Lawrence Brownlee was born 24 November 1972 in Youngstown, Ohio, and grew up with little exposure to classical music, instead singing gospel in church and playing trumpet, guitar, and drums. He earned his undergraduate degree at Anderson University in Indiana before completing graduate studies at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. He went on to make his mark chiefly in bel canto opera, particularly the works of Rossini and Bellini.

Brownlee is among the leading bel canto tenors of his generation, celebrated for roles including Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia and the title role of Rossini’s Otello. In 2014 he was grouped with Juan Diego Flórez and Javier Camarena as a modern “Three Tenors,” representing what critics called a new golden age of high male voices. He has appeared at the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, and the Royal Opera House, and serves on the voice faculty of the Juilliard School.

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Brownlee