”
“William Meinert held his own in this august company [...], his rich vibrant bass easily filling the house.”
“Meinert’s rendition was not only vocally powerful, but had sharp timing and speed to match his strength... [His] smooth shift to the lower reaches of his register was finely highlighted by the lower melody.”
“Como el Antinoo de William Meinert, que dejó la huella de una voz timbrada y libre, sonora y de notable extensión...”
“William Meinert’s Antinoo left the mark of a free and timbered voice, sonorous and of remarkable extension...”
“William Meinert impressionne en Titurel par ses graves caverneux.”
“William Meinert impresses as Titurel with his cavernous bass.”
“...la basse sonore et fort ronde de William Meinert que l’on entend avec bonheur en Titurel.”
“...the sonorous and very round bass of William Meinert that we hear with happiness in Titurel.”
“William Meinert wielded a youthful bass-baritone that boasted a luxurious, plushy quality like the fuzz on a deep-red plum.”
“William Meinert as Varlaam [was] particularly charismatic, with [...] an exhilarating comic flair.”