And it makes sense that the stage-stealing stars of the opera world should have the opportunity to be as inspiringly diverse and representative as the characters they play.<\/p>\n
For Pride Month and beyond, we\u2019re celebrating the people behind the lavish costumes who are out, and flying the flag for the LGBTQ+<\/a> community atop the world\u2019s most hallowed opera stages. <\/p>\n Patricia Racette is an American soprano who made her debut in Puccini<\/a>\u2019s La boh\u00e8me in 1996.<\/p>\n She\u2019s a Met<\/a>, Royal Opera<\/a>, and San Francisco Opera regular, and she came out in print in 2002 with her long-term partner Beth Clayton. Racette met and soon moved in with<\/a> Clayton in 1997, before the pair married in 2005. <\/p>\n \u201cI was asked a lot of questions about that, and number one was \u2018Was it scary?\u2019, Racette said in a video<\/a> for Metropolitan Opera. \u201cAnd it was scary for a moment, but I quickly realised that the price wasn\u2019t worth paying for my relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more: <\/strong>15 great classical composers who also happened to be gay<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Madama Butterfly: “Un bel d\u00ec” (Patricia Racette)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n The wife of soprano Patricia Racette (see above), Beth Clayton is a mezzo-soprano who has played over 50 leading roles around the world. She has been out as a lesbian since 2002, and married Racette in 2005.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was this great sense of validation as a couple. Lots of people who were young and struggling came to us and asked if this really made a big difference in our lives, and we said, \u2018yes\u2019 [it has made a big difference] to be truthful and to be out in more ways than just saying it in our lives,\u201d Clayton said in the same video for The Met<\/a> (below).<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s become part of our mission to never deny who we are as individuals and who we are as a couple\u2026 Things will change, and it will get better.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more: <\/strong>The 20 greatest operas ever written<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n It Gets Better – Patricia Racette and Beth Clayton<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n John Holiday is a countertenor<\/a> who\u2019s been described by the LA Times as \u201cone of the finest of his generation\u201d. <\/p>\n Often specialising in Baroque<\/a> repertoire, he\u2019s praised for his \u201castonishing\u201d voice and is slated to debut at The Met this year in Matthew Aucoin\u2019s Eurydice. Holiday is engaged to American singer Rio Souma.<\/p>\n John Holiday sings Vivaldi – ‘Ah, ch’infelice!’ | John Holiday, AAM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Adrian Angelico is a mezzo-soprano who made his debut at London\u2019s Royal Opera<\/a> in 2014 in John Fulljames\u2019 Quartett, before appearing in Verdi<\/a>\u2019s La Traviata there in 2015. <\/p>\n Angelico is a trans man, who has described<\/a> his pride at being out. \u201cI wanted to become the person I needed when I grew up\u2026 Someone who worked and was successful in any way, and who also happened to be trans\/two-spirit\u2026 Hoping my story can mean something for someone,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Adrian Angelico – 4th song from Mahler\u2019s \u00abLieder eines fahrenden Gesellen\u00bb with TSO & Ed Gardner<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Jamie Barton is an inspirational mezzo-soprano who has established herself as one of opera\u2019s most exciting young artists and a role model for body positivity and sexuality. <\/p>\n The Cardiff Singer of the World 2013 winner describes herself as a \u201cproudly queer opera singer into drag queens, bluegrass, social justice, equality, and cats\u201d on her Instagram bio.<\/p>\n Read more: <\/strong>Meet Jamie Barton, \u201copera\u2019s nose-studded rock star\u201d<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Jamie Barton & Joyce DiDonato – Guilo Cesare “Son nata a lagrimar” – Handel: Tucker Opera Gala 2016<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Michael Fabiano is an American tenor who\u2019s appeared on the world\u2019s most famous opera stages \u2013 from The Met<\/a> in New York, to Glyndebourne<\/a>. <\/p>\n Talking about his sexuality, Fabiano has said<\/a>: \u201cI was forced to hide [in my career]. Hiding is even worse than being in the closet. I was out, it\u2019s not like I wasn\u2019t out of the closet \u2013 all of my friends and family knew who I was from a very young age, but the reality is that I didn\u2019t talk about it.\u201d<\/p>\n La boh\u00e8me \u2013 ‘Che gelida manina’ aria (Puccini; Michael Fabiano, Nicole Car; The Royal Opera)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Lucia Lucas is a trans woman who made history when she became the first female baritone<\/a> to perform a principal role in the US, when she appeared as Don Giovanni in Tulsa Opera\u2019s production of the Mozart<\/a> opera in 2019. <\/p>\n Lucas described<\/a> coming out at the age of 33. \u201cFriends said \u2018what are you going to do now? Clearly you\u2019re going to stop singing\u2019. And my response was \u2018Did I say that?