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Alan Opie
Alan Opie
Alan Opie
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Alan Opie OBE (born 22 March 1945) is a British baritone, primarily known as an opera singer.[1]

Education

[edit]

Opie was born in Redruth, Cornwall, and attended Truro School. He went to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University as a choral student in 1963. He also studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the London Opera Centre before joining the Sadler's Wells Opera (now the English National Opera, ENO). He became a Principal baritone there while still a student.[2]

Opera career

[edit]

Opie has also sung with the other major UK opera companies Scottish Opera, Opera North, Welsh National Opera, Glyndebourne Festival Opera and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.[citation needed] Internationally, he has performed in the opera houses of Paris, Amsterdam, Vienna, Brussels, Berlin, Chicago and Santa Fe and regularly appears at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich.[citation needed] In 1978, he sang Messias in Lyric Opera of Chicago's World Premiere production of Penderecki's Paradise Lost, which was also presented at La Scala in January 1979.[3] He has also sung at the Bayreuth Festival.[4] In 1996, Opie switched his status at the ENO from company member to regular guest, enabling him to make his début at La Scala, Milan. There he created the role of Outis in the opera of the same name by Luciano Berio.[citation needed]. In 2011 he performed Frank in Die Fledermaus for Welsh National Opera.

In March 2017, he performed the role of Arbace in Mozart's Idomeneo at the Metropolitan Opera in New York.[4]

He has recorded for CBS, EMI, Hyperion, Chandos and Decca, winning Grammy Awards in 1996 and 1998 for his involvement in, respectively, recordings of Britten's Peter Grimes and Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.[4]

Awards

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In 1997, his performance in the title role of Verdi's Falstaff earned Opie a nomination for the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera.[4] He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to music.[5][6]

Personal life

[edit]

Opie and his wife Kathleen (married since 1970) have a son and a daughter. [citation needed]

Operatic roles

[edit]

Performed and/or recorded, listed alphabetically:

Role Opera Composer
Aristæus I The Mask of Orpheus Birtwistle
various Death in Venice Britten
Balstrode Peter Grimes Britten
Beckmesser Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg    Wagner
Chairman Mao Madame Mao Bright Sheng
Don Alfonso Così fan tutte Mozart
Don Carlo Ernani Verdi
Diomede Troilus and Cressida Walton
Eisenstein, Falke Die Fledermaus Johann Strauss II   
Enrico Lucia di Lammermoor Donizetti
Falstaff, Ford Falstaff Verdi
Faninal Der Rosenkavalier Richard Strauss
Faraone Mosè in Egitto Rossini
Faust Doktor Faust Busoni
Fieramosca Benvenuto Cellini Berlioz
Figaro Il Barbiere di Siviglia Rossini
Forester The Cunning Little Vixen Janáček
Germont La Traviata Verdi
Malatesta Don Pasquale Donizetti
Marcello La Bohème Puccini
Marquis de la Force    Dialogues of the Carmelites Poulenc
Melitone La Forza del Destino Verdi
Messias Paradise Lost [7] Penderecki
Miller Luisa Miller Verdi
Montano Otello Verdi
Nabucco Nabucco Verdi
Outis Outis Berio
Papageno Die Zauberflöte Mozart
Paolo Simon Boccanegra Verdi
Rigoletto Rigoletto Verdi
Sancho Panza Don Quichotte Massenet
Sharpless Madam Butterfly Puccini
Sid Albert Herring Britten
Smirnov The Bear Walton
Der Spielmann Königskinder Humperdinck
Stiva Anna Karenina Hamilton
Taddeo L'Italiana in Algeri Rossini
Tonio Pagliacci Leoncavallo
Ulisse Ulisse Dallapiccola
Valentin Faust Gounod

Selected concert works

[edit]

(performed and/or recorded, listed alphabetically)

Work Composer
Ein Deutsches Requiem    Brahms
Das Klagende Lied Mahler
Elijah Mendelssohn
Ezio Handel
Hugh the Drover Vaughan Williams   
Oedipus Rex Stravinsky
Requiem Fauré
The Dream of Gerontius Elgar
Ultima Rerum Gerard Victory

Selected discography

[edit]

Grammy Award-winning recordings in bold.

