Possessing a “mighty lyric voice” (The New York Times) “with a burly, burnished tone capable of striking nuance and color” (Washington Post), Drama Desk Award-nominated baritone Justin Austin was named Rising Star of the Year at the 2024 International Opera Awards and is a recipient of the 2024 Marian Anderson Vocal Award. Deemed “a natural performer – a star awaiting a galaxy to form around him” (Washington Post), he has been praised for his “intensity and charisma” (Opera), “rich, pointed expressiveness” (Parterre), and “immaculate musicianship” (Seen and Heard International).

Following the world premiere of Damien Geter’s American Apollo at Des Moines Metro Opera (“a galvanizing, Herculean performance”, Opera Today) and appearances at Caramoor and the Sag Harbor Song Festival in summer 2024, Justin begins the 2024-2025 season with his house debut at Los Angeles Opera as Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette, returning to the company later in the season in his role debut as Guglielmo in Così fan tutte. He also returns to Opera Theatre of St. Louis for the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon’s This House, starring as Lindon. In concert, he returns to Carnegie Hall for Brahms’s Deutsches Requiem with the Cecilia Chorus of New York, and joins for selections from Terence Blanchard’s Champion and Fire Shut Up In My Bones at La Jolla Music Society (La Jolla, CA), The Soraya (Northridge, CA), Seattle Theatre Group, and the Charleston Gaillard Center. He also returns to Stuttgart, Germany for a concert with the Stuttgart Philharmonic and Opera for Peace as well as New York Festival of Song for My Brother’s Keeper at Kaufman Music Center, an event he personally conceived. Justin appears at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music for a guest recital plus at Emory & Henry University for a special concert with his father.

Last season, Justin Austin starred as Young Emile in Lyric Opera of Chicago’s premiere of Terence Blanchard’s Champion to great critical acclaim. He returned to the Metropolitan Opera, opening their season as the Motorcycle Cop in the company’s premiere of Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking in a new production directed by Ivo van Hove and conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, as well as Washington National Opera making his role debut as Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette. He additionally sang the title role in The Barber of Seville at Opera Theatre of St. Louis and performed in the New York premiere of Damien Geter’s song cycle COTTON alongside Denyce Graves at the 92nd Street Y. In concert, he gave the Marian Anderson Vocal Award Recital at the Kennedy Center as the 2024 recipient and gave concerts with Houston Grand Opera, Strathmore and Washington Performing Arts, the Kimmel Center, and Des Moines Metro Opera. He gave recitals with pianist Howard Watkins at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, the Longy School of Music with the Celebrity Series of Boston, Gore Recital Hall (at the University of Delaware on Delaware’s Master Player’s Concert Series), and Atlanta’s Spivey Hall (Clayton State University).

Favorite highlights of recent seasons include: making his house debut in the company premiere of Brett Dean's Hamlet at The Metropolitan Opera, with a later return as Ned Keene in Peter Grimes; house and role debuts as Charles in Fire Shut Up In My Bones at Lyric Opera of Chicago; the new edition by Damien Sneed of Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, playing the roles of Scott Joplin/Remus; as George Armstrong in Lynn Nottage and Ricky Ian Gordon’s Intimate Apparel at Lincoln Center Theater, which earned him a Drama Desk Award nomination; Damien Geter’s COTTON alongside Denyce Graves with Lyric Fest in Philadelphia and Washington Performing Arts at The Kennedy Center; as Captain Macheath in a film adaptation of Kurt Weill’s The Threepenny Opera produced by City Lyric Opera; and the world premiere and commercial recording of Jack Perla and Rajiv Joseph’s Shalimar the Clown at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, where he created the role of Pyarelel Kaul.

In concert, Justin previously presented a solo recital at the Park Avenue Armory with pianist Howard Watkins, and has appeared in the title role of 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, both at Carnegie Hall. He has been featured with The Met Opera, LA 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. Blige, 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 worldwide. 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.

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 St. 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.).