Brian Banion, Baritone

Brian Banion is originally from London, Ohio. The young singer performed graduate work at Indiana University, where he studied with Giorgio Tozzi from the Metropolitan. He completed his undergraduate degree from Capital University, where he studied trombone.
Brian Banion has appeared on numerous opera stages in such roles as the title role and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro, the title role in Eugene Onegin, Baron Douphol in La Traviata, and Leporello in Don Giovanni.
Engagements this past season included a debut with Opera Columbus as Zuniga in Carmen and a debut with Michigan Opera Theatre as Silvano in Un Ballo in Maschera. He just finished Verdi's Requiem on tour Europe with The Robert Page Festival Singers, and will return next season to Opera Columbus as Leporello in Don Giovanni.
Mr. Banion has been a featured soloist with the Cincinnati May Festival, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and the Anderson Symphony. His concert performances include Mendelssohn's Elijah, Beethoven Ninth Symphony, Verdi Requiem, Mozart Requiem and Bach Passions. Mr. Banion has won awards in several important vocal competitions, including those of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions, the Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation, Opera Index Grant, Opera Columbus Vocal Competition, and the Bel Canto Vocal Scholarship. This is his first year with Lyrique en Mer, where he will sing Escamillo in Carmen.