ousel , ▁then ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁as ▁under stud y ▁for ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Sar astro ▁in ▁The ▁Magic ▁Fl ute ▁( in ▁English ). ▁When ▁the ▁principal ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁perform , ▁he ▁had ▁to ▁take ▁over . ▁He ▁failed ▁to ▁meet ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁academic ▁requirements ▁for ▁his ▁music ▁degree ▁and ▁so ▁he ▁switched ▁to ▁the ▁theatre ▁department ▁in ▁his ▁final ▁years , ▁where ▁he ▁performed ▁in ▁roles ▁from ▁Neil ▁Simon , ▁Shakespeare ▁and ▁S ond heim . ▁ ▁J ovan ov ich ▁moved ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 9 0 s , ▁where ▁he ▁d ab bled ▁in ▁model ing , ▁acting , ▁musical ▁the ater , ▁oper etta ▁and ▁eventually ▁opera . ▁Having ▁app r entic ed ▁with ▁the ▁Santa ▁Fe ▁Opera ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁he ▁asked ▁to ▁sing ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Giovanni ▁in ▁Daniel ▁Cat an ' s ▁opera ▁La ▁hij a ▁de ▁R app acc ini . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁scholar ship ▁and ▁was ▁en rolled ▁at ▁the ▁Manh attan ▁School ▁of ▁Music ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁Con current ly ▁he ▁was ▁singing ▁with ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Gilbert ▁and ▁S ull ivan ▁Play ers ▁( N Y G AS P ). ▁Between ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁he ▁sang ▁in ▁seven ▁oper ett as ▁with ▁that ▁company ▁both ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁and ▁on ▁tour , ▁but ▁it ▁was ▁his