\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cBeing able to truly be yourself and show the world who you are is invaluable\u201d, the baritone says. \u201cYour art will be better, the more authentic you are.\u201d <\/p>\n Read more: <\/strong>Transgender baritone makes US debut in Don Giovanni<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Lucia Lucas Short Film Preview<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Russell Thomas is a sought-after tenor who has performed at English National Opera<\/a> and the Met, as well as major symphony orchestras like the New York Philharmonic<\/a> and Finnish Radio Symphony. He\u2019s known for his acclaimed interpretation of Verdi<\/a>\u2019s Otello.<\/p>\n Thomas identifies as gay, and recently released<\/a> Vanished, an LGBTQ+ story about \u201clonging, heartbreak, and searching for love\u201d with John Holiday (above).<\/p>\n IL TROVATORE – Act Three – “Di Quella Pira” (Russell Thomas)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Breanna Sinclair\u00e9 is a transgender soprano who has had an eclectic career singing a diverse range of genres and settings \u2013 from the opera stage, to the Walt Disney Concert Hall with the Los Angeles Gay Men\u2019s Chorus. <\/p>\n Sinclair\u00e9 made history in 2015 when she became the first trans woman to perform the National Anthem at a professional sporting event, and three years later she made her debut with San Francisco Symphony, as the first trans singer to perform with the orchestra.<\/p>\n David Portillo is an American tenor and proud husband of David Lawrence. <\/p>\n He\u2019s sung at The Met, Washington National Opera and Bayerische Staatsoper among other prestigious venues, and he regularly posts about his life with Lawrence, and their doggo Ruthie, on his Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n Minnesota Opera’s Albert Herring – “What a Party!”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Tenor Frederick Ballentine made his debut with New York\u2019s Met as Sportin\u2019 Life in Gershwin<\/a>\u2019s Porgy and Bess in 2019 and played Charlie in Daniel Schnyder\u2019s opera, Charlie Parker\u2019s Yardbird, the same year.<\/p>\n \u201cI was yanked out of the closet in high school by my best friend,\u201d Ballentine told Washington Blade<\/a>. \u201cIt was probably 2005 or 2006. Because it wasn\u2019t my doing, coming out was surprisingly easy. The hardest people to tell were my parents, who I told four years later.\u201d <\/p>\n Frederick Ballentine in Recital<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Holden Madagame is a tenor and trans activist, who sang as a mezzo-soprano before coming out as trans. <\/p>\n \u201cThis was the first lesson I had to learn: I am not my voice,\u201d he wrote<\/a> in The Independent in 2017. <\/p>\n He attended Glyndebourne<\/a> Academy, which was a life-changer. \u201cIt was like my social justice dreams had come true: a training program for aspiring opera singers who had non-traditional career paths, with an emphasis on diversity.\u201d <\/p>\n Man wird ja einmal nur geboren (Georgs Arie)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Lucas Bouk is a mezzo-soprano-turned-baritone singer and actor, who came out publicly as a trans man in 2018.<\/p>\n He came out through performing a new opera, Tabula Rasa, which was composed specially to tell the story of his journey. The mezzo has also collaborated with director Bea Goodwin to produce a one-man cabaret show about his life.<\/p>\n Sarah’s Aria from STONEWALL<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo began performing from the prodigious age of 11, and has appeared extensively on the world\u2019s best opera stages ever since. <\/p>\n A multidisciplinary artist who also has recitals, film appearances and Broadway experience under his belt, Costanzo was nominated for the Best Classical Solo Vocal Album Grammy in 2019.<\/p>\n Anthony Roth Costanzo – \u201cOmbra mai fu\u201d from Xerxes (Handel)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Kangmin Justin Kim is a Korean-American countertenor who specialises in Baroque<\/a>, Mozart<\/a> and contemporary repertoire. <\/p>\n He\u2019s also known for his drag alter ego, Kimchilia Bartoli, who is the dramatic coloratura male mezzo-soprano interpretation of legendary mezzo Cecilia Bartoli<\/a>.<\/p>\n Kim, who performs as a self-professed \u2018male mezzosopranist\u2019, made his Royal Opera debut in the 2018\/19 Season as Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro.<\/p>\n Read more: <\/strong>What is the difference between relative and perfect pitch?