The Ryan Allen Glow Apprentice Artist Fund helps Glow provide unique opportunities for up and coming opera singers and works to insure continued learning and mentorship for some of America’s best future opera stars.

Ryan Allen, International Opera Star and Beloved Glow Friend

Ryan Allen (1943-2018) was a treasured member of the Glow Lyric Theatre family, having performed roles in productions of Fidelio as Rocco, The Crucible as Reverend Hale, HMS Pinafore as Dick Deadeye, and the Gondoliers as Don Alhambra del Bolero. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Hans Foltz in Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg in 1993.  Among his favorite roles are Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia (over 100 performances), Candy in Of Mice and Men and Don Magnifico in La cenerentola.  He performed Pistola in Falstaff with the San Diego and Atlanta Operas and the title role in Don Pasquale in more than 50 performances with companies in the United States and Canada.

Associated most often with comic roles, the Texan debuted at Carnegie Hall as the bass soloist in the Mozart Requiem with the Manhattan Philharmonic in 1989.  He appeared with numerous other symphony orchestras and sung in all 50 states of the Union. The Metropolitan Opera Guild featured him as Betto in a video of Gianni Schicchi.  Internationally, the bass soloed in Russia, Israel, Poland, Sweden and Finland.  Mr. Allen held a Master of Music degree from the University of Texas at Austin and resided in Charleston, SC.

His love of performing was truly infectious, and he always made time to mentor the Glow Young Artists. His tremendous talent and kindness to everyone he worked with at Glow was a true inspiration, and Glow is humbled to be able to honor his name through the Ryan Allen Young Artist Fund.