French bass-baritone Paul Gay has established a distinguished international career, particularly acclaimed in the French repertoire and in some of the most demanding works of the 20th and 21st centuries. A Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and Grammy Award winner, he has appeared at leading opera houses including the Opéra national de Paris, Bayerische Staatsoper, La Monnaie, Oper Frankfurt, Opernhaus Zürich, Teatro Regio di Torino, Opéra de Lyon and Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.

Among the defining roles of his career is Golaud in Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande, which he has performed at the Opéra national de Paris, La Monnaie, Oper Frankfurt, Norwegian National Opera, Shanghai Grand Theatre, Teatro Regio di Torino and Opéra de Lyon. His signature roles also include Méphistophélès in Faust and Saint François in Messiaen’s Saint François d’Assise, which he performed at the Bayerische Staatsoper under Kent Nagano.

2026/27 SEASON

Paul Gay opens the 2026/27 season with Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, performing with the Gulbenkian Orchestra and Choir under Hannu Lintu.

In April 2027, he returns to the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona as Alberto Roc in Thomas Adès’ The Exterminating Angel, conducted by the composer in Calixto Bieito’s production.

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS

A major recent highlight was Paul Gay’s acclaimed staged debut in the title role of Enescu’s Œdipe at the Bregenzer Festspiele, in a new production directed by Andreas Kriegenburg and conducted by Hannu Lintu with the Wiener Symphoniker. He had previously performed the role in concert in London and Bucharest under Vladimir Jurowski.

Further recent engagements include Rocco in Fidelio at the Opéra National de Bordeaux and Alberto Roc in Thomas Adès’ The Exterminating Angel at the Opéra national de Paris.

Among the defining roles of his career is Golaud in Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande, which he has performed at the Opéra national de Paris, La Monnaie, Oper Frankfurt, Norwegian National Opera, Shanghai Grand Theatre, Teatro Regio di Torino and Opéra de Lyon. His signature repertoire also includes Méphistophélès in Faust and the title role of Messiaen’s Saint François d’Assise, which he performed at the Bayerische Staatsoper under Kent Nagano.

His repertoire further encompasses Verdi roles including Philippe II in both the French and Italian versions of Don Carlos, as well as Ramfis, Sparafucile and Walter.

SELECTED ROLES

Golaud · Pelléas et Mélisande

Opéra national de Paris · La Monnaie · Oper Frankfurt · Opéra de Lyon

Œdipe · Œdipe

Bregenzer Festspiele · London · Bucharest

Saint François · Saint François d’Assise

Bayerische Staatsoper

Méphistophélès · Faust

Opéra national de Paris · Maggio Musicale Fiorentino · Opéra de Monte-Carlo · Opéra National de Bordeaux

Philippe II · Don Carlos

Selected international engagements