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n What Is A Countertenor? | Discover Voices | Classic FM<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Operatic bass Andrea Mastroni started his musical career as a clarinettist<\/a> before gracing the stages of The Met, the Teatro Real Madrid, and Royal Opera House Covent Garden, to name just three esteemed venues. <\/p>\n He\u2019s known for his operatic music videos and elegant style. <\/p>\n Andrea Mastroni, “Erlk\u00f6nig” (F. Schubert)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Nicholas Phan is a tenor who\u2019s been described by the Boston Globe as \u201cone of the world\u2019s most remarkable singers\u201d.<\/p>\n In 2017, he spoke to the Huffington Post<\/a> about the importance of LGBTQ+ performers, and people with a public profile, being out. <\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s really important because when you are a performer of any sort, you have a public profile and therefore you are an example to very many people,\u201d he said. \u201cI think you have to be aware of that. You have a social responsibility that comes along with these gifts that we\u2019ve been given.\u201d <\/p>\n Soprano Adrianne Pieczonka is widely celebrated for her Wagner<\/a>, Strauss<\/a>, Verdi<\/a> and Puccini<\/a> interpretations. <\/p>\n The Canadian singer is married to mezzo-soprano Laura Tucker and they live in Toronto with their family \u2013 their child and two cats. <\/p>\n Mozart: Don Giovanni – “Mi tradi quell’alma ingrata” (Adrianne Pieczonka) Glyndebourne 1995<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n An Italian \u2018Buffo\u2019 bass-baritone, Paolo Bordogna specialises in comedic opera roles.<\/p>\n Considered one of the leading interpreters of Bel Canto opera, he has performed at many world-renowned venues including Teatro alla Scala, Royal Opera House and Bayerische Staatsoper.<\/p>\n Fa\u2019 un cantabile a note trillate \u2013 LE CONVENIENZE ED INCONVENIENZE TEATRALI \u2013 Wexford Festival Opera<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n Aboriginal Australian soprano and composer Deborah Cheetham has proudly supported the LGBTQI+ community, bringing diverse communities together through the impact of music. She also leads Short Black Opera, based in Melbourne, which provides training and opportunities for emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musical artists.<\/p>\n She married her partner, the conductor Nicolette Fraillon, on 2 January 2023. Deborah is now known as Deborah Cheetham Fraillon.<\/p>\n Deborah Cheetham Fraillon AO: Creative Australia Don Banks Music Award | Arts Week<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/div>\nPatricia Racette<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/do_8ecphIqY\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBeth Clayton<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/sQfl79kLuDo\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\nJohn Holiday<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/O6MJJrJap8w\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAdrian Angelico<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/nV4L6BP3cO0\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\nJamie Barton<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/u00F-g_Y_oA\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMichael Fabiano<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/--L3uqoQUV4\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\nLucia Lucas<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/wp9EHoL5akM\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\nRussell Thomas<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/7FOwKlLlyb8\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBreanna Sinclair\u00e9<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/wf_1uoZtlfM\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\nDavid Portillo<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/SLJcRCxK1wk\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFrederick Ballentine<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/qqgBC92u1zM\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHolden Madagame<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/k_jArV8zf1Q\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\nLucas Bouk<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/V3ld0vInB2Q\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAnthony Roth Costanzo<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/PREBkO82SxU\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\nKangmin Justin Kim<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/KQjg50s2zPE\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAndrea Mastroni<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/ilf8wBIigIo\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\nNicholas Phan<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/eUz0_jWbUqU\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\nAdrianne Pieczonka<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/XFY4ib4oQq0\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPaolo Bordogna<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/xfP5dagTtPk\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\nDeborah Cheetham<\/h2>\n
![](\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/oAywr2enU4U\/hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\n