From Long Island to Lincoln Center
With a voice that can “shake the heavens” (Opera Today), bass-baritone Christian Van Horn is known for his compelling and charismatic stage presence, powerful voice and his unwavering authenticity, both on and off the stage. Growing up in the shadow of Manhattan motivated him to strive for the highest level, knowing that the world’s best performers were only a short train ride away.
“New York City was always kind of calling to us,” Van Horn says. “Everyone knew that the people who were the best at everything were in New York City.”
That ambition ultimately carried him to the storied Metropolitan Opera, where he made his debut in 2013 and has been a regular presence ever since. This winter, he is scheduled to appear in two overlapping productions on the company’s stage.
Starting Dec. 31, the Met presents a new production of Vincenzo Bellini’s “I Puritani,” featuring Van Horn as Giorgio Walton. The opera runs through Jan. 18 and will be broadcast live in movie theaters across Long Island and worldwide as part of the Met’s longrunning “Met Live in HD” series.
He’ll also be performing as Escamillo in Georges Bizet’s “Carmen,” which runs from Jan. 11 through Jan. 23 at the Met.
Van Horn, 46, was introduced to performing at an early age, when his mother got him involved in the church choir — a decision that quietly shaped his future. “I think it was to keep me out of trouble,” he says jokingly. “I just sort of never quit.” He spent his earliest years in Rockville Centre, from birth in 1978, followed by a move to East Meadow, before the family ended up in Centereach, where he attended high school. Through all of it, music remained a constant thread.
“I was doing music and Broadway shows right through high school,” he says. “I wanted to keep going. I didn’t know anything else.”
After high school, he attended Stony Brook University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in music before continuing his studies at Yale.
Van Horn began formal classical vocal training in earnest during college, where a professional vocalist recognized his promise and encouraged him to pursue singing as a career.
“There were as many people telling me I couldn’t do it as there was telling me I could,” he recalls. “I took a lot of motivation from the ones who told me I couldn’t.”
He adds that his drive was fueled as much by skepticism as encouragement, reflecting the competitive nature of growing up on Long Island.
“There’s a competition that exists when people live so close together,” he explains. “I think that sense of proximity and rivalry really shaped how I approach my career — always striving to be better, always aiming for that next level.”
Van Horn has since performed on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including La Scala in Milan, the Royal Opera House in London and the Paris Opera.
Recognized for his operatic flair and rich bass-baritone voice, he has performed a diverse range of roles, from Mozart and Verdi to more contemporary works.
In the upcoming production of “I Puritani” he observes that the demands are especially exacting.
“The soloists in this are the Olympic athletes of opera,” he says.
At its core, according to Van Horn, performing is about offering audiences a brief escape from what he terms the “monotony” of daily life.
“Let’s help people leave reality for a minute. The story we’re telling is easy. It’s a forbidden love story. It’s opera confusion. It’s not rocket science.
“And so my whole approach to performing is: let’s bring people into our little world. Let’s ruin them with beautiful music and beautiful singing, and they can go back to the world and look at their phones or watch the news or all the things that make us crazy.”