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We are delighted that English bass Simon Wilding has joined our artist roster for general management. Born in Leigh, Lancashire he studied at the Royal Northern College of Music. 

In the current season he performs Hunding Die Walküre (Pacific Opera Victoria, London Opera Company); Fafner Das Rheingold, Siegfried (Longborough Festival Opera); and Pistol Falstaff (West Green House Opera). Further ahead he returns to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Highlights in recent seasons include 2nd Soldier Salome (Royal Opera House); Sparafucile Rigoletto (Opera Holland Park); The Doctor/Clerk The Nose (Royal Danish Opera); Employee / Watchman / Servant / Policeman / Gentleman / Acquaintance of Kovalyov in Barrie Kosky’s production of The Nose (Royal Opera House, Komische Oper, Teatro Real); Russell The Exterminating Angel (Royal Danish Opera); Sacristan Tosca (Grange Park Opera); and Judge Turpin Sweeney Todd (West Green House Opera).

Gweneth Ann Rand returns to the Aldeburgh Festival next year for a series of concerts featuring all of Messiaen’s works for soprano. She is joined by pianists Simon Lepper and Allyson Devenish. 

Each concert will be enhanced by projections of the dazzling artwork by Rachel Jones, the British visual artist acclaimed for her “captivating, jitteringly electric” work.

Additionally, these concerts will showcase some of the outstanding Britten Pears Young Artists, who will perform more French songs.

 

Welsh National Opera’s Three Letters project started in 2021 and over 3 years, through music, chronicles Cardiff’s HIV past, present, and future, working with community groups and local artists to raise public awareness of the contemporary realities of HIV.

In this third and final installment, inspired by the landmark film Philadelphia, Camilla Roberts performs La mamma morta from the Giordano’s Andrea Chénier, alongside Nathaniel J Hall reciting new spoken-word text by Andrew Loretto. 

Philip Sheffield is a featured singer on the original soundtrack album on the Bradley Cooper film Maestro, recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

The film chronicles the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein.

Bernstein: Maestro
Label: Deutsche Grammaphon
Release date: 17 November 2023

It is with enormous sadness that we announce the sudden death of Keel Watson. It was a huge privilege to work with him and call him a friend.

Keel’s magnificent voice was admired by so many, as was his sharp wit and generosity as a performer. Only recently he completed acclaimed performances in genres as diverse as Wagner and Gilbert and Sullivan. We send our thoughts to his family and those who knew and loved him.

We are delighted that Scottish bass baritone Niall Anderson has joined our artist roster for general management. Niall was a member of the Académie at the Opéra National de Paris, having begun his vocal studies at the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied with Glenville Hargreaves and Jonathan Papp. He was a soloist in the RAM/Kohn Bach Cantata Series, performing with the Song Circle on numerous occasions and won the 2019 Pavarotti Prize.

Among his recent highlights are Escamillo in Peter Brook’s La Tragédie de Carmen (Atelier Lyrique de Tourcoing); Zweiter Preister and Zweiter Geharnischter Die Zauberflöte; Mourner Bernstein’s A Quiet Place conducted by Kent Nagano (Opéra national de Paris); Allazim Zaïde (Angers Nantes Opera, Opéra de Rennes); Sacristan Tosca (Northern Ireland Opera); and Ufficiale in Mercadante’s Il proscritto for a recording and concert (Opera Rara/Britten Sinfonia, conducted by Carlo Rizzi).

Future engagements include further performances as Allazim Zaïde (Opéra Grand Avignon, Tourcoing); Junius The Rape of Lucretia (Teatro Petruzzelli di Bari); and Haydn Nelson Mass (Angmering Chorale) and Mozart Requiem (Opus 48).

We are delighted to announce, that following the Merola Opera Program this summer, Thomas Kinch has been announced as a San Francisco Opera Adler Fellow

Across the year he performances will include Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde, First Armed Man The Magic Flute and Melot Tristan und Isolde. He will also cover Don José Carmen and  Luke and Nick in The Handmaid’s Tale.

Joanna Harries sings Finocchini in Offenbach’s La Princesse de Trébizonde, conducted by Paul Daniel with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

A travelling circus, an innocent prince in love with a waxwork and a lottery ticket to win a magnificent castle… What could possibly go wrong?

Offenbach: La Princesse de Trébizonde
Label: Opera Rara
Code: ORC63
Release date: 22 September 2023

Following English Touring Opera’s announcement for autumn 2023…

Trevor Eliot Bowes performs Seneca in a new production of The Coronation of Poppea, directed by Robin Norton-Hale and conducted by Yshani Perinpanayagam. Trevor’s ETO debut was in spring 2022 in La bohème.

Following acclaimed performances in Handel’s Ottone, Nazan Fikret returns to ETO as Clorinda in a new production of Rossini’s La Cenerentola, directed by Jenny Ogilvie Furness and conducted by Naomie Woo.

Both Nazan and Trevor will perform in ETO’s spring 2024 production of The Rake’s Progress.

Neil Balfour and Joanna Harries feature on Wonderland: The Alice Sound a new recording from LSO Live of Paul Rissmann’s Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, conducted by Lee Reynolds with the London Symphony Orchestra.

Inspired by the Lewis Carroll books and by early musical adaptations of them, composer Paul Rissmann wrote two musical suites which were premiered by the LSO in 2015 (Alice in Wonderland) and 2022 (Through the Looking Glass). Both Neil and Joanna performed these works in a family concert at the Barbican which included the premiere of Through the Looking Glass.

A range of cross-curricular learning resources and other materials are available on The Alice Sound website.

Wonderland: The Alice Sound is available on all digital streaming platforms form 30 June 2023

Following English National Opera’s season announcement for 2023/24…

Ronald Samm returns as Reverend Horace Adams in David Alden’s acclaimed production of Peter Grimes, conducted by Martyn Brabbins.

Llio Evans returns in the role of Celia in this first revival of Cal McCrystal’s sell-out production of Iolanthe, she is joined by Keel Watson as Private Willis and Timothy Nelson understudies the the role of Strephon. These performances are conducted by Chris Hopkins.

Gweneth Ann Rand returns as the Mayor’s Wife in David Alden’s Olivier Award-winning staging of Jenůfa, she is joined by Keel Watson as the Mayor, conducted by Keri-Lynn Wilson.

Following the Royal Opera House season announcement for 2023/24…

Claire Wild returns to revive her role as Mother / Baba Yaga in the Olivier-award winning Wolf Witch Giant Fairy, with Little Bulb Theatre.

Wyn Pencarreg revives the role of Alcindoro in Richard Jones’ production of La bohème, conducted by Keri-Lynn Wilson.

Rhonda Browne understudies the role of Erda in Barrie Kosky’s new production of Das Rheingold.