He is known for singing Siegfried in Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, which he performed at opera houses in Europe including the Bayreuth Festival.
He first studied music history and classical guitar at the Douglas College in New Westminster, later at the University of British Columbia.
He also began to train his voice there, which he continued in Europe, with the Italian tenors Gianni Raimondi and Carlo Bergonzi among others.
Ryan sang the title role of Énée in Berlioz's Les Troyens in 2010 (conducted by Valery Gergiev) at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia and the title role of Verdi's Otello at the Oper Frankfurt in 2012, and Florestan in Beethoven's Fidelio at the Vienna State Opera.
[3] Staged by Philipp M. Krenn, he portrayed the outcast with bright, messerscharf (sharp like a knife) sounds.