With a voice that can “shake the heavens” (Opera Today), American bass-baritone Christian Van Horn is known for his compelling and charismatic stage presence, powerful instrument, and his unwavering authenticity, both on and off the stage.
In the 2026–27 season, Van Horn returns to Lyric Opera of Chicago in the title role of Mozart’s Don Giovanni and San Francisco Opera as Jacopo Fiesco in Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra, conducted by Eun Sun Kim alongside Amartuvshin Enkhbat. He also returns to the Wiener Staatsoper as Méphistophélès in a new production of Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust and in the title role of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and returns to the Bayerische Staatsoper and Théâtre des Champs-Élysées as Méphistophélès in Gounod’s Faust. He joins Washington Concert Opera for Massenet’s Don Quichotte and brings the title role in Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle to the Royal Opera House, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, the Münchner Philharmoniker, and Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo. On the concert stage, Van Horn joins the Gran Teatre del Liceu for Verdi’s Requiem with conductor Nicola Luisotti and soprano Lise Davidsen, and joins the New York Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. At the Metropolitan Opera, he joins Yannick Nézet-Séguin for the Diamond Jubilee: 60 Years at Lincoln Center, alongside a cast of current and former colleagues including Roberto Alagna, Lawrence Brownlee, Lise Davidsen, Joyce DiDonato, Ying Fang, Rosa Feola, Gerald Finley, Renée Fleming, Isabel Leonard, Will Liverman, Peter Mattei, Erin Morley, Sondra Radvanovsky, Nadine Sierra, and others.
In the 2025–26 season, Van Horn returned to The Metropolitan Opera as Giorgio Walton in a new production of Bellini’s I Puritani, which was part of The Met’s Live in HD series, and as Escamillo in Bizet’s Carmen. He also sang Escamillo at the Wiener Staatsoper later in the season. Van Horn returned to the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées as Méphistophélès in Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust and sang Filippo II in Verdi’s Don Carlo at The Dallas Opera, a role he debuted the prior season in the opera’s French version. He brought his interpretation of Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle to Canadian Opera Company, and closed his season as Timur in Turandot at the Bayerische Staatsoper. On the concert stage, Van Horn joined the LA Phil for Mozart’s Requiem at the Hollywood Bowl.
The season prior, Van Horn returned to The Metropolitan Opera as the Four Villains in Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann, which received a Live in HD broadcast. He made his role debut as Philippe II in Don Carlos at Opéra national de Paris, a performance Bachtrack praised, saying “the American bass-baritone reflects in his singing and his acting the multiple facets of this complex character that is Philippe II, and delivers a high-quality ‘Elle ne m’aime pas,’ with remarkable control.” Van Horn also sang Bluebeard’s Castle with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Esa-Pekka Salonen, returned to the role of Escamillo in Carmen for both San Francisco Opera and at the Royal Opera House, made his title role debut in Verdi’s Attila presented in concert at the Teatro Real Madrid, and returned to the Arena di Verona for Verdi’s Nabucco. He also returned to the Lyric Opera of Chicago for a special concert celebrating the Life of Sir Andrew Davis.
Van Horn is a beloved presence on the world’s greatest stages. Throughout his career, Van Horn has performed more than one hundred times each at The Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, and Bayerische Staatsoper. He has thrilled global audiences through the Met’s popular Live in HD series, including star turns in Wozzeck, Lucia di Lammermoor, Die Zauberflöte, Falstaff and The Exterminating Angel. In these broadcasts, The Guardian hailed him as “a revelation.”
“A bass-baritone of uncommon agility and power,” (The New York Times), Van Horn has stepped into the shoes of opera’s greatest villains and anti-heroes, including several iterations of the Devil himself. As Méphistophélès in Gounod’s Faust, Van Horn has brought his “sinister debonair charm” (Bachtrack) to Opéra National de Paris, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and others. At The Metropolitan Opera, he has sung the tempting Nick Shadow in The Rake’s Progress, as well as the title role in Boito’s rarely performed Mefistofele, which led The New York Times to proclaim, “Long may he reign in hell.”
Les contes d’Hoffmann’s Four Villains has become a signature for the bass-baritone, and he has performed it on some of the world’s preeminent stages, including The Metropolitan Opera, Opéra national de Paris, the Salzburg Festival, San Francisco Opera, LA Opera, and the Bayerische Staatsoper. Of his performances in Paris, Bachtrack said, “Van Horn’s laugh said it all — he savored every moment as the saboteur to Hoffmann’s joy and happiness … Van Horn sang with intense firmness throughout the night. He exuded confidence with every single note.”
Van Horn has dazzled international audiences with his concert performances, and he has collaborated with renowned orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Berlin Philharmonic, gracing prestigious venues from Carnegie Hall to the Salzburg Festival. His rich instrument has shone in recorded music as well, including the title role in Le Nozze di Figaro on Sony Classical. His many accolades include the 2018 Richard Tucker Award and top honors in the Metropolitan Opera National Council competition.
Born in Rockville Centre, New York, Van Horn earned his Bachelor of Music from the State University of New York at Stony Brook before attending the Yale School of Music, where he received both his Master’s degree and Artist Diploma. He is also an alumnus of the prestigious Lyric Opera of Chicago Ryan Opera Center.
