It’s Pride month, so to celebrate we return to the series we began last year. This time we celebrate some of the great singers of today who have been advocates to the LGBT community or who simply enjoy a life being out and proud.

David Daniels 

David Daniels has been one of the biggest proponents of the baroque repertoire and is one of the most prominent countertenors in the world. While he has slowed down in recent years, he has a number of great recordings including the world premiere of “The Enchanted Island” and important recordings of operas by Purcell, Handel, and Vivaldi. Daniels also did the world premiere of the LGBT opera “Oscar.” He has been a big influence on the gay youth and was famously married to his husband by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Michael Fabiano 

Michal Fabiano is one of the biggest stars of today, singing all over the world specializing in Italian opera including Verdi and Donizetti. He has performed at the Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera House, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Teatro Real. He is a big promoter of the arts and his foundation ArtSmart helps the youth with music lessons. He also runs a blog about the arts world.

Patricia Racette

Legendary soprano Patricia Racette famously came out in 2002 in an OPERA NEWS cover story. For the June 2002 issue she requested that the magazine include her public coming-out statement. She stated that her sexuality and her long-term relationship with Beth Clayton was a very important part of who she is as an artist. She was also on the cover of the February 2006 edition of the Lesbian News and was featured in the September 2002 edition of The Advocate. Racette has been a huge advocate and was even featured in a campaign for “It Gets Better.”

Racette is one of the biggest superstars in the world having conquered the verismo repertoire and modern repertoire. She has performed in every major theater in the world with many of her highest profile performances at the Metropolitan Opera.

David Portillo 

David Portillo is on the rise for his lyric voice, specializing in the Bel Canto repertoire and has sung in every major theater. He has been praised for his lyrical voice and his scheduled has increased throughout the past years. He recently married his husband David Lawrence, with whom he constantly shares pictures with on Instagram. The two are also fixtures at a number of Pride parades.

Jamie Barton 

Jamie Barton is one of the biggest mezzos currently performing.She rose to fame after winning the Metropolitan Opera Council auditions and since then she has won the Beverly Sills Award as well as the Richard Tucker Award and the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition. Outside of her career on stage she has a big presence on social media especially Instagram posting pictures with her cat and fun behind the scenes videos and pictures of her rehearsals.

Nicholas Phan 

Nicholas Phan is one of the most recognized lieder tenors performing all over the world. He has recorded a number of albums for Avie Records and is in demand for his work in Britten, Handel, and Schubert. He has been an outspoken advocate for the LGBT community and was interviewed in HuffPost noting that it was important to be out in the performing arts and shared his coming out story. He also runs a blog Grecchinois.

Andrea Mastroni 

Andrea Mastroni is on the rise around the world and is best known for his Sparafucile in “Rigoletto,” as well as his work with baroque music. He recently released an album of Handel arias and recorded “Rigoletto” alongside the late Dmitri Hvorostovsky. He has been very open about his relationship with his husband Salvatore Aversano, particularly on Instagram, where he shares his traveling journeys.

Adrianne Pieczonka 

Adrianne Pieczonka has become one of the great dramatic sopranos our time, performing all over the world and dominating such roles as “Tosca,” “Fidelio,” and Chrysthotemis in “Elektra.” She is featured in numerous recordings and is widely considered a Canadian national treasure. Pieczonka has been outspoken about her private life noting that she and her wife Laura Tucker happily lived in Canada with their six-year-old daughter.

Anthony Roth Costanzo 

Anthony Roth Costanzo is one of the most dynamic singers in the world. He has revolutionized the repertoire for the countertenor, working beyond baroque works to incorporated modern and rarely performed works. He has also experimented with the art form as will be seen in his upcoming Handel and Glass project at Opera Philadelphia. And he has also been outspoken about the challenges of his sexuality the industry. Take a look at the interview below.

What other major opera stars of the LGBT community are major inspirations or influences for you? Tell us in the comments below!