World premiere of Fire and Blue Sky written for Russell by Emmy Award-winning composer Joel Thompson, at LA Opera

Role debut as Parsifal with Houston Grand Opera

House debut at Den Norske Opera for Don Alvaro in La forza del destino

House debut at Staatsoper Hamburg for the title role in Don Carlos

Return to LA Opera as Calàf in Turandot

Return to Royal Opera House Covent Garden as Cavaradossi in Tosca

Return to Lyric Opera of Chicago as Radames in Aida

Orchestral and recital engagements in Edinburgh, Chicago, Washington D.C., and St. Louis

Born on December 13, 1976

Raised in Miami, Florida

Graduated from New World School of the Arts

Alumna of Lindemann Young Artist Program at the Metropolitan Opera

Apprenticeships at Seattle Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Aspen Music Festival, and Opera Theater of St. Louis

Lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his son Austin

Appearing on the cover of Opera News

Conceiving LA Opera’s HBCU Opera Career Comprehensive

Ongoing creative partnership with John Adams and Peter Sellars, including creating roles in A Flowering Tree and The Gospel According to the Other Mary

Commissioning works by Black composers and poets for vocal chamber music repertoire

Touring with Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center

Nominated for Best Male Singer in International Opera Awards in both 2020 and 2022

Sweeping the Grand Prize, Audience Prize, and Tenor Prize of the Francisco Viñas Competition in Barcelona, Spain

Role and company debut as Hoffmann with Canadian Opera Company

Summers at Marlboro Festival, making music with incredible musicians like Mitsuko Uchida, Richard Goode, and Ani Kavafian

Filming Vanished with John Holiday, centering a relationship between two men, based on Janacek’s The Dairy of One Who Disappeared

Huge fan of Nina Simone – her musicality, her advocacy, and how she created her own path

Has a special appreciation for Welsh Singers, including Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, and Gwyneth Jones

Believes strongly in adoption – inspired by his grandmother’s caretaking of children throughout her life

When he has time off, he often takes day trips with his son Austin – anywhere there’s water or a coastline

Dream recital would be at Carnegie Hall, with a second half dedicated to orchestrated Nina Simone songs