¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ alumnus Bradyn Debysingh ’21 has taken the stage at one of the world’s most iconic theatres: His Majesty’s Theatre in London. In July, he made his debut as Ubaldo Piangi in The Phantom of the Opera at the theatre in the West End district.
For Debysingh, who graduated from ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ with a double major in musical theatre and classics and was a University Fellow, the role represented culminated years of artistic and academic formation.
“¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ offered me a complete education for my mind, body and soul,” he said. “The Fellows program gave me some of my dearest friends and a community committed to truth-seeking that deeply shaped my moral philosophy. The classics department gave me access to Greek and Latin, which has been invaluable as an opera singer. And in theatre, music and dance, I wasn’t just studying Aristotle’s theories of mimesis, but instead was able to bring them to life on stage.”
During four years at ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ, Debysingh performed in numerous productions, won the Concerto-Aria Competition and even staged Plato’s allegory of the cave using shadow puppets. Fond memories abound of early morning dance classes, late-night rehearsals and campus traditions like President Emeritus Andrew Westmoreland’s First Tuesday Bible studies.
After graduation, Debysingh pursued a master’s degree in voice and opera at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music where he studied under renowned pedagogue W. Stephen Smith. He went on to perform with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Tanglewood Music Center, Chicago Opera Theater and Garsington Opera in the United Kingdom. Last year, he received a full scholarship to complete a post-graduate diploma at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England.
Though he had been auditioning across Europe, the invitation to join Phantom came unexpectedly. “It wasn’t something I had been pursuing until I received an invitation to come and audition out of the blue—how like God!” he said. “This debut feels like the culmination of so much of my artistic and spiritual strivings and I am beyond grateful to God and all of my mentors, family and friends for supporting me.”
Debysingh was excited about the role of Piangi because it unites his love of opera and classical tradition. “In so many ways, this role incorporates my passions for opera, history and performance,” he said. “I can’t imagine a more fitting debut.”
Looking back, he offered words of encouragement to current students pursuing careers in the arts. “This profession is not for the faint of heart,” he said. “Be bold, trust God and learn the secret of being content in all circumstances. You will have far more rejections than successes but don’t let that deter you. Laugh, dare to be remarkable and above all, be kind and honor whatever God has given you.”
As Debysingh steps into this new chapter of his career, he carries with him the formation, friendships and faith he developed at ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ, an “artist-scholar” whose story continues to inspire the ¼«ÀÖ½ûµØ community.