Washington, D.C. native Christian Simmons, bass-baritone, was a winner in the 2023 Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition. Simmons made his European debut with Deutsche Oper Berlin for the 2023–2024 season, as a winner in the Opera Foundation’s 37th Annual Scholarship Competition.
In the 2024–2025 season, Simmons performed Otello (Lodovico) with the National Symphony Orchestra, La bohème (Colline) with Opera Baltimore, Opera Delaware and Opera Carolina and Carmen (Zuniga) with Florentine Opera. He also performed Carmen with Opera Memphis, making his debut as Escamillo, and the title role in Le nozze di Figaro with the Wolf Trap Opera.
With Deutsche Oper Berlin, Simmons was seen in Carmen (Zuniga), Anna Bolena (Lord Rochefort), Tosca (Sciarrone), Gianni Schicchi (Betto di Signa), Nabucco (High Priest of Babylon), Die Zauberflöte (2nd Armored Man), Madama Butterfly (Commissioner), Lohengrin (3rd Noble), La traviata (Messenger), and La bohème (Sergeant). Also in the 2023–24 season, Simmons made his debut at The Atlanta Opera in La bohème (Colline) and joined the Santa Fe Opera as an Apprentice Artist, covering Vodnik in Rusalka.
As a member of the Cafritz Young Artists of the Washington National Opera, Simmons covered roles in Il trovatore (Ferrando) and La bohème (Colline), and performed in Tazewell Thompson’s Blue (Policeman). Other appearances with Washington National Opera include the documentary film and studio recording of Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson’s Blue and the young artist performances of Carmen (Zuniga) and La bohème (Colline).
In the 2021–2022 season,Simmons was a featured soloist with Maestro Gianandrea Noseda and the National Symphony Orchestra, performing the Bass Soloist in Mozart’s Requiem and concert aria, “Per questa bella mano” at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. During the summer he performed with Barnard College in Southern Crossings (January) and Annapolis Opera in La bohème (Colline).
Simmons has performed with various festivals and companies around the world including the Morgan State University Theater, Bel Cantanti Opera Company, Washington Opera Society, Castleton Music Festival, Amalfi Coast Music Festival, Berlin Opera Academy, Bare Opera Company, and the Maryland Opera Studio. Performance highlights include Le nozze di Figaro (Figaro), Aida (King), Rigoletto (Sparafucile), L’incoronazione di Poppea (Seneca), Roméo et Juliette (Duke), La finta giardiniera (Nardo), The Wiz (Lion), and The Devil and Daniel Webster (Jabez Stone). Mr. Simmons has also been featured as the bass soloist in such works as G.F. Handel’s Messiah, J.S. Bach’s Magnificat, Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem, and Franz Schubert’s Mass in G Major.
A graduate of Morgan State University and the Maryland Opera Studio, Simmons is a proud member of the nation's first and largest music fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America. His inspiration for singing comes from a quote from the late Dr. Nathan M. Carter, “Music is ministry: it has to go beyond the page; it must inspire.”
