Coming up, Gilfry’s schedule includes two months in Zurich for a production of Les Indes galantes. In June, he’ll reunite with Previn and the London Symphony Orchestra in a concert performance of A Streetcar Named Desire, followed by a month in Munich for Il ritorno d’Ulisse. Los Angeles Opera audiences will have the chance to see Gilfry this fall in the premiere of Nicholas and Alexandra, in which he’ll play Tsar Nicholas opposite Placido Domingo’s Rasputin.

Looking ahead, Gilfry hopes to work on recordings, as well as explore possible film, stage and television opportunities. Over the last few years, he has crossed over into such genres as musical theater and cabaret. Hollywood Bowl audiences enjoyed his performance as Billy Bigelow in Carousel, as did Reprise! theater-goers when he played Joe in The Most Happy Fella at UCLA’s Freud Playhouse.

Among the believers in Gilfry’s quest to pursue other media forums is Nunn, who says, “Rodney is very inventive, spontaneous and a risk-taker. He could have a wonderful career as an actor if he couldn’t sing.”

These future plans, Gilfry says, are in keeping with his wish to remain closer to home and his family. “I’d like to stay home for two or three years and not go anywhere. I’d like to work on my car, clean up my garage, organize my studio. I’ve never had the experience of being with my family for a full year. I want to make a couple solo recordings. I’m on a lot of recordings—about 15 … operas, concerts and one musical—but they’re not just me. And, it’s not to make money on them, but to have some documentation.”

But in London on that memorable opening night in December, the audience was not having any of that as they stood, applauded and stomped their feet against the hardwood orchestra-level floor in appreciation of him and his fellow performers. Over the following two weeks, this accidental star did not let them down as the ill-fated Nathan, whose fate is sealed at the end of Act IV. In comparison, Gilfry’s future looks as promising as ever.