Brian Hotchkin, baritone, is a versatile young singing actor who has been praised for both "his fine voice, strong and effortless through all ranges" and his "unerring, witty sense of theater..." (click to expand/collapse)

Brian recently sang Marcello in the Brevard Music Center's production of LA BOHÈME, where "his powerful voice with tremendous range and nuance was on full display… one of the highlights of [the] season." Other recent performances include Dancaïro in CARMEN with Chamber Opera Chicago, the title role in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO with the Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute, and both Figaro (Nozze) and Schaunard (La Bohème) with Chicago's Millennium Chamber Players.

Other leading roles include Figaro in Rossini's THE BARBER OF SEVILLE, Papageno in THE MAGIC FLUTE, and John in Ronald Perera's THE YELLOW WALLPAPER with companies including Opera for the Young, l'Opera Piccola, Beggars Opera Chicago, and The Ruth Page Center for the Performing Arts.

Equally at home in operetta and musical theater, Brian has been seen in both the Chicago Cultural Center and The Music Institute of Chicago's productions of THE MIKADO. His interpretation of KoKo was praised for its "wit, imagination, brilliant comic timing, and wonderful singing of the role." At the Brevard Music Center, Brian played the dual role of Merlyn/Pellinore in Lerner & Loewe's CAMELOT, displaying "crystal-clear English diction... tremendous humor and comic timing (which) nearly brought the house down in hysterics."

This winter Brian returned to Opera Santa Barbara's Young Artist Program, where he covered Silvio in PAGLIACCI, and sang the role on a preview concert with Metropolitan Opera tenor, Allan Glassman. In previous seasons with OSB he covered the role of Silvano in Verdi's UN BALLO IN MASCHERA and was featured in a solo recital for the company.

Brian has upcoming engagements with Opera New Jersey (Cascada/THE MERRY WIDOW) and Virginia Opera (Bartolo-cover/BARBER OF SEVILLE.)

Brian holds degrees from DePaul University and the Chicago College of Performing Arts, and has participated in training programs including Oberlin in Italy, BASOTI, The Brevard Music Center and the Aspen Music Festival. He is a student of Metropolitan Opera soprano Judith Haddon.

Se vuol ballare
(Le Nozze di Figaro, Mozart)

Aprite un po' quegl'occhi
(Le Nozze di Figaro, Mozart)

Johanna
(Sweeney Todd- Sondheim)

Una voce
(l'Inganno Felice- Rossini)