Houstonian James Oluchi Gooden, baritone, returns to Opera in the Heights after previously appearing with the company in Rossini’s L’Italiana in Algeri. His performance credits span opera, musical theatre, symphonic, and concert repertoire.

James has appeared with Fort Worth Opera in Porgy and Bess, Carmen, Susannah, and Les Contes d’Hoffmann, including performances as the Hurricane Soloist in Porgy and Bess, and has also performed the work with the Austin Symphony Orchestra. His featured operatic roles include Morales and Remendado in Carmen with Summit Chorale in New Jersey, Otello in Otello, Frank in Die Fledermaus, Tamino in The Magic Flute, and Alfredo in La Traviata. His musical theatre credits include the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance, Jim in Big River, Joe in Show Boat, and Rapunzel’s Prince in Into the Woods. James studied Vocal Performance and Pedagogy at the University of North Texas. He is delighted to return to Opera in the Heights as the Jailer in Puccini’s Tosca.