This season, McKinny brings his commanding bass-baritone and incisive characterization to stage dramas spanning three centuries. At LA Opera, he makes his first appearances as one of opera’s most menacing villains, singing Scarpia opposite Angel Blue as Tosca and Michael Fabiano as Cavaradossi. Also in Los Angeles, Ryan re-teams with composer and conductor John Adams, reprising the role of Clarence in Girls of the Golden West with the LA Phil. He returns to Seattle Opera as Kurwenal in an Argentinian production of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, and to Houston Grand Opera as Jochanaan in Salome, opposite Amanda Majeski in the title role. McKinny concludes the season with a three-city tour of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s newest opera, commissioned by Music of Remembrance, with performances in Seattle, San Francisco, and Chicago.

Offstage, McKinny continues to adapt the beauty of his art form to the film screen, collaborating on a documentary with Jamie Barton and Stephanie Blythe. Through his work with Helio Arts, he has commissioned artists to write, direct, and film original stories, leveraging his personal power to help elevate new voices and visions in the classical performing arts world. During the pandemic, he partnered with artists such as J’Nai Bridges, Russell Thomas, John Holiday, and Julia Bullock to create stunning and innovative performances for streaming audiences at Dallas Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, On Site Opera, and the Glimmerglass Festival. McKinny continues this mission at Marquee TV, where he now serves as Head of U.S. Content Partnerships.