Ann Toomey, Alfred Walker, Justin Austin & Kang Wang Lead Florentine Opera’s 2025-26 Season

The Florentine Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. Kate Johnson, Grace Ryan, Zach Taylor, and William Dopp lead “Scalia/Ginsberg.” Bob Mollicone conducts. Performance Dates: July 18-20, 2025 Justin Austin and Michael Banwarth perform an evening “Al Fresco.” Performance Date: August 5, 2025 Aurelia Andrews, Jamila Drecker-Waxman, Lauryn Nelson, Zach Taylor, David Drettwan, and Daniel Weber will perform An Aria Extravaganza. {…}

Oct 14, 2024

New York Festival of Song to Present ‘My Brother’s Keeper’

New York Festival of Song, led by Artistic Director Steven Blier, is set to open its mainstage season with “My Brother’s Keeper” on Nov. 19, 2024 at Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center. Conceived by baritone Justin Austin, the program tells a story of brotherly love, caretaking, and community among Black men in America through art song, soul, gospel, and {…}

Jul 3, 2024

Opera Theatre Saint Louis 2024 Review: The Barber of Seville

(Photo credit: Eric Woolsey) “The Barber of Seville” can be tough to sit through. Opera Theatre Saint Louis (OTSL) swam upstream furiously against the libretto’s banalities to produce an entertaining show, with standout performances from Justin Austin in the title role, and Hongni Wu as Rosina. In youth, I received as a gift the London/Decca recording featuring Leo Nucci as {…}

Apr 29, 2024

Des Moines Metro Opera to Present ‘American Apollo’

Des Moines Metro Opera is set to present the world premiere of “American Apollo.” The new opera by composer Damien Geter and librettist Lila Palmer, which was originally conceived as a 20-minute chamber opera in 2021 as part of Washington National Opera’s American Opera Initiative, was expanded and transformed into a full-length work. The cast will include baritone Justin Austin {…}

Mar 4, 2024

Strathmore & Washington Performing Arts Present ‘Fire Shut Up In My Bones’ Opera Suite in Concert

(Photo credit: Bucklesweet) Two-time Oscar nominee and six-time GRAMMY® Award-winning composer and trumpeter Terence Blanchard’s “Fire Shut Up In My Bones” Opera Suite in Concert will be presented by Strathmore and Washington Performing Arts. Blanchard and his E-Collective have teamed up with David Balakrishnan and the double GRAMMY®-winning Turtle Island Quartet, visual artist Andrew F. Scott, and guest vocalists soprano {…}

Feb 29, 2024

Justin Austin Stars in New York Premiere of Damien Geter’s ‘COTTON’

(Photo credit: Gillian Riesen & Rachel Hadiashar) Justin Austin, the 2024 Marian Anderson Vocal Award winner, is set to star in the New York premiere of Damien Geter’s “COTTON.” The multimedia work presents African American stories through song, poetry, and photography. It is inspired by photographer John E. Dowell’s haunting images of South Carolina cotton fields, captured in his 2018 {…}

Feb 22, 2024

Des Moines Metro Opera Announces Casting Updates

The Des Moines Metro Opera has announced casting updates and an additional performance for the company’s 2024 Festival Season. The company noted that due to strong early ticket sales, there will be an additional performance of Damien Geter and Lila Palmer’s world premiere opera, “American Apollo.” The added performance will occur on Friday, July 19 at the Blank Performing Arts {…}

Feb 6, 2024

Lyric Opera of Chicago 2023-24 Review: Terence Blanchard’s ‘Champion’

(Photo: Michael Brosilow) Fresh from a Metropolitan Opera premiere last spring (and its subsequent Grammy Award victory), Terence Blanchard’s first opera in jazz, “Champion,” enjoyed its Lyric Opera of Chicago premiere in James Robinson’s vivid and effective staging, a co-production on January 27th, 2024. A dazzling cast led by Justin Austin as Emile Griffith made a powerful case for repeated {…}

Jan 11, 2024

Justin Austin to Perform ‘Don’t Be Angry’ Recital at Carnegie Hall

Baritone Justin Austin will give a solo recital at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall on March 5, 2024. Joined by pianist Howard Watkins, the program will feature works by Weill, Bienert, Eisler, Ricky Ian Gordon, and Owens, among others. “I often hear the phrase, don’t be angry,” Austin said in an official press statement. “We as a people are encouraged to {…}

Oct 30, 2023

Justin Austin Named 2023 Marian Anderson Vocal Award Winner

Baritone Justin Austin is this year’s Marian Anderson Vocal Award winner. As such, the baritone will sing a recital at The Kennedy Center on Dec. 12, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. The showcase will be presented by the Washington National Opera and will feature Austin alongside pianist Howard Watkins. The program will feature music by Olaf Beinert, Hanns Eisler, Ricky Ian {…}

Oct 2, 2023

Rosa Feola & Adam Smith Lead Washington National Opera’s ‘Roméo et Juliette’

The Washington National Opera is set to present Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet,” between Nov. 4 and 18, 2023. The new production will be directed by one of the foremost Shakespeare directors, Simon Godwin, in his opera staging debut. Principal Conductor Evan Rogister will lead the work with Italian soprano Rosa Feola as Juliette and British tenor Adam Smith as Romeo. {…}