American bass-baritone Jacob DeSett is in the second year of his master’s degree at Moores School of Music, where he will sing Timur in a concert performance of Turandot alongside Christine Goerke in the title role and Limmie Pulliam as Calaf. His other 2024-25 season roles include Gideon March in Little Women and Amantio di Nicolao in Gianni Schicchi.
Jacob will be an Emerging Artist at the Seagle Festival in 2025 to perform Escamillo in Carmen and Lord Evelyn Oakley in Anything Goes.
In the previous season, he made his Moores Opera Center debut in the title role in Offenbach’s Monsieur Choufleuri followed by Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte.
He received his Artist Diploma in Voice from William Jewell College and studied with Daniel Belcher. His roles at WJC include Albert in Werther, James “Dad” Mills in Ricky Ian Gordon’s The House without a Christmas Tree, Figaro cover/Antonio in Le nozze di Figaro, and a 5-role track in Kevin Puts’ Elizabeth Cree.
Jacob joined Central City Opera in their 2022 season to cover Gad Beck in Jake Heggie’s Two Remain (Out of Darkness), Frosch in Die Fledermaus, and Roy Johnson in Guettel’s The Light in the Piazza, additionally performing scenes as Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro for CCO’s Short Works performances.
He was invited by The American Opera Project in 2022 to participate in the world premiere of Kaminsky, Campbell, and Reed’s choral work titled “A Brighter Light” inspired by the chamber opera As One.
Jacob was awarded the Carl & Frances Haven Preyer Award for Voice from the University of Kansas in 2021 where he received his Bachelor’s degree. Solo credits from KU include Hannah-younger in Laura Kaminsky’s As One, Curio in Giulio Cesare, and David in Barber’s A Hand of Bridge.
He is currently under the tutelage of his teacher from the University of Houston, Timothy Jones.
Jacob is currently based in Houston, Texas.
2025
Escamillo — Carmen
Seagle Festival - July 23-26, 2025
Lord Evelyn Oakley — Anything Goes
Seagle Festival - August 20-23, 2025
Timur — Turandot (in concert)
Moores Opera Center - April 24, 2025
https://kgmcaboxofficemusic.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=1553
Masterclass with Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek
Epilogue (Jan’s aria) from Breaking the Waves
Moores School of Music - April 18, 2025
Master’s Degree Recital
When Dreams Fade: Songs of Illusion, Struggle, and Longing
Music by Rossini, Ibert, Robert Owens, and Schoenberg
Dudley Recital Hall - April 8, 2025 at 6:00 pm
Amantio di Nicolao — Gianni Schicchi
Moores Opera Center - Jan. 30-31 & Feb. 1-2, 2025
https://kgmcaboxofficemusic.universitytickets.com/w/default.aspx?PageNumber=1
2024
Gideon March — Little Women
Moores Opera Center - October 17-20, 2024
https://kgmcaboxofficemusic.universitytickets.com/?cid=167
Albert Prosser — Hobson’s Choice (workshop)
Moores Opera Center - April 27, 2024
Don Alfonso — Così fan tutte
Moores Opera Center - April 11-14, 2024
https://kgmcaboxofficemusic.universitytickets.com/?cid=167
Chorus — Parsifal
Houston Grand Opera - January 21-February 4, 2024
https://my.houstongrandopera.org/parsifal-23-24/4973
2023
Masterclass with Sergei Leiferkus, baritone
Onegin’s arioso from Eugene Onegin
Moores School of Music - November 30, 2023
Choufleuri — Monsieur Choufleuri restera chez lui le (Offenbach)
Moores Opera Center - October 26-29, 2023
https://kgmcaboxofficemusic.universitytickets.com/?cid=167
Albert — Werther
William Jewell College - May 6-7, 2023
Escamillo — Carmen
Overland Park Orchestra - March 4, 2023
2022
James “Dad” — The House without a Christmas Tree
The Folly Theater - December 6, 2022
William Jewell College & Kansas City Chamber Orchestra
Gad Beck (cover) — Two Remain
Central City Opera - July 16-28, 2022
Frosch (cover) — Die Fledermaus
Central City Opera - July 9-31, 2022
Roy Johnson (cover) — The Light in the Piazza
Central City Opera - July 2-28, 2022
Bass soloist — Mozart’s Vespers
Liberty Symphony Orchestra
Figaro (cover)/Antonio — Le nozze di Figaro
William Jewell College
2021
Masterclass with Anthony Roth Costanzo
Harriman-Jewell Series
Greatorex/Gissing/Solomon/Etcher — Elizabeth Cree
William Jewell College
Mercutio — Roméo et Juliette
Lawrence Opera Theatre
Hannah-younger — As One
University of Kansas, Lied Center