Baritone Leroy Davis is a versatile and sought-after artist, renowned for his rich, expressive voice and captivating stage presence. In 2026, he embarks on a series of exciting engagements, joining Chicago Opera Theatre for Silbersee, taking on the role of Aeneas in Dido & Aeneas at the prestigious Spoleto Festival, and performing with Harts Community Arts. He makes a significant role and house debut as Stephen Kumalo in Weill’s Lost in the Stars with VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert in Toronto, and premieres Requiem for America with White Snake Projects. In 2027, Davis returns to Tulsa Opera as Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, sings Papageno in Die Zauberflöte with Opera on the James, and reprises his role as Benny Paret in Champion with the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
2025 engagements included a gala concert with Shreveport Opera, a Rodgers & Hammerstein concert with the LaPorte Symphony, and a return to both Odyssey Opera and BMOP for the premiere and recording of Ulysses Kay’s Frederick Douglass, in the title role. He joined Chicago Opera Theater for a civil rights concert at the DuSable Black History Museum, sang Leporello in Don Giovanni with the Rapides Symphony, was heard in recital at the Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago, and made a company debut in All is Calm with Opera Steamboat.
In 2024, he took on an exciting range of roles, including Schaunard in Bronzeville bohème with Florentine Opera, a role and company debut as Blue Dove and Dr. Undertow in Ruinous Gods at the Spoleto Festival, Guglielmo in Così fan tutte with Opera Ithaca, and ended the year as Marcello in La bohème at San Diego Opera.
Leroy returned to Florentine Opera fin 2023 as Figaro in Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance with Nashville Opera, and made his Lyric Opera of Chicago debut as Benny Paret in Champion, covering Young Emile. He also starred as John O’Mara in the world premiere of Laura Kaminsky’s opera FEBRUARY with Opera on the Avalon.
In 2022, Leroy sang the role of the Jailor and covered Sacristan in Tosca, debuted as Pastor/Kaboom, covering Chester in Fire Shut Up In My Bones, and made a role and company debut with Opera on the Avalon as Charlie in Three Decembers. He joined Atlanta Opera as Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly, sang Marcello in La bohème at Kentucky Opera and Guglielmo in Così fan tutte with Cedar Rapids Opera.
As a proud member of the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Center Ensemble at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Leroy has had the opportunity to sing or cover roles in Macbeth, Die Zauberflöte, and Florencia en el Amazonas. His previous engagements include a Lincoln Center debut in the world premiere of Intimate Apparel, a concert with New York Festival of Song, and the world premiere of Completing the Picture with Opera Company of Middlebury.
Leroy has also appeared with various opera companies, including Boston Opera Collaborative, Opera Theater of St. Louis, Phoenicia Festival, and Odyssey Opera. His previous roles include Leporello in Don Giovanni, Forrester in Cunning Little Vixen, and Joe St. George in Dolores Claiborne. As a resident studio artist with Florentine Opera, Leroy sang Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas, Adonis in Venus and Adonis, and Fiorello in Il barbiere di Siviglia. He made role debuts as Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Mandarin/Ping in Turandot, and Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte.
Leroy was a young artist at Central City Opera, where he was awarded the Iris Henwood Richards Memorial Award. In concert, he was bass soloist in Bruckner’s Te Deum with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Sandström’s Messiah with The Cantata Singers, and appeared with the Glacier Symphony in an all-Mozart gala concert. He attended the Mannes College of Music and earned his master’s degree at Bard College.
