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Ryan AllenAmerican opera singer-bass
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Content:
- Ryan Allen - American Operatic Bass
- Wide and Diverse Repertoire
- Notable Achievements
- World Premieres and Recordings
- Education and Current Residence
Ryan Allen - American Operatic Bass
Ryan Allen is an American operatic bass who gained recognition for his interpretation of characteristic bass roles. He made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1993, playing the role of Hans Foltz in Richard Wagner's "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg". Since then, Allen has performed on concert and theatrical stages in all 50 American states, collaborated with major American opera companies, and toured as a guest soloist in Russia, Israel, Poland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Canada.
Wide and Diverse Repertoire
Coming to opera from a theatrical background, Allen's favorite roles in his bass repertoire are those that require character development and stage movement. His repertoire is incredibly broad and diverse, encompassing a range of roles from the comical Don Basilio in Gioacchino Rossini's "Il barbiere di Siviglia" to the pitiful one-handed laborer Candy in Carlisle Floyd's "Of Mice and Men". Additionally, Allen has performed as a soloist in oratorios with various symphony orchestras.
Notable Achievements
In 1989, Allen made his Carnegie Hall debut, where he performed a bass solo in Mozart's "Requiem". His vocal range as a lyric bass allows him to reach the lowest and deepest tones created by opera composers. He has sung the role of Seneca in Claudio Monteverdi's "L'Incoronazione di Poppea", which demands a low D in the great octave. Allen has also showcased his versatility by venturing beyond opera and oratorios. He has successfully portrayed Judge Turpin in the musical "Sweeney Todd" and is highly popular in operettas, particularly those by Gilbert and Sullivan, such as "The Mikado". He participated in a Broadway and non-Broadway production of "A Kurt Weill Cabaret" with the late Martha Schlamme, which consisted of music by the German composer.
World Premieres and Recordings
Allen has participated in several world premieres, including the first production of Stewart Copeland's "Holy Blood and Crescent Moon" by the Cleveland Opera and Russell Currie's "The Cask of Amontillado" performed by the Bronx Arts Ensemble. Currie also dedicated his monodrama "Caliban," which uses lines from Shakespeare's "The Tempest," specifically to Allen. Recordings featuring Allen include a 1994 recording of Handel's "Xerxes" in which he sings the role of Elviro, releases of Russell Currie's works by the label "High Fire," and a video recording of Gianni Schicchi in the Metropolitan Opera's production, in which he portrays Betto.
Education and Current Residence
Allen studied at Austin College in Sherman, Texas, earning a Bachelor's degree in English. He furthered his education at the University of Texas at Austin. Currently, Allen resides in Edgewater, New Jersey.