Louisiana native and 1972 Louisiana State University graduate, Donnie Ray Albert began his operatic career after completing his Masters of vocal Performance degree from Southern Methodist University in 1975. Mr. Albert has been Senior Lecturer in Voice at the University of Texas Austin, Butler School of Music since the Fall of 2012.
For 13 years Mr. Albert performed as a Bass-Baritone before switching to Baritone in 1988. Mr. Albert's 47 year career has taken him to some of the world's greatest opera houses and concert halls. Highlights include TOSCA (Scarpia) in Portland, New York City Opera, Atlanta & Giessen; AIDA (Amonasro) in Washington, DC, Köln, Boston, Montreal, and Stade de France; NABACCO in Vancouver, Florentine Opera, La Scala; RIGOLETTO in Miami, New York City Opera, Mannheim, & Vancouver; OTELLO (Jago) in Sacramento, Kentucky Opera, Hamburg; UN BALLO IN MASCHERA (Renato) in Chicago Lyric and Los Angeles; THE FLYING DUTCHMAN in Austin, Köln, Arizona; MACBETH in Columbus, Ohio & Köln; LA TRAVIATA (Germont) Metropolitan Opera in the Parks; DIE WALKÜRE (Wotan) in Austin and Tokyo, Japan; SIEGFRIED (Wanderer) in Tokyo, Japan; TALES OF HOFFMANN (Villains) Houston, Köln, Prague National Theater, and Covent Garden.Orchestral engagements include Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Jerusalem, London, Cleveland and New York. Mr. Albert has collaborated with notables conductors, John DeMain, James Conlon, Paavo Järvi, Riccardo Muti, Zubin Mehta, Alexander Joel, John Fiore and Karel Mark Chichon.
Mr. Albert's 2016-2017 performances included soloist in the Opera John Brown (concert at Carnegie Hall), the 4 Villians in the TALES OF HOFFMANN (Dresden, Germany); Germont in LA TRAVIATA (Dresden, Germany). In 2018, he appeared as the Doctor in VANESSA, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, England. During the pandemic, Mr. Albert performed the role of Larry in Fort Worth Opera’s zoom production of Bernadette’s Cozy Book Nook and Detroit Opera’s Twilight of the Gods, performed in the parking garage. In May 2022, Mr. Albert performed the role of Lord Capulet in Houston Grand Opera’s Romeo and Juliet.
Mr. Albert can be heard on RCA’s PORGY AND BESS (Grammy 1977 – Best Opera Recording and the Grand Prix du Disc) conducted by John DeMain; THE RISE AND FALL OF THE CITY OF MAHAGONNY( 2 Grammys: 2008 Best Opera Recording and Best Classical Album) conducted by James Conlon; EMI’s EINE FLORENTINISCHE TRAGÖDIE, also conducted by James Conlon. Mr. Albert’s discography can be found on CD Baby, Spotify and Amazon.com.