Year Work/s Composer/s Artists Label
1991 Otello Verdi Chicago Symphony Orchestra et al.
cond. Sir Georg Solti		 Decca
1993 Bethlehem Boughton City of London Sinfonia et al.
cond. Alan Melville		 Hyperion
1994 Hugh the Drover Vaughan Williams   Corydon Orchestra and Singers et al.
cond. Matthew Best		 Hyperion
1996 Peter Grimes Britten City of London Sinfonia et al.
cond. Richard Hickox		 Chandos
1997   Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg   Wagner Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus  
cond. Sir Georg Solti		 Decca
1998 Pagliacci Leoncavallo London Philharmonic Orchestra et al.
cond. David Parry		 Chandos
2000 The Barber of Seville Rossini ENO Orchestra and Chorus
cond. Gabriele Bellini		 Chandos
(recorded 1994)
Rigoletto Verdi ENO Orchestra and Chorus
cond. Mark Elder		 Chandos
2002 Death in Venice Britten London Sinfonietta
cond. Graeme Jenkins		 Kultur DVD
2003 Peter Grimes Britten ENO Orchestra and Chorus
cond. David Atherton		 Kultur DVD
Classical Brubeck Dave Brubeck Dave Brubeck Quartet et al. Telarc
2004 Alan Opie sings Bel Canto Arias various Chandos

References

[edit]

Sources

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Alan Opie

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''Alan Opie'' is a British baritone renowned for his long and versatile career in opera, particularly his more than fifty-year association with English National Opera and acclaimed performances across major international stages. Born on 22 March 1945 in Redruth, Cornwall, Opie studied at Truro School, Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and the London Opera Centre. While still a student, he joined Sadler's Wells Opera (later renamed English National Opera), where he was appointed principal baritone and began a career-defining relationship with the company. His international engagements have included appearances at the Metropolitan Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Bayreuth Festival, La Scala, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Paris Opera, Vienna State Opera, and other prominent venues in Chicago, Santa Fe, Berlin, Brussels, and Amsterdam. Opie's repertoire spans a wide range of composers and styles, from Verdi and Wagner to Britten and contemporary works, earning him particular praise for roles such as Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and contributions to recordings of Peter Grimes. He has won two Grammy Awards—for Peter Grimes in 1996 and Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg in 1998—and received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination in 1998 for Outstanding Achievement in Opera. Appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), Opie has also recorded extensively for labels including Chandos, Decca, EMI, and Hyperion, and collaborated with Opera Rara on projects featuring rare Italian operas.

Early life and education

Birth and background

Alan Opie was born on 22 March 1945 in Redruth, Cornwall, England. He is British by nationality and has Cornish roots, originating from the county of Cornwall in the United Kingdom's southwest. Redruth, a historic mining town, served as his birthplace, anchoring his early background in the region's distinct cultural and geographic heritage.

Education and training

Alan Opie attended Truro School from 1956 to 1963. He then became a choral student at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University in 1963. His further studies focused on vocal and operatic training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the London Opera Centre. While still a student at the London Opera Centre, Opie joined Sadler's Wells Opera, where he was appointed principal baritone.

Opera career

Early career and Sadler's Wells/English National Opera

Alan Opie began his professional association with Sadler's Wells Opera while still a student at the London Opera Centre and the Guildhall School of Music. He was appointed principal baritone at the company during this period of study. His involvement started in the late 1960s, with 2018 marking 50 years since he first began singing with the company in its earlier incarnation as Sadler's Wells Opera. He made his professional operatic debut with Sadler's Wells Opera in 1969 and served as principal baritone there during the 1973–74 season. Following the company's relocation to the London Coliseum and transition to English National Opera in 1974, Opie continued as a principal artist with ENO. He remained in this capacity until 1996, when he shifted to regular guest artist status while maintaining a close connection to the company. Throughout these decades, Opie's longstanding relationship with ENO positioned him as one of its core ensemble members during a formative period for the company.

Work with other British opera companies

Alan Opie has performed with several prominent British opera companies beyond his long association with English National Opera, contributing to productions across the United Kingdom. He has made multiple appearances at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, where his engagements have included key roles in a range of repertoire. These have encompassed Wagnerian parts such as Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier, as well as Italian roles including Marcello in La bohème and Sharpless in Madama Butterfly. At Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Opie has been a frequent guest artist. He performed in Benjamin Britten's Death in Venice and other works at the festival, demonstrating his affinity for English-language repertoire. Opie has also collaborated with Welsh National Opera, where he undertook roles including Sharpless in Madama Butterfly. His work with Scottish Opera has included various productions. He has further appeared with Opera North in various capacities, adding to his extensive presence in the British opera scene. These engagements have complemented his international career and solidified his status as a leading British baritone.

