Justin Austin

Praised in Opera News for his “vocally impressive, verbally elegant, and duly seductive baritone” and the New York Times for his “deep and earthy tone, with a firmly stitched timbre”, Drama Desk Award nominated baritone Justin Austin has been performing professionally since age 4. Born in Stuttgart, Germany to professional opera singer parents, Mr Austin began his singing career as a boy soprano performing at venues such as Teatro Real, Bregenzer Festspiele, Lincoln Center, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. While working with directors such as Götz Friedrich and Tazewell Thompson, he was able to realize his love for music and performance early on.
 
This season, Mr Austin made his return to the Metropolitan Opera, singing the role of Ned Keene in Benjamin Brittan’s Peter Grimes. He returns to The Kennedy Center, Merkin Hall and Opera Theatre of St. Louis, creating the role of Scott Joplin in the world premiere of Damien Sneed’s new adaptation of Scott Joplin’s opera Treemonisha. Justin also debuts with the Cleveland Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, Lyric Fest, and the Tucson Desert Song Festival.
 
A winner of the prestigious Marian Anderson Award, Mr Austin has appeared with Washington National Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Bayerische Staatsoper, Los Angeles Opera, The Metropolitan Opera, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Lincoln Center Theater, Carnegie Hall, and the Elbphilharmonie amongst many others. Justin is a proud graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, having earned his Bachelor & Master of Music Degrees there.