Key'mon Murrah
About this Artist
Countertenor Key’mon Murrah, heralded by Opera News for the “voluptuous tone throughout his enormous range and phrasing with the feel of fine silk,” continues to garner international acclaim for his “vocal acrobatics” and “mature artistry.” The 2023-24 season will see Mr. Murrah make debuts at the Metropolitan Opera in El Niño, at Los Angeles Opera in El último sueño de Frida y Diego in the role of Leonardo, the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in Giulio Cesare in the role of Tolomeo, and the New Jersey Symphony in Handel’s Messiah. These performances follow a summer of appearances in Europe, where Mr. Murrah appeared with the Bayerische Staatsoper in Dido and Aeneas as the Sorceress, in concert at Oper Köln, and with Komische Oper Berlin as Hamor in Jeptha, for which the Morgen Post praised his “wonderfully supple voice.”
In the 2022-23 season, Mr. Murrah’s performances included his debut at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Dido and Aeneas, Messiah with St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the National Chorale, his debut with San Diego Opera in the world premiere of El último sueño de Frida y Diego, the title role in Xerxes for Detroit Opera, and the Théâtre du Capitole Toulouse in the Bach Christmas Oratorio.
In the 2021-22 season, Murrah debuted the title role in Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice at Seattle Opera, where he also presented a solo recital. He also performed in Houston Grand Opera’s Giving Voice concert series, and appeared as a soloist with the Grand Rapids Symphony in the Bach B Minor Mass.
Mr. Murrah has performed with the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre and the Bluegrass Opera. He has sung the role of Tolomeo from Handel’s Giulio Cesare with the Red River Lyric Opera and Asprano in Vivaldi’s Montezuma with the America Baroque Opera Co.
In 2021, he was heard on the stage of The Houston Grand Opera as the 1st Place Winner of the 33rd Annual Concert of Arias, as the Grand Prize winner of the Premiere Opera Foundation + NYIOP International Vocal Competition, and Finalist and Encouragement award winner of Operalia.
In 2020, he toured with the American Spiritual Ensemble and was a young artist at the Glimmerglass Opera Festival. Mr. Murrah joined the Studio Artist Program at the Florida Grand Opera for their 2020-21 season and debuted Bertarido from Handel’s Rodelinda as a Fleming Artist at Aspen Music Festival. Murrah was selected for Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute Masterclass with Joyce DiDonato in 2019, and he continued his studies at the International Vocal Arts Institute.
In 2018, he won the Encouragement Award for the Metropolitan Opera Council Central District Auditions and won the 2nd place award for the Emerging Soloists Competition. In 2020 he won first place in the Camille Coloratura Competition and was a semi-finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions after winning the Nashville District Auditions. Also in 2021, Murrah won 2nd place in the Rochester International Oratorio Competition.