American Bass-Baritone Darren K. Stokes is an emerging young artist of exceptional vocal ability and promise. He possesses a voice of extraordinary richness with a broad vocal range, and he sings with a singular ease. Mr. Stokes joined the distinguished Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center (Ryan Opera Center) in 2006 and returns for the 2007-2008 Season. Assignments in his first season included Iphigénie en Tauride, Dialogues des Carmélites, and Salome with covers of Ferrando (Il Trovatore), the Duke of Verona (Roméo et Juliette), Mandarin (Turandot), and the Marquis (Dialogues des Carmélites) in the Lyric Opera of Chicago season. Upcoming for the Lyric Opera of Chicago are Basilio (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), which he performs in the Student Matinee, along with Zaretsky (Eugene Onegin)and Curio (Giulio Cesare) which he performs in all main stage performances. Mr. Stokes also covers Grenvil (La Traviata), Colline (La Bohème) which he previously performed for Sarasota Opera, Achilla (Giulio Cesare), and General Groves (Doctor Atomic). Mr. Stokes made his Chicago Opera Theater debut this season in the role of Neptune in Monteverdi's The Return of Ulysses, he debuts in the role of the Imperial Commissioner (Madama Butterfly) with the Ravinia Festival in August, 2007, and debuts with Opera Theatre of St. Louis in 2008 where he sings the featured role of Calkas in William Walton's Troilus and Cressida.

During his tenure with Glimmerglass Opera in 2005 as a member of the Young American Studio Artist program, Mr. Stokes sang the roles of the Russian Father and the Priest in St. Mark's Square in Tazewell Thompson's acclaimed production of Death in Venice and he covered the Lido Boatman (Death in Venice) and Don Alfonso (Così fan tutte), adding important roles to his growing repertoire.

In addition to his work for Glimmerglass Opera in the 2004-2005 Season, Mr. Stokes participated in the season long intensive Apprentice Artists Program at Sarasota Opera and was awarded the 2005 Leo M. Rogers Scholarship for Outstanding Apprentice. He returned to Sarasota Opera for the 2005-2006 Season where he performed the role of Antonio (The Marriage of Figaro) and covered the role of Figaro. Additional assignments for Sarasota Opera included concerts as part of the Fall Outreach program and Colline in a main stage student performance of La bohème. Other projects in the 2005-2006 Season comprised King Balthazar (Amahl and the Night Visitors) for Opera Memphis, an Opera Gala Concert for Opera Company of North Carolina, and a tour of Scott Joplin's Treemonisha with Rick Benjamin's Paragon Ragtime Orchestra - the world's only year-round, professional organization performing ragtime-era music.

Mr. Stokes began his professional music career with Virginia Opera in the opera chorus and subsequently toured New York State with various gospel groups. In addition to Sarasota Opera, Opera Memphis, Virginia Opera and Glimmerglass Opera, Mr. Stokes has sung with Natchez Opera Festival, Opera Company of Brooklyn, Ash-Lawn Opera Festival, Amato Opera Theatre, Taconic Opera Company and the New York Opera Forum. To date, roles which Mr. Stokes has performed include Colline (La bohème), Ferrando (Il trovatore), Count Ceprano (Rigoletto), Crespel (Les Contes d'Hoffmann), the Duke of Verona (Roméo et Juliette), Antonio (The Marriage of Figaro), King Balthazar (Amahl and the Night Visitors), Bluesman (American Riversongs), and York in Michael Ching's Corps of Discovery, an American opera commissioned by the University of Missouri to commemorate the Louisiana Purchase Bicentennial celebration.

Mr. Stokes received a Bachelor of Science degree from Norfolk State University in his home state of Virginia and worked as a chemist before turning to music.