Warner Classics Signs Tenor Bryan Hymel

American tenor Bryan Hymel, hailed by the Frankfurter Allgemeine as a "simply ideal Puccini interpreter," and one of the opera world's fastest-rising stars, has signed an exclusive recording contract with Warner Classics. Set for release in early 2015, the album will showcase Hymel's acclaimed interpretations of some of opera's most challenging repertoire. The Prague Philharmonia, under the direction of prominent French conductor Emmanuel Villaume, will partner with Hymel on this debut recording.

Alain Lanceron, President of Warner Classics, stated, "With a series of exceptional performances that have captured the hearts of audiences around the world - most notably at London's Royal Opera House and New York's Metropolitan Opera - Bryan Hymel has rapidly established himself as a leading light among the new generation of tenors. We are therefore delighted to launch our relationship with this accomplished and distinctive artist with an album of French arias."

"I am thrilled to be invited to make my debut solo recording with Warner Classics," Hymel said. "The legacy of this label includes recordings of some of the greatest artists in history, and I am looking forward to the opportunity to record the repertoire that has brought me to leading theaters around the world." Hymel was last year's winner of the Metropolitan Opera's Beverly Sills Award for his last-minute debut as Enée in Berlioz' Les Troyens. He was also the recipient of the 2013 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera for his trio of performances in Les Troyens, Robert le diable, and Rusalka. Hymel continues to perform leading repertoire in the music capitals of Europe and the US.

About Bryan Hymel

Winner of the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera, American tenor Bryan Hymel is one of the fastest-rising stars in the world of opera today. His thrilling performances in leading theaters around the world have received acclaim from critics and audiences alike. The New York Classical Review declared, "Bright, clear, huge, this is a high-octane voice capable of taking on some of the most demanding roles," while the Frankfurter Rundschau praised his "infinite dynamism and always-controlled, cultivated tone." Particularly known for his portrayals in French dramatic repertoire, Hymel solidified his status as a pre-eminent 'tenor héroïque' with his 2012 Metropolitan Opera debut in the role of Énée in Les Troyens, for which he was honored with the Met's prestigious Beverly Sills Artist Award.

Hymel continues his impressive appearances around the globe, including his role debut as Arnold in Rossini's Guillaume Tell with the Bayerische Staatsoper in June and his house and role debuts as Percy in Anna Bolena with the Lyric Opera of Chicago in December. Praised by The New York Times for his "unflagging stamina and impetuous abandon," Hymel reprises his renowned portrayal of Énée in Les Troyens next summer in his debut at the San Francisco Opera. He returns to the Metropolitan Opera stage in September of this year to reprise the role of Rodolfo in La bohème.

Hymel studied at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia under Bill Schuman and was a participant in San Francisco Opera Center's Merola Program.

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