Today we’d like to introduce you to Christian Mark Gibbs.
Christian, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My name is Christian Mark Gibbs and I am one out of four children who have had both parents heavily involved in my life. My Dad is a musician who sings and plays the guitar; my mom is works as a consultant/administrator. Most of my life as a child was around music with my family, who cultivated a safe environment that gave me the possibility to explore any avenue that I chose.
In High School, I attended the “Frank Sinatra School of the Arts,” which is a performing arts school established after the late Frank Sinatra, in their Vocal department. It is where I was introduced to musical theatre, chorus work, and classical singing.
In the summer of 2008, I was invited to join a program called “Side-by-Side” with The Collegiate Chorale, now known as MasterVoices. This program gave me the opportunity to travel abroad for the first time with all expenses paid to Verbier, Switzerland, as part of the prestigious “Verbier Festival.” It was my first experience in a professional chorus.
I traveled with the Collegiate Chorale from 2008 to 2013 for many summers touring Israel, Switzerland, and Austria. I studied vocal performance at the Aaron Copland School of Music, CUNY Queens College, where I earned a Bachelor of Music degree. Throughout my time at Queens College, I was “bitten by the Opera bug” as they say. I continued to love musical theatre and performed in both opera and musical theatre shows at my college. After completing my degree, I was offered a full-time position with Choirs of America in Colorado, working with choral education. That position, unfortunately, did not work out. However, during my time with Choirs of America, I started studying with a voice teacher that changed the projection of my life. At first, the lessons were sporadic due to the financial hardship I had gone through after losing my job. This teacher was so generous with his time, he would sometimes offer me free lessons because he knew what I was going through. His name is Dr. John Seesholtz.
I remember the exact moment he said to me, “I really think you should come and pursue your master’s degree with me at Colorado State University.” I thought it was a great idea and responded with, “the only way that I will even consider getting my master’s degree is if my tuition is paid for.” This happened and I received my Master of Music Degree in Vocal Performance in 2018. During the course of my degree, I would get consistent weekly lessons and continued to pursue professional experiences. In January of 2016, I was a district winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, a national prestigious vocal competition that gives an opportunity for young emerging singers to go through various rounds with the possibility of getting to sing on the Met Opera stage should you reach that level. Unfortunately, I did not get to move on in the competition.
I continued to audition and pursue this career while studying at CSU and within my last semester of my master’s degree program, I somehow was able to pull off performing in two major Opera roles at the same time (Tamino from W. A. Mozart’s “DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE” and Alfredo from Giuseppe Verdi’s “LA TRAVIATA”), prepared a solo Master’s recital, finished various school papers and projects, performed solo with the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra, and performed with Opera Colorado in their production of FALSTAFF amongst many other events.
After graduation in 2018, I was delighted to be cast in the all-black production of “OKLAHOMA” with Denver Center for Performing Arts that fall. This production was such a pivotal moment for me and my career in what I could accomplish. After this production, I was ready to relocate back to New York and I returned just in time for the audition season. I worked hard, attending at least 2-4 auditions/calls a week.
It was at a March audition for the MY FAIR LADY tour that I saw an old-time friend who was a part of the Met Opera’s Extra Chorus for the 2018-2019 season. We caught up and she asked me if I auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Porgy and Bess. Originally, I thought the last audition was on Dec. 4th, 2018 and I arrived back in NYC Dec. 5th, 2018. She got excited and told me they are still looking for singers for the chorus and that I should audition. I was put in contact with the chorus administrator and we set up an audition for the chorus master, Donald Palumbo, the following week. I initially did not hear back from the Met Opera for about a month in which I thought they passed on me. Then came that wonderful phone call where they offered me a position in the chorus for the season-opening production of PORGY AND BESS. I was ecstatic. This is the biggest opera house in the world. We went through rehearsals and the first half of performances for the fall.
During the break before the second half of performances in the winter, I received a call to come and audition for the cover of the two roles Robbins and Crab Man for the second half of performances. I again received that unbelievable call offering me this position. You can imagine my excitement. A week after that call, the Met Opera extended performances in the season past the original contracted date. A week later, I received another call stating that I will be performing both Robbins and Crab Man in the extended three performances at the Metropolitan Opera. I went through so many emotions and was in awe that my dream was happening. February 4th, 2020, I made my Metropolitan Opera debut and it has changed me forever. It showed me what’s possible and what I am capable of. Right after these performances, I joined in the company of Lincoln Center Theatre’s Off-Broadway production of INTIMATE APPAREL. This production was halted by Covid-19 and will return in the Spring of 2021.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I am not one to harp on the struggles that I have faced, are facing, or will face in this industry. If you want a list of what I may have gone through or will go through as an artist, there are many people who speak about these challenges we artists face. But, I work hard to keep a positive outlook on life and this career. There were many challenges along the way in which things did not turn out as I expected them to. However, with my circle of close family and friends, I was able to overcome them and continue on this wonderful journey I am on.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I’m an artist who specializes in Opera and Theatre. I seek to give 100% in all that I am fortunate enough to be a part of. I am proud of what I have accomplished so far and am looking on with anticipation at what the future holds. I have a lot to learn, and I look forward to those lessons that will help shape me to continue to be successful in this career.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success has many different meanings to me. Success is being able to keep my morals, values, and principles in a world where it seems like it all gets lost in the rubble. Success is being able to create a legacy for my family. Success is being able to inspire others.
If I am able to inspire the next generation of performers, that is a success. If I am able to show that with hard work and determination, you can achieve anything you put your mind to, that is a success. I revisit the term success and what it means on a regular basis and continue to redefine it as I continue to grow. Lastly, success is being fortunate enough to get up every day, knowing that I have an opportunity to go into the world and change it with the gift God has given me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ChristianMarkGibbs.com
- Instagram: @ChristianMarkGibbs
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChristianMarkGibbs
- Twitter: @ChrisMarkGibbs
Image Credit:
Ken Howard/Met Opera
J. Demetrie Photography
Elle Logan
Houston Saengerbund
Jamie Kraus/Opera Colorado
Bob O’Lary
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