Bio

Christian Blackburn is a baritone from the town of Lakin, Kansas. He is a graduate of Kansas State University with a Bachelor’s of Music in Vocal Performance. With the Kansas State University Opera Theatre he performed the roles of Peter in Hänsel und Gretel and Mr. Kofner in Menotti’s The Consul. Christian spent the summer of 2016 performing as a studio artist for Opera in the Ozarks. While at OIO he performed as The Wolf in John Davis’ adaptation of Pinocchio and in the chorus for Don Giovanni and I Pagliacci.

In the spring of 2017 Christian performed with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City as Prisoner #3 and the chorus in Dead Man Walking and the chorus for The Pirates of Penzance.

 Since moving to Greensboro, North Carolina Christian has been a Young Artist with Greensboro Opera, performing as the Notary in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and the Imperial Commissioner in Madama Butterfly. Also for Greensboro Opera, he covered the role of Peter in Hänsel und Gretel.

 While in Greensboro, Christian has been seen as the baritone soloist for Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle and portrayed the role of Jesus in Chilcott’s St. John’s Passion.

 In 2018 Christian made his role debut as Papageno in Die Zauberflöte where News & Record said he was “Stupendous in the role”. Classical Voice North Carolina said “Blackburn’s Papageno lit up the stage: his hearty singing and comic acting was wonderful.” In 2018 Christian performed the role of Rigoletto in Talk Opera! and in 2019 reprised as Peter in Hansel and Gretel for UNCG Opera Theatre. Christian has also been seen in the chorus for North Carolina Opera, debuting with the company in January of 2019.

 In April of 2019, he sang the role of Ford in Falstaff with UNCG Opera Theatre, Voix des Arts said of his performance, “Throughout the performance, his comfort with the full range of the music, his nuanced phrasing..belied Blackburn’s youth, further marking him as a singer whose wondrous promise is already being realized.”

In the summer of 2019, Christian will make his role debut as Masetto in Don Giovanni with North Carolina Summer Opera.

 Christian holds a Master’s degree in Vocal Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and currently studies with Dr. Carla LeFevre.