“THE PRODUCTION OF THE OPERA WAS AMAZING AND THE TALENT OF ITS CAST WAS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH... BABATUNDE AKINBOBOYE HAS AN AMAZING STAGE PRESENCE AS GUGLIELMO. HIS COMIC TIMING IS IMPECCABLE AND HE BRINGS HUMOR TO HIS CHARACTER AS HE BRINGS IT TO LIFE.”
BIOGRAPHY
A singer of diverse talents, Nigerian American Baritone, Babatunde Akinboboye is known for his enthralling stage presence. He has performed with the Los Angeles Opera, Opera San Jose, Opera Santa Barbara, Long Beach Opera, and Utah Opera. Babatunde has also debuted the roles of Drew in the Opera Works’Arts for Social Awareness Project’s world premiere production of The Discord Opera, and Zanni in the world premiere of Gloria Coates’ Stolen Identity. His most recent performances include Daggoo in LA Opera’s Moby Dick, Escamillo in Pacific Opera Project’s production of Carmen, and Lucha’s Father in The Industry’s production of Hopscotch.
As an advocate for the performance of art song and operatic works written by African, and African American composers, Mr. Akinboboye has headlined the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry awards in Lagos, Nigeria performing a fusion of opera and traditional African music and has been a featured performer at both the National Association of Negro Musicians Annual Conference, as well as the African American Art Song Alliance Conference.
Babatunde’s honors include Regional Finalist of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition, and finalist in the International Eisteddfod Vocal Solo Competition in Llangollen, Wales.
In December of 2018, Babatunde combined his love of classical opera and hip hop and created the new genre Hip Hopera in a viral video that gained over 10 million views and was featured on Time.com, Classic FM, MSN.com and more. His debut EP “Della Citta” is now available.
HIP HOPERA
Combining classical opera & hip hop, Babatunde created the genre we never knew we needed - Hip hopera.
check out the video below that started it all, going viral, with over 10 million views worldwide.
What opera sounds like in my head...
Upcoming Performances
Date
Location
Tickets
01/26/25
Springfield, OH - Springfield Symphony Orchestra
03/21/25
Austin, TX - Bates Recital Hall
PRESS
Hero Masterfully Creates His Own Hip-Hopera While Driving
The Radical Splendor of the L.A. Phil
Operatic baritone perfectly mixed Rossini’s ‘Figaro’ aria with Kendrick Lamar
Catchy ‘Hip Hopera’ music beautifully blends two genres
This is my new favorite music genre
Have You Seen This? When hip hop meets opera
“BABATUNDE AKINBOBOYE, AS ESCAMILLO, SWEPT US ALL AWAY WITH HIS ROUSING AND RICHLY SATISFYING TOREADORO, GIVING US EXCELLENT INTONATION AND PHRASING WITH A RICH, DARK TONE QUALITY AND A WARM LYRICAL SOUND.”
RESUME
“BABATUNDE AKINBOBOYE PROVED, ONCE AGAIN, THAT HE IS ONE OF THE FINEST BARITONES IN THE AREA, A PLEASURE TO SEE AND HEAR.”
MEDIA
Babatunde Akinboboye singing "Soliloquy" from Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel.
SO excited to share my latest Hip Hopera video! This is Estuans Interius from Carmina Burana. Let me know what you think!
Babatunde Akinboboye singing "Done Made My Vow To de Lord" arr. Uzee Brown at the Songs of the People of God concert at Red hill Lutheran Church.
Singing Votre Toast from Carmen, by Georges Bizet... kinda…
Babatunde Akinboboye singing Votre Toast in Pacific Opera Project's production of Carmen in 2014
What opera sounds like in my head...
CONTACT
FOR PERFORMANCE INQUIRIES PLEASE contact
vice@breakpointbooking.com
FOR SOCIAL MEDIA INQUIRIES PLEASE contact
angelica@soundingpoint.com
Banner Photography: J. Demetrie & Vanessa Nweze