Athlone Artists has announced that bass-baritone Jesús Vicente Murillo will join its roster of talent.

Currently, Murillo is set to appear in Xavier Rodriguez’s “Frida” with both Michigan Opera Theatre and El Paso Opera, with future appearances including “Adriana Lecouvreur” with Baltimore Concert Opera, and “Carmen” with Opera Theatre of St. Louis. After discovering a love for music, and performing with his local choir, Murillo came to opera during his time as a voice major at the University of Michigan, going on to earn his Master’s at McGill University in Montreal.

“I now believe that musical theater and opera are fundamentally the same thing,” he says. “I consider myself a singing actor, not just a singer. Early on, I heard a director say, ‘keep on going with a character and we’ll know when you’ve gone too far.’ I’ve really lived by that. I especially love comedy. Having the laughter and joy of the audience in your hand