Michael Ballam sings religious favorites while accompanied by the Mormon Youth Symphony

Michael Ballam is a nationally acclaimed opera singer, sought-after lecturer and author, and a professor of Music at Utah State University.  He has garnered over 600 performances with more than 40 opera companies throughout the country including the Chicago Lyric Opera, San Francisco Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and opera companies of San Diego, Dallas, Santa Fe, and the Washington Opera at the Kennedy Center.  His repertoire spans from Shakespeare through the American Musical Theatre in works such as "Carousel," "West Side Story," "Paint Your Wagon," "Man of La Mancha," and "Oliver," as well as the European masterpieces including "La Boheme," "Carmen," "Merry Widow," "Rigoletto," and "Madame Butterfly."  His voice has been described as "splendid" by the Washington Post, "commanding" by the Chicago Tribune, and "superb" by the Philadelphia Inquirer.

He has been televised internationally and broadcast in over 20 national opera broadcasts in NPR.  He has performed as a recitalist throughout the U.S. and Europe in Athens, Venice, and the Soviet Union; at the Kennedy Center, L.A. Music Center, Chicago Symphony Hall, London's Albert Hall, with commanding performances at the Vatican and the White House.