Renowned tenor Lawrence Brownlee, “a global icon in the bel canto operatic repertoire” (New York Times), will perform alongside pianist Kevin Miller at 7 p.m. March 23, for a personal recital showcasing tunes from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.
This concert is part of WashU’s 2025 Great Artists Series, which brings some of the most exceptional talents on the modern concert scene to St. Louis.
The performance will commence with pieces from Giuseppe Verdi’s “Seste Romanze II” (1845) and “Rigoletto” (1851). Following that will be selections from Gaetano Donizetti’s “Soirées d’automne à l’Infrascata” (1837) and “Rita” (1841), along with compositions by Gioachino Rossini and Vincenzo Bellini.
Post intermission, the program will progress with Robert Owens’ “Desire, Op. 13” (1975) and Jeremiah Evans’ “April Rain Song” (1978), both inspired by the poetry of Langston Hughes. This will be succeeded by contemporary pieces from Jasmine Barnes, Brandon Spencer, Damien L. Sneed, Shawn E. Okpebholo, and Carlos Simon. The performance will wrap up with Joel Thompson’s “My People,” which also draws from a text by Hughes.
Lawrence Brownlee
Brownlee has graced many of the globe’s most prestigious opera venues, such as the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, and the Royal Opera House-Covent Garden. He has given solo recitals at Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, and the Kennedy Center, collaborating with various prestigious groups including the Cleveland, Chicago, and Philadelphia orchestras, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, and absorbing festivals at Baden-Baden and Salzburg.
Currently serving as artistic advisor for Opera Philadelphia, Brownlee acquired skills in bass, drums, and piano at his family’s church in Hubbard, Ohio. His extensive accolades include winning the grand prize at the 2001 Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions, receiving the title of Male Singer of the Year at the 2017 International Opera Awards, and earning the Kennedy Center’s Marian Anderson Award.
Explore a complete biography here.
Great Artists Series
The annual Great Artists Series is organized by WashU’s Department of Music within Arts & Sciences. The 2025 season will culminate on April 6 with Vân-Ánh Võ & the Blood Moon Quartet, a chamber group highlighting traditional Vietnamese instruments.
The upcoming 2026 season details will be revealed from the stage just prior to Brownlee’s show. Subscriptions will be available for purchase starting May 7. Individual ticket sales will begin on September 8.
Tickets and associated events
Brownlee’s concert is set to commence at 7 p.m. on March 23, at WashU’s E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall. Tickets are priced at $35-40, or $32-37 for WashU faculty and staff, and $15 for students and children. The E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall can be found at the 560 Music Center, located at 560 Trinity Ave., where it intersects with Delmar Boulevard. Tickets can be acquired via the Edison Theatre Box Office at 314-935-6543. For further details, please visit music.wustl.edu.
Additionally, Brownlee will conduct a masterclass at 6 p.m. on March 22, also at the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall. Participating will be students from WashU’s Department of Music and from Opera Theatre of St. Louis’s Artists-in-Training initiative. Find out more on the music website.
The Great Artists Series is made possible with assistance from the Regional Arts Commission and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.
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