Artist in Recital: Justin Austin
Join us for a recital featuring baritone Justin Austin and pianist Allen Perriello. Fresh off recitals at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center as the 2023 Marian Anderson Vocal Award winner, Justin brings his “mighty lyric voice” (The New York Times) to Des Moines for an intimate afternoon musical program before returning this summer to portray Thomas Eugene McKeller on the mainstage in DMMO’s world premiere of American Apollo.
Artist in Recital: Justin Austin
Saturday, April 13 | 4pm
Plymouth Church
4126 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines
General admission tickets are $30 for adults and $10 for students. Don’t miss your chance to catch this rising star in an intimate setting!
Artist Biography
Possessing a “mighty lyric voice” (The New York Times) and praised in Opera News as “vocally impressive, verbally elegant,” Drama Desk Award nominated baritone Justin Austin has appeared on concert and operatic stages across the globe since the young age of four. Born into a family of opera singers, his early career took him to venues such as Teatro Real, Bregenzer Festspiele, Lincoln Center, and The Kennedy Center.
As this year’s Marian Anderson Vocal Award winner, Justin is featured in recital at The Kennedy Center, presented by Washington National Opera. He also gives solo recitals at Carnegie Hall, Pickman Hall with the Celebrity Series of Boston, and Spivey Hall in Atlanta this season. On the operatic stage he makes a return to Lyric Opera of Chicago, starring as Young Emile in Terence Blanchard’s Champion; Washington National Opera’s production of Romeo and Juliet, portraying Mercutio, at The Kennedy Center; Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in The Barber of Seville, playing Figaro; and the Metropolitan Opera in Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking. Justin also joins Des Moines Metro Opera for the world premiere of Damien Geter’s full-length American Apollo; stars in the New York premiere of Lyric Fest’s COTTON, composed by Damien Geter, at the 92nd Street Y; and performs in two renditions of Fire Shut Up In My Bones: Opera Suite in Concert at the Kimmel Center and then with Strathmore and Washington Performing Arts.
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Artist Biography
Allen Perriello is a highly regarded pianist, vocal coach, administrator, and educator. Allen is currently the Director of Artistic Administration at Des Moines Metro Opera. Previously, Allen was the Head of Music at Minnesota Opera and the Director of the Young Artists Program at The Glimmerglass Festival. A graduate of the Merola Opera Program and Adler Fellowship at San Francisco Opera, Allen has held music staff positions at Arizona Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Seattle Opera, and Boston Lyric Opera. He has appeared in recital with a wide array of singers at venues including Carnegie Hall, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and Cincinnati Song Initiative. This season, Allen looks forward to residencies at The Hartt School, Pensacola Opera, University of Northern Iowa, Drake University, New England Conservatory of Music, and University of Tennessee-Knoxville.