The National Opera Studio (NOS), the UK’s leading opera training organisation, is proud to unveil its 2024/25 concert season. This includes a series of public engagements featuring the Young Artists who are currently undergoing training as part of the renowned NOS Young Artists’ Programme. This intensive nine-month course offers emerging opera talent an exceptional opportunity to collaborate with the most prominent UK opera companies – Welsh National Opera, Scottish Opera, Opera North, Glyndebourne, The Royal Ballet and Opera and English National Opera – work with top directors such as Keith Warner, and perform in major public events across the country.
The 2024/25 Young Artists will combine world-class training with a dynamic schedule of performances, from Baroque classics to contemporary masterpieces. The season features intimate productions at the National Opera Studio in London, alongside high-profile showcases in Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, and London. These performances will help nurture the Young Artists who, in turn, will shape the opera of the future.
Key performances include:
- Shakespeare Revisited
3 & 4 December 2024, Blackburn Hall, National Opera Studio, London
Celebrated director Keith Warner leads this production, featuring contemporary operas inspired by Shakespeare’s plays. Themes of unrequited love and jealousy come to life in these scenes, celebrating the timelessness of Shakespeare’s work. - Deception & Desire
2 February 2025, Donald Gordon Theatre, Cardiff
In partnership with Welsh National Opera, this residency culminates in a grand performance at the Wales Millennium Centre, accompanied by the Welsh National Opera Orchestra. - Lust & Laughter
21 February 2025, Theatre Royal, Glasgow
A new showcase of operatic scenes, presented in collaboration with Scottish Opera and featuring the Orchestra of Scottish Opera. - London Showing
7 March 2025, Sinfonia Smith Square, London
A special performance featuring scenes from the residencies with Welsh National Opera and Scottish Opera, accompanied by the English National Opera Orchestra. - Baroque Operas
3 & 4 April 2025, Blackburn Hall, National Opera Studio, London
An intimate evening of Baroque opera scenes with harpsichord accompaniment, offering a close-up experience of this elegant and emotionally rich repertoire. - English Song Recital6 May 2025, Wigmore Hall, LondonThe Young Artists explore gems from the English song repertory. Curated by NOS Artistic Consultant, Dearbhla Collins, with involvement from Sir Thomas Allen, the programme will guide the audience through the evocative art songs of British composers such as Benjamin Britten, Michael Head and Rebecca Clarke.
- Benjamin Britten
6 June 2025, Howard Assembly Rooms, Leeds
In partnership with Opera North, this residency will culminate in a performance of scenes from Benjamin Britten’s chamber operas, accompanied by the Opera North Orchestra. A final London showcase will take place on 10 June 2025, with the venue to be confirmed.
The National Opera Studio’s Young Artists’ Programme is recognised as one of the most comprehensive and rigorous opera training programmes in the UK. Its bespoke nature, coupled with fully funded training, prepares young singers and repetiteurs for the international operatic stage. Throughout the programme, the Young Artists work closely with industry leaders and receive expert coaching in music, vocal technique, stagecraft, language skills, and psychological resilience, equipping them for the demanding and evolving opera landscape.
The National Opera Studio’s direct collaboration with leading UK opera companies provides invaluable professional experience for its Young Artists. These residencies culminate in public performances accompanied by world-class orchestras, allowing the artists to work with the most sought-after directors, conductors, and vocal coaches in the industry. Under the leadership of directors from the six major British opera companies, the Young Artists’ Programme offers an unparalleled opportunity for emerging talent to flourish.
Founded in 1978, the National Opera Studio is the UK’s premier training institution for young opera talent. Working in close collaboration with major British opera companies, the Studio offers exceptional training that prepares its Young Artists for international careers in opera.