Brian Ernstes (tenor)

In the Summer of 2005 Mr. Ernstes won the 2nd Annual Mario Lanza Competition in New York City.  Following he covered Calaf in Turandot with New York City Opera and performed in a recital at the Donnell Library in NYC. On February 11th, he will perform as tenor soloist with the Queens Symphony Orchestra. Brian Ernstes has been singing professionally since he was a teenager.  While earning his undergraduate degree, Mr. Ernstes performed ragtime and jazz at a Cabaret in Boggstown, Indiana and was the youngest chorus member of the Indianapolis Opera Company.  After graduating from Marian College, in Indianapolis, Mr. Ernstes studied at Indiana University and the University of Missouri at Kansas City concentrating in opera performance.During his studies at UMKC Conservatory of Music, Mr. Ernstes was an apprentice for both the Kansas City Lyric Opera and the Opera Theatre of St. Louis singing roles in the Ballad of Baby Doe, La Boheme, Katya Kabanova, La Traviata, Billy Budd, and Il Tabarro, as well as, winning several vocal competitions.  Mr. Ernstes was a winner in the Leiderkranz Competition and a national finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Competition. After competing in and being a winner in the New Jersey State Opera Vocal Competition, Mr. Ernstes has sung many concerts and operalogues affiliated with the NJ State Opera in addition to covering and singing roles in Il Trovatore and Cavalleria Rusticana. Mr. Ernstes’ additional performance credits include A da, New Moon, Die Fledermaus, Merry Widow, Marriage of Figaro, Daughter of the Regiment, Faust, Anna Bolena, Don Carlos, Orfeo, Don Pasquale, Coyote Tales, Carmen, L’Italiana in Algeria, Magic Flute, Messiah, Verdi’s Requiem, Lord Nelson Mass, Hello Dolly and was a head liner in Branson, Missouri.