▁performance ▁of ▁Lu iz ▁in ▁The ▁G ond ol iers ▁that ▁first ▁attract ed ▁the ▁attention ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Times . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Br andon ▁J ovan ov ich ▁started ▁singing ▁profession ally ▁while ▁at ▁the ▁Manh attan ▁School ▁of ▁Music . ▁From ▁New ▁York ▁Gilbert ▁and ▁S ull ivan ▁Play ers ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁Opera ' s ▁out re ach ▁program , ▁he ▁slowly ▁cultiv ated ▁a ▁working ▁relationship ▁with ▁companies ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁area . ▁ ▁His ▁first ▁major ▁oper atic ▁role ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁with ▁S met ana ' s ▁The ▁Two ▁W id ows ▁at ▁the ▁Ch aut au qua ▁Opera . ▁Ab road , ▁his ▁first ▁for ay ▁into ▁Europe ▁was ▁as ▁Don ▁José ▁in ▁l ' Oper a ▁de ▁Bor de aux ' s ▁production ▁of ▁Car men ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁He ▁has ▁since ▁gone ▁on ▁to ▁perform ▁major ▁roles ▁through ▁both ▁contin ents ▁at ▁leading ▁opera ▁houses . ▁ ▁Some ▁of ▁the ▁highlight s ▁include ▁the ▁title ▁role ▁in ▁The ▁T ales ▁of ▁Hoff mann ▁at ▁La ▁Scala ; ▁Don ▁José ▁at ▁the ▁Metropolitan ▁Opera , ▁Bay r ische ▁Staats oper , ▁Gran ▁Teatro ▁di ▁L ice u , ▁Deutsche ▁Oper ▁Berlin , ▁Arena ▁di ▁Ver ona , ▁Zur ich ▁Opera , ▁Washington ▁National ▁Opera , ▁de ▁V la am se ▁Opera , ▁National ▁Center ▁for ▁the ▁Perform ing ▁Arts ▁( Be ij ing ) ▁and ▁Chicago ▁Ly ric ▁Opera