Four new singers join Jette Parker Young Artists

Jette Parker Young Artists 2011/12 © David Clerihew/ROH 2012

Four new singers will join the Jette Parker Young Artists programme in September 2012.

The singers were selected from over 300 applicants from 50 countries, auditioning in front of a panel including Director of Opera Kasper Holten and Music Director of The Royal Opera Sir Antonio Pappano.

The Jette Parker Young Artists programme supports the artistic development of young professional singers, conductors, directors and répétiteurs. The JPYAs are an international group of outstanding professionals at the start of their careers who have undertaken formal training and have already worked with professional companies. They are not students, but contracted, salaried Royal Opera employees, who work here full-time over two years.

The five new artists will join the six from 2010-11 who continue onto their second year. Three more places will become available in July after conductor Geoffrey Paterson, conductor/répétiteur Volker Krafft and répétiteur Jean-Paul Pruna complete the programme. Auditions will be held this month.

This year’s intake of artists include:

• Dušica Bijelic. The Serbian soprano arrives at The Royal Opera after performing at Teatro Real, Madrid. Her competition successes including winning the Career Bridges competition in New York and the Audience Prize at the Wildbad Rossini Festival; and singing concerts and recitals in New York, Germany and Italy.

• David Butt Philip. The British baritone-turned-tenor was a Jerwood Young Artist at Glyndebourne in 2011 and winner of the John Christie Prize before making his tenor debut as Rodolfo in La bohème as part of Glyndebourne on Tour. He has also performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and in recitals at Wigmore Hall. 

• Michel de Souza. The Brazilian baritone won first prize in the Maria Callas Vocal Competition in Sao Paolo and Margaret Dick and Ye Cronies competitions at Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama before recently completing the Emerging Artists Programme at Scottish Opera. He has appeared extensively in concert and recital.

• Ashley Riches. The British baritone has sung in concert with Moscow’s Novaya Opera, performing Britten’s War Requiem as well as at Dartington International Festival. He has also given recitals at The City of London Festival and the Barbican.