biography

Hailed by the Ruppiner Anzeiger as “ The New, Young Pavarotti,” American-born tenor J. Warren is an emerging star in the opera world with a distinct full-lyric voice that is known for singing the legato melodies of Verdi and the passionate, yet tender, interpretations of arias from Puccini. 

 

He has captivated audiences in the U.S. with “those juicy tenor sounds and a winning smile…”(OperaWire.com) and a voice that “can trumpet notes and make extraordinary throbbing sounds hearkening back to a golden age when gods like (Giuseppe) di Stefano still roamed” (OperaWire.com).  In Germany, he has ensnared audiences and critics who have described him as possessing an “unbelievable tenor voice full of power and passion…” (Ruppiner Anzeiger). German critics have also praised Mitchell’s tenor voice as possessing “Glittering high notes with lyrical brilliance, technically perfect, seemingly effortless in the variation of vocal colors” (Deutschlandfunk).            

 

Upcoming engagements for 2023 include: An encore recital performance for the Museum of the Western Prairie (Altus, OK), featured guest artist with the Sarasota Choral Artists (Sarasota. FL) in the Florida premiere of Andrew Bleckner’s choral oratorio, The Children’s March, and a much-anticipated recital debut with the Sarasota Music Archive (Sarasota, FL).   Also, Jay was recently named a Filstrup Resident Artist with Tulsa Opera and will make his house debut singing the role of the Messenger in Aida by G. Verdi, led by Maestro Francesco Milioto.  Later in the summer, J. Warren will revisit the role of Rodolfo in Puccini’s opera La Bohéme with Painted Sky Opera (Oklahoma City).

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Most recently, J. Warren was featured in recital to honor opera diva and Oklahoma native, Leona Mitchell.  Also, he appeared in concert with the Palm Springs Opera Guild (Palm, Springs, CA), and made a triumphant concert debut with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.  

 

The 2020 season began with a return, for the third consecutive year, to Berlin as the featured tenor soloist in a New Year’s Opera and Operetta Gala with the Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg at the Konzerthaus Berlin. The Lied Society in Minneapolis, MN presented Jay as the featured tenor in a Love Songs and Arias Opera Gala and then…Covid-19 hit and all arts organizations all over the world shut down.  

 

Fortunately, all was not completely lost.  In spite of the raging Covid pandemic, J. Warren was one of four African-American opera singers invited to perform a “live streamed” concert entitled, “We Are The Change” in the Ordway Theatre (Minneapolis, MN).  Also, he recorded and released a new digital album entitled, The Recital Album, and embarked on a massive collaborative project with composer, Dr. Rosephanye Powell.  His gift of voice and interpretation of new, modern, music was on full display as he recorded multiple newly composed art songs by Dr. Powell. These songs were premiered in February 2022 with long-time collaborative pianist, Jan McDaniel, in a recital entitled, “The Song Experience.” 

 

The 2019 season saw a return to the Konzerthaus Berlin as featured tenor soloist with the Madeburgischen Philharmonie, and a role debut singing Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Bohéme with Heartland Opera Theatre. Out of 200 singers nationwide, J. Warren was named a 2019 Grand Finalist and one of five award winners in the Loren L. Zachary National Vocal Competition (Los Angeles, CA).  The summer of 2019, saw Jay appear in concert in Berlin, Germany to celebrate the 200th anniversary of German writer, Theodore Fontane, and was the featured performer in a season opening concert with the Palm Springs Opera Guild.  

            

Highlights from the 2018 season include:  Featured tenor in concert at the Konzerthaus Berlin with the Staatskapelle Halle, debut as the tenor soloist in Verdi’s Requiem with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, concert performance with the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra and the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, and a role debut singing ll Duca in Verdi’s Rigoletto with the Painted Sky Opera Company.   

 

Being a former choral conductor and music educator, J. Warren realized a career in opera was possible when he entered to compete in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. In 2011, he won the Trudy Oliphant SundgrenYoung Singer Encouragement Award.  Returning the following year, he was named a district finalist and a 2nd place Midwest regional winner.  During the same time, J. Warren was named a recipient of the Agnes Varis Career Encouragement Grant and a nominee for the Sara Tucker Award (Richard Tucker Music Foundation). This early success gave Jay the encouragement to resign from his conducting position and pursue a career in opera. 

 

Of 450 singers worldwide, J. Warren is a two-time winner of the Kammeroper Schloss Rheinsberg International Opera Competition in Rheinsberg, Germany.  As a result, he made European debuts as Alfredo in Verdi’s La Traviata(2015) and Cavaradossi in Puccini’s, Tosca (2016).  Following this success, J. Warren was invited to the Bellevue Palace in Berlin to give a concert for the President (Joachim Gauk) and First Lady (Daniela Stadt) of Germany in celebration of the Kammeroper’s 25th anniversary.  

            

Additionally, Jay is a 2013 recipient of the Irene Cummings Hostetler and Theodore Hostetler Full Scholarship in Voice and was a 2013 voice fellow at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, CA where he worked with Legendary mezzo-soprano, Marilyn Horne, and was chosen by Ms. Horne to participate in her weeklong workshop at Carnegie Hall entitled, “The Song Continues,” where he was one of four singers, and the only tenor, who performed in a public master class with her.  

 

J. Warren is the youngest of three children and first discovered music at a young age when he learned to play drums, piano, and conducted the choir at his family’s church in Montgomery, Alabama.  Jay currently resides in Oklahoma City where, in his spare time, he enjoys Salsa dancing.  His love and passion for choral music continue to grant him opportunities to work with choirs all over the US and abroad.    

 

He was awarded the Bachelor of Vocal Music Education degree from Auburn University (Auburn, AL), and the Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting from Oklahoma City University (Oklahoma City, OK).