Brandon J. Gibson served as Managing Director for Marble City Opera from 2017-2023. In addition to his work as an arts administrator, he was also an active multi-disciplinary performer.

 

As a vocalist, Gibson had been reviewed as a "beautifully resonant bass-baritone" with "a most profound sound" and as "a singer possessing an instrument of substantial richness and substance." He sang roles in operas and musicals alike. He also sang with symphonies and concert bands and alongside musicians from genres ranging from jazz and hip-hop to funk, blues, and symphonic metal.

 

A thespian as well, Gibson was hailed as a "skilled actor" who possesses "natural stage presence." He performed throughout East Tennessee in Shakespeare plays, modern dramas, comedies, and the occasional commercial. He was a professional narrator and lent his voice to numerous endeavors, including various documentaries and projects for the East Tennessee PBS series "Black in Appalachia."

 

When not singing, acting, or recording voice-overs, Gibson was a freelance writer, reviewer, and essayist for the Knoxville publication "Blank Newspaper." For his writing, the East Tennessee Society of Professional Journalists awarded him a Golden Press Card Award in 2022. Gibson was a member of the Greater Knoxville Business Journal's 2021 "40 Under 40" class.

 

In 2020 Gibson penned the original libretto for the social justice opera "I Can't Breathe." Marble City Opera commissioned the piece in consortium with Pacific Opera Project, Opera Columbus, and Cleveland Opera Theater. Award-winning composer Leslie Burrs wrote the score. The opera premiered in February 2022 with Marble City Opera and will have future productions with each additional company.

​

Brandon was a true friend, collaborator, and artist who gave all of his heart to everyone he met and everything he did. He is and will forever be missed and remembered by all who loved him. We dedicate this page of our website to him and his many accomplishments and our honored to have called him friend.