At 32, American baritone Anthony Clark Evans is among the oldest singers in this year’s BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition and he is entering the competition in tremendously fine form. Throw in his unique story and you have a promising contender.

Short Bio: Born in Kentucky, Evans’ career in opera started off rather differently from everyone else’s. While most singers jumped into the career right away, going to top schools the moment they got the chance, the baritone took a different path. He was Toyota car salesman until he changed careers in 2011 and entered the Met Auditions in Memphis. His victory in the 2012 Met National Council Auditions cemented him as a major force in the opera world. From there he entered the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center where he continued to polish his craft.

Major Roles and Performances 

This year saw a major breakthrough for Evans as he won a Richard Tucker Career Grant and made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in “Rusalka.” He also debuted at San Francisco Opera in “Madama Butterfly.” He was also among the cast members for the World Premiere of “Bel Canto,” creating the role of Simon Thibault.

Check out what Evans’ voice sounds like below: