Originally a member of Opera Queensland’s Young Artist Program, Kanen’s subsequent roles for the company have included Nanki-Poo in The Mikado, Monostatos in The Magic Flute, Ramiro in La Cenerentola, Sir Richard Dauntless in Ruddigore and the role of Andy Warhol in The Perfect American.

Kanen has been a salaried artist at Opera Australia, his roles including Camille in The Merry Widow, Ralph Rackstraw in HMS Pinafore, Marco Palmieri in The Gondoliers, Caius in Falstaff, Alfred in Die Fledermaus, Monostatos in The Magic Flute,  Sellem in The Rake’s Progress, Pong in Turandot, Pirelli in Sweeney Todd, the title role in Albert Herring, and Johnny in Bliss at the Edinburgh Festival, amongst others.

For Victorian Opera Kanen has appeared in the premiere seasons of T’is a Pity, Banquet Of Secrets and Through The Looking Glass, as Uncle Ernie in The Who’s Tommy and The Beadle in multiple Melbourne seasons of Sweeney Todd. 

Other engagements include Rodolfo in Baz Luhrmann’s Broadway production of La Bohème, the title role of Platée for Pinchgut Opera, a Helpmann Award-winning performance as The Witch Of Endor in the Glyndebourne production of Handel’s Saul for the Adelaide Festival, the Malthouse season of Meow-Meow’s The Red Shoes, Siegfried in Siegfried & Roy for the 2025 Sydney Festival, and Willy Wonka in the national tour of Charlie & The Chocolate Factory.