James Westman

James Westman, born September 16, 1972, in Canada, is a baritone known for his interpretations of Verdi, Puccini, and bel canto operatic repertoire. Raised on a farm near St. Marys, Ontario, he began his musical training with institutions such as the Vienna Boys Choir and the American Boychoir School. Westman first gained attention at age 12 when he performed and recorded Mahler's 4th Symphony with Benjamin Zander and the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra in 1984.
Westman has performed extensively with opera companies worldwide, notably as Germont in La traviata. He created the lead role of Sandy Keith in Bramwell Tovey’s The Inventor (2011) and played Sir John A. MacDonald in Harry Somers’ Louis Riel for Canada's 150th celebrations in 2017. His work has been nominated for Juno Awards and Grammy Awards.