Scott Hetz Clark

SCOTT HETZ CLARK, a baritone from Leesburg, Virginia, has captivated audiences around the world with his versatile vocal talent and commanding showmanship. A James Madison University School of Music alumnus, Scott made his operatic debut in 2019 at the Prague Summer Nights Young Artist Festival, performing the title role in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro at the historic Estates Theater in the heart of the Czech Republic. Since then, he has showcased his “youthful and powerful baritone voice” (Thüringische Landeszeitung) in roles such as Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni), Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Sulpice (La fille du régiment), The Pirate King (The Pirates of Penzance),  Méphistophélès (Faust), and Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street).

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In the summer of 2025, Scott will return to the historic Seagle Festival in upstate New York to perform the title role in Tom Cipullo's new work, Mayo Buckner: A Life Interrupted. Most recently, Scott made his role and company debut at Opera Baltimore as Sid in Albert Herring. Shortly before that, he spent the winter season at Opera Naples as their Resident Artist baritone, where he performed the roles of Pooh-Bah in The Mikado, Alcindoro/Beneoit in La bohème, and Zweiter geharnischter Mann in Die Zauberflöte. Scott made his Lincoln Center debut with Teatro Nuovo in 2023, where he earned praise for his performance as Don Asdrubale in the Ricci Brothers’ rarely performed comedy Crispino e la comare. He has collaborated with Sarasota Opera, Bel Cantanti Opera, The Castleton Festival, and Lyric Opera Studio Weimar. Scott has twice competed in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, winning an Encouragement Award in the DMV District in 2023.

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Beyond opera, Scott excels in oratorio,  having performed as a soloist in Haydn’s Creation, Mendelssohn's Elijah, Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust, and Handel’s Messiah, and Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs. Scott also has a distinct affinity for lieder, frequently performing works by composers like Schubert and Schumann. Scott also brings his artistry to jazz music and American Standards, performing frequently across Northern Virginia and the greater Washington D.C. area. He is deeply committed to community engagement through music and serves on the board of directors of Loudoun Lyric Opera, where he focuses on developing opera in Loudoun County from a grassroots level.