Drive. Discipline. Passion.
(AND THAT’S JUST THE BEGINNING)
My appreciation for this art form is deeply rooted, yet it is enriched by a myriad of influences spanning various artists and genres.
This tapestry of inspiration is what I endeavor to weave into my own performances. My objective is to restore the once-celebrated splendor and exuberance of opera. It is my ambition to reveal to audiences the enthralling and extraordinary potency of opera, merging the legacy of its legends with a contemporary perspective.”
About Colin
A heralded tenor from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Colin is currently pursuing his Master’s in vocal performance at the Juilliard School under the tutelage of William Burden. Colin received his Bachelor’s Degree at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, PA and studied under the tutelage of Julia Faulkner of the Chicago Lyric Opera. Most recently, he made his role debut as Alfredo from Verdi’s La Traviata with City Lyric Opera and Gherardo in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi with the Juilliard Opera. He has sung in numerous productions at the Curtis Opera Theatre.
Headshot courtesy of Snowflake Photography.
Recent Roles
Jimmy O’Keefe
Later the same Evening
The Julliard School
2023
Alfredo
La Traviata
City Lyric Opera
2023
Gherardo
Gianni Schicchi
The Julliard School
2023
Chevalier de Danceny
The Dangerous Liasons
Curtis Opera Theater
2022
Colin Performs
It’s Just As I Imagined
“Later the Same Evening,” an opera by John Musto with a libretto by Mark Campbell, draws inspiration from Edward Hopper’s paintings to tell stories of interconnected lives in 1930s New York.
Come If You Dare
“Come If You Dare,” from Act 1 of Henry Purcell’s semi-opera “King Arthur, Z. 628,” first performed in 1691, is a bold and heroic song and chorus that serves as a call to arms in King Arthur’s battle against the Saxons.
Sommeniye
Mikhail Glinka’s “Doubt” (Сомнение) deals with themes of love, loss, and existential doubt, reflecting the Romantic era’s fascination with deep emotional and personal expression.
“I am more than a singer. My voice and music are a reflection of who I am as a person.”
Quanto è bella, quanto è cara
L’elisir d’amore by Donizetti
Lunge da lei… De' miei bollenti spiriti
La Traviata by VerdiPhotos
In the Press
On Stage at Curtis: Colin Aikins – Experience the Command and Fervor in the Voice
During this episode, Colin sings selections from Giacomo Puccini, Fernando Obradors, Ignacio Fernández Esperón, Benjamin Britten, and Antonín Dvořák.
Colin Aikins Passionate about singing – classical singer magazine
Many have experienced the joy that comes from belting it out in an empty house, but few have the dedication it takes to turn it into something more.
Pittsburgh 18-year old already making his mark in the classical music world
At 18, Colin Aikins is very young by operatic standards — opera singers’ voices typically are not fully mature until their mid-30s. But he already makes people cry.