A year later he was a grand finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions—where he was the youngest participant[1]—and he received an encouragement grant from the George London Foundation for Singers.

Hymel made his professional debut in 1998 as the Philistine messenger in Samson et Dalila with the New Orleans Opera, a company where he has performed many roles, including Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Luigi in Il tabarro, and Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi.

[2] He has also sung at Carnegie Hall with Opera Orchestra of New York in a gala concert honoring the 100th performance there of Eve Queler that also featured Renée Fleming, Marcello Giordani, and Dolora Zajick.

[13][14] Additional performances in 2017 include singing the title role in Don Carlos at the Royal Opera House in London,[15] and a recital at Loyola University New Orleans.

[21] Additional performances include Puccini's Madama Butterfly at the Teatro alla Scala[22] and a recital in hometown at Tulane University.

[24] In 2022, Hymel was named an Artist in Residence and adjunct instructor at Westminster Choir College, the school of music of Rider University.