Hailed as a "standout voice," French-born tenor Philippe Pierce began his performance training as an actor before dedicating himself to an operatic career. Critics praise his "fabulous voice" that "soared over the orchestra, full of sweetness and yearning," and his "grand acting style," that "are uniquely remarkable."

Most recently, Mr. Pierce took part in Lyric Opera Cleveland’s Young Artist Program, where he appeared as Belmonte (Die Entführung aus dem Serail - Understudy), Frederic (The Pirates of Penzance­ – Understudy), and Marc in the World Premiere Production of Florida, in which he and his lead soprano were called “marvelous champions of their roles.”  He has also sung Don Ottavio with The New Opera in Williamstown, MA, and Ernesto in Donizetti's Don Pasquale with the Blackstone Opera Theatre and with the Pine Mountain Music Festival in Houghton, Michigan, where he appeared as a Resident Opera Artist in their 2004 season.

Mr. Pierce is a frequent performer in the Boston area. In the fall of 2003, he appeared as Frantz, Spalanzani and Nathanael in Longwood Opera's production of The Tales of Hoffmann, as well as performing the role of Marco in The Gondoliers with The Harvard-Radcliffe Gilbert and Sullivan Players. He performed the role of Monsieur Triquet in Eugen Onegin, part of Lowell House Opera's 2003 season, and returned the subsequent seasons to perform Le Petit Vieillard, La Théière and La Rainette in L'Enfant et les Sortilèges, and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni.

He has appeared with the New England Conservatory in productions of Trouble in Tahiti (Trio), The Magic Flute (Second Priest), and Candide (Spanish Don). While at New England Conservatory, he also appeared as Lucano in L'Incoronazione di Poppea, and as Bill in Barber's A Hand of Bridge.

Other performances include Laurie in the New England production premiere of Mark Adamo’s Little Women, the Station Master in Opera Boston's La Vie Parisienne, Le Prince Charmant in Massenet's Cendrillon with OperaTunity, the Sailor in Dido and Aeneas with Melopoeia Musica, Alfredo in La Traviata with Longwood Opera and sang the tenor soloist in Händel's Messiah (complete) with the Paris Choral Society, which marked his European debut.

Mr. Pierce received his BA in Theater Arts from Brown University.  While at Brown, Mr. Pierce was the recipient of the Weston Fine Arts Award.  With the Brown University Mainstage, he appeared as Brother Hannibal Jackson in Kurt Weill’s Happy End, and took part in two world premieres - Artistic License and Emma.  He went on to perform the latter at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

Upcoming performances include Henrik in Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music with Opera Cleveland.