Singers

Artistic Director Ian Page works intensively with our singers, building up an understanding of the classical style and working in great detail on aspects of phrasing, characterisation, delivery of recitative, linguistic nuance and colour, vocal production and, first and foremost, communication and commitment to the text. Our singers enjoy long rehearsal periods and the opportunity to work with outstanding directors and language coaches.

Sally Matthews, who has appeared with us as Elisa in Il Re Pastore as well as in numerous concerts, is now one of the Vilar Young Artists at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Other roles there have included Zerlina in Don Giovanni and Pamina in a new production of Die Zauberflöte

Baritone Ashley Holland, who sang in our first production, was until 2002 a Principal at English National Opera. He recently made his debuts at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (Masetto in a new production of Don Giovanni) and the Chicago Lyric Opera (Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor)

Sarah Fox, who appeared with us as The Angel (Grabmusik), Hyacinthus (Apollo et Hyacinthus) and Rosina (La Finta Semplice), as well as in numerous concerts, has recently sung Servilia (La Clemenza di Tito) for Welsh National Opera and Zerlina (Don Giovanni) at Glyndebourne, where she also sang Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro) in 2003

"The Classical Opera Company feel like a true ensemble, and their generous acting and musicianship made the evening a joy from start to finish."

--The Independent on Sunday

The Classical Opera Company prides itself on its ability to discover and nurture outstanding young singers; of those who have taken part in our main opera productions to date, over half have already gone on to make their debuts at Glyndebourne or Covent Garden.

To consolidate this invaluable work, the company is now launching a new Associate Artist scheme to coincide with the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth. Four outstandingly promising young singers, all of whom have already begun their professional careers with the Classical Opera Company, have been selected to be inaugural members of this important and innovative new scheme. They are sopranos Rebecca Bottone, Martene Grimson and Anna Leese and tenor Andrew Staples.

You can count on Page to come up with startlingly good singers ... Singing Mozart successfully is the hardest thing: a matter of subtlety, placement, phrasing, legato and pure musicality, and these three are on the way to somewhere special ... what's more, they all sang without the music, which should be far more common."

-- The Times