Benjamin Burney is building an international opera career, and he’s doing it from the heart of Chicago.
A student in Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts and a candidate for the Professional Diploma in Opera, Benjamin isn’t simply continuing his education. He is refining his artistry, expanding his repertoire and sharpening the professional tools needed to compete on a global stage.
Originally from Youngstown, Ohio, Benjamin’s journey to opera started at 14. After a teacher encouraged him to take voice lessons, he discovered classical music for the first time. “That's where I fell in love with my first aria… And then after in a few months, I was cast in my first opera. So this is my first time seeing an opera while being in one.”
Still, opera did not feel like a viable career until a mentor laid it out plainly. “I said, is that really a profession? … And she gave me the lay of the land… ‘this is truly an option for you.’” From that moment on, Benjamin pursued it with focus, earning his bachelor’s degree, studying abroad in Italy, completing language requirements at Indiana University and interning with the Indianapolis Opera.
After auditioning for multiple graduate programs, Benjamin chose Roosevelt. “I chose to come here versus the other places, because this school had a lot more to offer, not only in scholarships, but the community, the music scene here, had a lot more to offer.”
Now in the Professional Diploma in Opera program, Benjamin describes an experience unlike traditional conservatory training. Rather than a rigid curriculum, the program is built around individualized growth. “What sets this Professional Diploma program apart from others, is the fact that we're able to really craft this to be an individualized environment… no matter what we want to do.”
That flexibility has allowed him to develop recital programming, plan tours and deepen his artistry beyond staged productions. “Not a lot of programs offer the creative freedom that we get here at Roosevelt.”
Equally transformative has been the mentorship. Benjamin credits his primary voice teacher, Mark Crayton, as instrumental. During his master’s studies, he struggled to identify his vocal classification. “I didn't know which one I was… and I was struggling.” Mark guided him through that uncertainty with patience and expertise. “We're all going through this,” he reassured him, a statement Benjamin calls one of the most affirming moments of his training.
He also points to Dr. Dana Brown’s seminar course as career defining. “It was one of the first classes I already felt like was applicable to not just the stage but actual life.” From filing taxes to networking to recital programming, the course provided tools rarely taught in performance programs. “Let's talk about the 90% when we're not on stage singing… How do we make a career out of this?” To Dr. Brown, Benjamin, “is a hard worker and is taking his singing very seriously. He has taken on new challenges with zeal and steady effort. This program has allowed him time to hone his many skills and realize his potential as a singer.”
Being based in Chicago has amplified those lessons. “All the auditions around the country… come through Chicago. So anywhere that you could possibly want to audition for… you're right here.” The city’s vibrant music scene has become both classroom and proving ground.
Looking ahead, Benjamin’s goal remains bold and unchanged. “I am aspiring to be an international opera singer.”
Roosevelt, he says, has made that dream tangible. “Roosevelt actually gave me the tools to do so.”
For Benjamin, the Professional Diploma in Opera is not simply additional training. It is a space to refine his voice, clarify his artistic identity and step confidently toward the global stage, one aria at a time.
