Michael Mayes, baritone, made his first appearance with MOR as Manfred in Out of Darkness. With his powerful voice and arresting stage presence, Mayes is known for his consummate portrayals of iconic characters in the operatic repertoire. His 2015 performances of Heggie’s Dead Man Walking received critical acclaim in the Wall Street Journal: “Michael Mayes, by far the best singer and most convincing actor in the cast, played Joe De Rocher, the name given to the convicted rapist murderer waiting to die in a Louisiana prison. He lifted scenes with Sister Helen …and with Joe’s mother (Catherine Cook) into moments of great musical and dramatic force." Mayes also starred in Dallas Opera’s 2015 world premiere of Heggie’s Great Scott.

Michael returns to the MOR stage in May 2025 in the role of Picasso in Tom Cipullo's After Life.