About
Brian Downen has sung more than 85 productions of 40 plus roles. He is known for his portrayals of leading men in the bel canto repertoire, having sung multiple productions of IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, LA CENERENTOLA, L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI, DON GIOVANNI, DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE and DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL. He has appeared at The Metropolitan Opera as Lord Cecil in ROBERTO DEVEREUX and as Monsieur Triquet in EUGENE ONEGIN.
Engagements in the 2025-26 season include Goro in Madama Butterfly for Opera Louisiane and Carmina Burana with the El Paso Symphony Orchestra. Downen also presented his commissioned song cycle from composer Jorge Martin-Bujan EN PAZ at the College Music Society’s International Conference in Colombia.
Enagements in the 2023-2025 seasons include Gastone in LA TRAVIATA and tenor soloist in MOZART BY MOONLIGHT with El Paso Opera, CARMINA BURANA with the New Horizons Symphony and GREAT ITALIAN ARIAS concert with the El Paso Symphony Orchestra. He is also the winner of the 2024 American Prize in Voice in the Men’s Professional Art Song Division.
Other career highlights include the roles of General Sir Philip Wingrave and the Narrator in Benjamin Britten’s OWEN WINGRAVE with Little Opera Theatre of New York, one of 8 roles he has done for the company; Damon in ACIS AND GALATEA for Opera Bhutan, the first western opera ever performed in the Kingdom of Bhutan; Harlekin in DER KAISER VON ATLANTIS with Klangforum Wien and Opera Moderne in Vienna; Crepuscolo/Zeriffo in VEREMONDA, L’AMAZZONE DI ARAGONA for Spoleto Festival USA; Professor Baglioni in LA HIJA DE RAPACCINI with Gotham Chamber Opera; Almaviva in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA with Teatr Wielki in Poznan Poland, on tour in Frankfurt Oder, Germany, Opera Columbus, Dayton Opera, Kentucky Opera, New Opera Saint Louis, and Opera Idaho; Don Ramiro in LA CENERENTOLA with Opera Columbus, Cleveland Opera, and Knoxville Opera; Lindoro in L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI with Central City Opera, Nevada Opera, Lake George Opera, and Anchorage Opera; Alfredo in LA TRAVIATA, Elvino in LA SONNAMBULA, and Ferrando in COSÌ FAN TUTTE with the Caramoor Festival; Tamino in DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE with Dayton Opera and the Caramoor Festival; Don Ottavio in DON GIOVANNI with Opera Delaware, Cleveland Opera, and Edmonton Opera; Belmonte in THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO with Opera Omaha; Ernesto in DON PASQUALE, Belmonte in DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL, and Paolino in IL MATRIMONIO SEGRETO with Lake George Opera; Tonio in THE DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT with Knoxville Opera.