Justin Hopkins '02

For anyone who remembers seeing Justin Hopkins ’02 on the Prep stage or hearing his beautiful voice echo through the Church of Gesu, it should come as no surprise that his talents have taken him to great heights. But, his God-given voice and talents only got him so far. “The lessons I learned from the Prep and Cape and Sword, to always be 100% prepared, went a long way in shaping my career success,” Hopkins says. 

 

Hopkins, who grew up in the Mount Airy section of Philadelphia, was a stand out in Cape and Sword during his time at the Prep, with iconic and starring roles in Stalag 17, Anything Goes, Arsenic and Old Lace, and Me and My Girl, among others. Longtime Cape and Sword director Tony Braithwaite ’89 raves, saying, "Justin Hopkins will forever rank as an MVP -- if not the MVP -- of Cape and Sword; for his mahogany baritone, his lithe commanding presence, and his sharp sense of acting and timing. People still talk about the moment he lit the cigar on stage in the dark in Stalag 17 as the greatest moment on the Prep stage, and I get chills just thinking about it."

 

After his time at 17th and Girard, Hopkins headed south to major in music at Loyola University New Orleans, where he connected with another larger than life Prep alum, former Prep president, Fr. Bill Byron, SJ ’45. 

 

“I recall running across the quad to catch up with him and introduce myself; we connected because we both grew up in Mt. Airy, we both attended Holy Cross Grade School, and his brother had lived on the very street where I grew up -- Roumfort Road,” Hopkins remembers excitedly. This very unique Prep connection started a great relationship between the two that still exists today.

 

After graduating from Loyola in 2006, Hopkins had the unique opportunity to study at a conservatory in Milan. When he needed funding for his excursion to Italy, he turned to the Prep community. “I gave a recital at the Prep which helped me raise money to pursue this opportunity, which was a monumental experience and a defining moment in my life,” Hopkins says.

 

After his year in Italy, Hopkins returned to the States where he bounced around, singing in the chorus of different opera companies, honing his craft. Eventually, he began to audition more and more for solo work and caught a break in 2010 when an opera agent sat in on one of his auditions. The agent had an offer from an opera company in Belgium to sing in Verdi’s MacBeth, and Hopkins jumped at the chance, which was his first-ever international opera engagement.

 

From there, his career took off, and for the past decade Hopkins has been seen performing all over Europe in cities like London, Antwerp, and Geneva as well as being part of over 40 concerts with the world-famous Boston Pops. “Through the (Boston) Pops, I started to sing with the Philly Pops, which was just a great joy to be able to sing at home,” Hopkins says.

 

However, as has become an all-too-familiar story over the past year, the pandemic put a halt to so much. And, few industries were harder hit than the live performance industry. “I was in Antwerp (in Belgium) when the lockdown hit. I had a season contract with the Opera company there, and of course nobody knew how long it would take, so I stayed in Belgium,” says Hopkins. “Then the borders closed, so I was there through the lockdown, but I was fortunate that some of these European cultural institutions and companies are government funded, so they were still partially open.”

 

Hopkins was able to do some digital performances for them and remained partially employed throughout 2020. “I had a bit of survivor’s guilt because I knew that many of my colleagues and friends were completely out of work,” he says. “I was fortunate to have been based out of Europe and to have worked throughout the lockdown.”

 

As restrictions begin to loosen, the hope and belief that live performances will return in the coming months has started to become a reality. Hopkins was able to return home and get vaccinated, and he will be returning to Geneva this month. He will follow that up by spending the 2021-22 season in the town of St. Gallen, Switzerland.

 

Despite his immense global success, Hopkins still returns to his alma mater as often as he can to see a Cape and Sword performance or visit some of his favorite former teachers. 

 

“Cape and Sword and Tony (Braithwaite) basically prepared me for life, Mr. (Mike) Dougherty’s Latin classes taught me lessons in work ethic and always being prepared, and I know Mr. (Joe) Coyle still says I didn’t dominate ‘On the Spot’, but I like to think I did!”