Hugh Panaro
Hugh Panaro is one of those rare artists whose unique versatility has allowed him a distinguished career, not only in the theater, but also in recording studios and concert halls throughout the world. He has the distinction of having played both Raoul and the Phantom, a role he performed over 1000 times, in the Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera. Also on Broadway, Mr. Panaro has been seen as Gaylord Ravenal in the Harold Prince revival of Show Boat, Marius in Les Miserables and created the roles of Buddy Foster in Side Show, Julian Craster in Jule Styne’s final musical The Red Shoes and most recently, the title role of the seductive vampire in Elton John’s musical Lestat. Mr. Panaro made his West End debut as Gaylord Ravenal in Show Boat and went on to perform the title role in Martin Guerre.
Some of Mr. Panaro’s Off-Broadway credits include White Lies at the Triad Theater, Noa Noa at Playwright’s Horizons, Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights at the John Housman Theatre, Children of Eden at the Actor’s Playhouse and the role of Robert in Little Fish at Second Stage Theatre.
In Los Angeles, Mr. Panaro has participated in “Reprise!” concert performances of Merry We Roll Along, Gentlemen Prefer Blonds and Call Me Madam, for which he received an “Ovation” nomination. At the Kennedy Center, he portrayed Anthony Hope in Sweeney Todd and participated in “The Stephen Sondheim Gala”. At Avery Fischer Hall in New York City, he performed in Jerry Herman’s Mack and Mabel. And at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, he recently starred as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables.
An active concert artist, Mr. Panaro has performed with numerous symphony orchestras including the Dallas, Detroit, San Francisco, Houston, and Utah Symphonies, and the London Sinfonietta, among many others, and had the privilege of performing in the world premiere of Penderecki’s Te Deum at Carnegie Hall. In October, Mr. Panaro will be a guest soloist with the San Diego Symphony, conducted by Marvin Hamlisch. His recordings include Jerome Kern Treasury, the original cast recording of Side Show, Tap Your Troubles Away (Herman), The Centennial (Weil), Life On The Wicked Stage (Kern) among others. His first solo CD, recorded with Sony/BMG, was released in 2007. Mr. Panaro recently toured throughout Europe with the legendary Barbra Streisand.
A native of Philadelphia, Mr. Panaro graduated from Temple University and was awarded the Boyer College of Music Certificate of Honor for his impressive career in musical theatre.