Baritone Justin Austin to Perform In Marian Anderson Vocal Award Recital At The Kennedy Center

On Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at 7:30pm, Drama Desk Award-nominated baritone Justin Austin gives a solo recital at The Kennedy Center, presented by Washington National Opera, as this year's Marian Anderson Vocal Award winner. The performance will feature renowned pianist Howard Watkins. Austin's program includes works by Olaf Beinert, Hanns Eisler, Ricky Ian Gordon, Shawn Okpebholo, Robert Owens, Maurice Ravel, and Kurt Weill.

Named for the groundbreaking African American contralto, the Marian Anderson Vocal Award recognizes a young American singer in opera, oratorio, or recital repertory. Given annually by the Kennedy Center, the award offers a cash prize, a residency at Washington's Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and a recital presented by Washington National Opera. Prior recipients include Leah Hawkins, Frederick Ballentine, Will Liverman, Soloman Howard, Ryan Speedo Green, Denyce Graves, Eric Owens, Lawrence Brownlee, J'Nai Bridges, Janai Brugger, John Holiday, and many others.

Justin Austin remarks, “I'm honored to have been chosen for this incredibly prestigious award in the name of one of my operatic heroes. Marian Anderson personally encouraged my mother when she was a young singer. So, in a way, not only her historic career, but Ms. Anderson's kindness and big heart led to me being where I am today. I hope to be half the ambassador of peace and love through music that Marian Anderson was. Thank you to Washington National Opera for this great honor.”

Possessing a “mighty lyric voice” (The New York Times) and praised in Opera News as “vocally impressive, verbally elegant,” Justin Austin has appeared on concert and operatic stages across the globe since the young age of four. His 2023-24 season recently kicked off with The Metropolitan Opera's premiere of Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking starring Joyce DiDonato, and continues with Washington National Opera's production of Romeo and Juliet, portraying Mercutio, at The Kennedy Center.

In addition to being featured in the Marian Anderson Vocal Award Recital at The Kennedy Center, Austin gives further solo recitals at Carnegie Hall, Pickman Hall with the Celebrity Series of Boston, and Spivey Hall in Atlanta. On the operatic stage he makes returns to Lyric Opera of Chicago, starring as Young Emile in Terence Blanchard's Champion, and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in The Barber of Seville, playing Figaro. He 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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Concert Information

Marian Anderson Vocal Award Recital: Justin Austin
Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at 7:30pm
Terrace Theater | 2700 F St NW | Washington, DC 20566
Tickets: $39
Link: https://www.kennedy-center.org/wno/home/2023-2024/marian-anderson-award/

Artists
Justin Austin, baritone and 2023 Marian Anderson Vocal Award Winner
Howard Watkins, piano

Program
SHAWN OKPEBHOLO: Oh Freedom
Maurice Ravel:
     Don Quichotte
          “Chanson Romanesque”
          “Chanson épique”
          “Chanson à boire”
OLAF BEINERT: Augen in der Großstadt
Hanns Eisler: Embrace the Fascists 
Kurt Weill: Ballad of the easy life (from The Threepenny Opera)

Intermission 

Kurt Weill: Call to the Grave / Death message (from The Threepenny Opera)
Ricky Ian Gordon:
     Song for a dark girl 
     Marvin Gaye Songs
          “Mercy”
          “Sugar”
ROBERT OWENS:
     Mortal Storm
          “House in Taos”
          “Little Song”
          “Jaime”
          “Faithful One”
          “Genius Child”

About Justin Austin

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.

Last season, the “standout” (Operawire) baritone appeared as Ned Keene in Peter Grimes at the Metropolitan Opera; sang Carl Nielsen's third symphony with the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Alan Gilbert; premiered Damien Geter's song cycle COTTON alongside Denyce Graves with Lyric Fest in Philadelphia and Washington Performing Arts at The Kennedy Center; and premiered a new edition by Damien Sneed of Scott Joplin's Treemonisha at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in the roles of Scott Joplin/Remus. Justin also sang on a concert tour of Our Song, Our Story, a tribute recital to African American operatic pioneers Jessye Norman and Marian Anderson, with music director Damien Sneed, giving performances in Tucson, St. Louis, Washington D.C., Akron, and Aspen.

Favorite highlights of recent seasons include his house debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Marcellus in the company premiere of Brett Dean's Hamlet; his house and role debut as Charles in Fire Shut Up In My Bones at Lyric Opera of Chicago; starring as George Armstrong in Lynn Nottage and Ricky Ian Gordon's Intimate Apparel at Lincoln Center Theater; joining Washington National Opera in his company debut and Des Moines Metro Opera as Thomas McKeller in the chamber version premiere of Damien Geter and Lila Palmer's American Apollo; starring as Captain Macheath in a film adaptation of Kurt Weill's The Threepenny Opera produced by City Lyric Opera; and debuting at the Bard Summerscape Festival as Mordred in Chausson's Le roi Arthus. Justin created the role of Pyarelel Kaul in the critically acclaimed world premiere of Jack Perla and Rajiv Joseph's Shalimar the Clown at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and was featured on the commercial recording of the work.

In concert, Justin recently presented a solo recital at the Park Avenue Armory with pianist Howard Watkins. He has appeared at Carnegie Hall as the title role in Mendelssohn's Elijah with the Oratorio Society of New York and as the baritone soloist in Margaret Bonds' Ballad of the Brown King with the Cecilia Chorus; and with New York Festival of Song for their debut concert at Little Island in addition to their mainstage series at Kaufman Music Center. He has been featured with the Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Glimmerglass Festival, Opera Maine, Opera Saratoga, Mistral Music, Voices of Ascension, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Copland House, and Strathmore Music Center, plus the Hamburg International, Penn Square, Lakes Area, and Moab Music Festivals. Justin has previously joined IDAGIO for online concerts at the Global Concert Hall.

As a multifaceted musician, Justin enjoys performing a wide range of repertoire, from jazz, R&B, and musical theater, to opera and oratorio. He has collaborated, performed, and recorded with multiple groups and artists such as Aretha Franklin, The Boys Choir of Harlem, Mary J. Blidge, Elton John, Lauryn Hill, The Roots, 30 Seconds to Mars, John Cale, Ricky Ian Gordon, Kanye West, Avner Finberg, M. Roger Holland, Jack Perla, Peter Andreacchi, and Odeline de la Martinez, plus jazz legends Reggie Workman, Hugh Masekela, and Wynton Marsalis.

Justin strongly believes in utilizing his artistry to benefit music programs, new music projects, and community services around the world. He works with organizations such as MEND (Meeting Emergency Needs with Dignity), QSAC (Quality Services for the Autism Community), Holt International, and St. Mary's Children's Hospital to construct and perform benefit concerts. The proceeds of these projects supply emergent living essentials to those in need.

With a “velvety-dark baritone” (Cleveland Classical) described as “heroic” by Broadway World, Justin has received accolades and awards from The Recording Academy, NAACP, George London Foundation, Washington National Opera, Opera Ebony, Gerda Lissner Foundation, Manhattan School of Music, NANM, Choir Academy of Harlem, and Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. He is the recipient of a 2023 Mabel Dorn Reeder Award from Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, which goes to “the single artist in each season with the greatest potential to make a significant contribution to the art form of opera.” Justin is under the tutelage and mentorship of Catherine Malfitano.

Born in Stuttgart, Germany, Justin Austin is an alumnus of the Choir Academy of Harlem, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, Heidelberg Lied Akademie, and Manhattan School of Music (M.M. and B.M.). To learn more, visit www.justin-austin.com.

Photo credit: Dario Acosta