What’s Coming and What’s Passed
Sebastian returned to operatic stage in 2024 as Nemorino in New Jersey Lyric Opera’s production of L’elisir d’amore. He made his debut at 54 Below in August 2024 singing the works of Christian De Gré Cardenas, and created the role of Juan Escutia at the premiere of Orgullo! by Christian De Gré Cardenas at The Public on September 15th.
In 2023 Sebastian joined Opera Theatre St. Louis in a new opera workshop in NYC and appeared as the titular role in a concert performance of Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux at St John’s in the Village.
In 2022, Sebastian performed Richmond County Orchestra’s Hispanic Heritage Concert, a recital for Salon 58, and placed as a semi-finalist in the Federation of the Art Song’s Art Song Fellowship competition.
Summer 2021 saw Sebastian join Theatre Now’s developmental reading of Steve Wallace’s new musical adaptation of George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” as the villainous propagandist pig, Squealer.
2020 marked Sebastian’s move to New York City, and a new partnership with Encompass Arts, LLC. This representation begins a new chapter in Sebastian’s professional career as a multi-faceted and passionate performer.
In the Fall of 2019, Sebastian joined Indianapolis Opera as a Resident Artist where he covered the role of Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore. He also performed in outreach performances, concerts, and masterclasses throughout Indianapolis during his residency.
Sebastian returned to the Chautauqua Institution in 2019 where he performed as Flute opposite Matthew Rose (Bottom) in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. While in Chautauqua, he studied voice with Joan Patenaude-Yarnell, worked with tenor William Burden, and coached with Craig Rutenberg and Michal Biel.
On June 9th, 2019 he produced and performed in his first independent recital titled “Songs for Martha” in Chicago at St. Chrysostom’s Church.
In 2018-19 Sebastian completed two successful residencies in Florida where he sang with Sarasota Opera for their Winter 2019 and Fall 2018 Opera Seasons as an Apprentice Artist.
In the Summer of 2018, Sebastian performed the title role of Prince Karl Franz for Chautauqua Institution’s summer production of The Student Prince by Romberg. While in residence at Chautauqua, Sebastian studied voice with Marlena Malas, coached and performed with Bénédicte Jourdois and Martin Dubé, participated in Master Classes with mezzo-soprano Claudia Catania, tenor William Burden and composer Ben Moore, worked individually with Brian Zeger, Craig Rutenberg, Mikael Eliason, and Michael Dean, and performed for members of the National Federation of Music Clubs in their annual scholarship recital.
In late August 2018, Sebastian returned to Eau Claire, Wisconsin to perform with Eauxpera, a new opera collective. He performed scenes and arias by Donizetti, Bizet, Romberg, and Brodszky for a one night event in the Chippewa Valley.
In June 2018, he graduated with his MM in Voice Performance from DePaul University where he studied with Julia Faulkner. He was seen in DePaul University’s production of Franz Lehar’s The Merry Widow (Camille), and presented his Master's Recital on May 26th, 2018 at DePaul University's Concert Hall. The program featured Tre sonetti di Petrarca by Liszt and a rarely performed Spanish song cycle Cantares de mi tierra by Julio Osma.
He performed the roles of Prologue and Quint in DePaul Opera Theater’s Fall 2017 production of The Turn of the Screw by Benjamin Britten. In August of 2017 he performed selected excerpts by Verdi, Rossini, and Leoncavallo in the inaugural performances of Eauxpera, a new opera collective in Eau Claire, WI.
He finished his first year of Master's study singing Rossini's Stabat Mater as the tenor soloist with DePaul University's Symphonic Choir and Orchestra, and spent June 2017 singing with the Grant Park Chorus as a part of their Apprentice Chorale.
In early 2017, Sebastian sang the role of Gherardo in DePaul Opera Theater's production of Gianni Schicchi by Puccini. Past productions with DePaul University Opera Theater include the fall 2016 production of Street Scene (Daniel Buchanan).
In December 2016, he performed alongside distinguished alumni tenors Brent Ryan and Steve Wallace as a part of the Three DePaul Tenors in the Tenth Anniversary of Christmas at DePaul. He has also been featured as a tenor soloist in DePaul University Concert Choir's performance of Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb.
During his time at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, Sebastian performed as Basilio in The Marriage of Figaro and Emcee in Cabaret as well as performing as the tenor soloist in Handel's Messiah and Orff's Carmina Burana. He has sung in Master Classes for Metropolitan Opera singers Sylvia McNair and Claudia Catania, and spent June 2016 in Lucca, Italy as a singer in Wichita State University's summer program "Canta in Italia" where he performed arias and scenes by Rossini, Donizetti, and Verdi in concert.
Along with performing opera, oratorio, art song, and musical theater, Sebastian also collaborated with Dr. Kenneth J. Pereira and Alex Van Munger in the creation of a pastiche Bel Canto opera based on the Mexican folktale "Popo and Ixta" for which he wrote the libretto.