International engagements and major houses

Alan Opie has maintained a prominent international presence throughout his career, performing at many of the world's leading opera houses outside the United Kingdom. He made his debut at Teatro alla Scala in Milan in 1996, singing the title role in the premiere of Luciano Berio's Outis. This engagement highlighted his involvement in significant international productions at major venues. He debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1994 as Balstrode in Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes. Subsequent appearances at the Met have included Arbace in Mozart's Idomeneo in 2017, the Gamekeeper in Rusalka, and the Bailiff in Werther. Opie has also appeared at the Bayreuth Festival, where he performed Beckmesser in Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. His engagements extend to other prominent houses such as the Vienna State Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Opéra national de Paris, as well as venues in Amsterdam, Brussels, Los Angeles, Oslo, and additional cities including Tokyo and Beijing. These performances reflect his consistent demand as a guest artist at top-tier international opera institutions.

World premieres and late-career highlights

Alan Opie has distinguished himself through the creation of roles in world premieres of contemporary operas at leading international venues. In November 1978, he sang the role of Messias in the world premiere of Krzysztof Penderecki's Paradise Lost at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The production was subsequently presented at La Scala in Milan in January 1979. He later created the title role in Luciano Berio's Outis for its world premiere at La Scala on 5 October 1996. This performance marked one of Opie's debuts at the Milan house and highlighted his engagement with innovative, non-traditional operatic works. In his later career, Opie continued to appear in major productions, including as Arbace in Mozart's Idomeneo at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, with a live performance recorded on 25 March 2017.

Notable roles and repertoire

Key Verdi and Italian roles

Alan Opie has earned widespread recognition for his compelling interpretations of major baritone roles in Giuseppe Verdi's operas, combining dramatic intensity with vocal authority honed over decades on stage. His Verdi repertoire has been central to his career, particularly through his long association with English National Opera, where he has brought nuance to Verdi's complex characters. Opie's approach to Verdi has emphasized the composer's demand for maturity, noting that singing these roles too young or incorrectly can damage the voice. One of Opie's signature Verdi roles is the title character in Falstaff, which he performed at English National Opera in Matthew Warchus's acclaimed production—a highlight of his career with the company. This portrayal earned him an Olivier Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Opera. Opie has also sung Ford in Falstaff, demonstrating his versatility within the same work. Opie has frequently portrayed Giorgio Germont in La traviata, making his debut in the role in 1974 at English National Opera as a young cover before returning to it after a 14-year gap when his voice and stage presence better suited the elder father figure. He reprised Germont at ENO in 2018, reflecting on how the role illustrated the passage of time. In Rigoletto, Opie has delivered powerful performances. He has praised Jonathan Miller's highly regarded production at English National Opera as a masterpiece that resolves many traditional challenges of the opera. He also sang the title role to critical approval in other productions, such as at Opera Company of Philadelphia. Opie's Verdi roles have been complemented by his work in other Italian opera, including Dr Bartolo in Rossini's The Barber of Seville at English National Opera, showcasing his skill in comic as well as dramatic repertoire.

Britten and English-language roles

Alan Opie has earned wide recognition for his compelling interpretations of baritone roles in Benjamin Britten's operas, showcasing his dramatic skill and vocal authority in English-language repertoire. His portrayal of Captain Balstrode in Peter Grimes stands out as one of his signature roles, with performances including a notable appearance at the Metropolitan Opera opposite Renée Fleming as Ellen Orford. He also sang Balstrode in English National Opera productions and in recent concert performances with orchestras such as the London Philharmonic under Vladimir Jurowski and the Accademia di Santa Cecilia under Antonio Pappano. Opie contributed to the highly regarded Chandos recording of Peter Grimes conducted by Richard Hickox, for which he received a Grammy Award. This achievement highlights his impact in Britten's most celebrated opera, where his sympathetic and authoritative Balstrode provided strong support in the ensemble. Beyond Peter Grimes, Opie has engaged deeply with Britten's other works, recording roles in Death in Venice, Gloriana, Albert Herring, and The Rape of Lucretia. In Death in Venice, he took on multiple characters including the Traveller and other opposing figures, delivering vivid and threatening portrayals that advanced the opera's themes of obsession and self-destruction. His involvement in these recordings and stage appearances underscores his versatility across Britten's English-language output, often in collaboration with leading British ensembles and conductors. Opie's work in Britten's operas, frequently presented in English translation or original English at companies like English National Opera, has solidified his reputation as a key exponent of modern British operatic repertoire.

Mozart, Rossini, Wagner, and other composers

Alan Opie has excelled in a diverse range of roles across Mozart, Rossini, Wagner, and other composers, demonstrating his versatility as a character baritone in both comic and dramatic parts. In Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, Opie made his operatic debut as Papageno at Sadler's Wells in 1969, a role he reprised in English-language productions at English National Opera. For Rossini, he portrayed Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, notably singing the character's signature aria "Largo al factotum" in English translation and contributing to acclaimed recordings of the opera. Opie's interpretation of Beckmesser in Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg stands out as a highlight of his Wagnerian repertoire; his performance in Georg Solti's recording with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra earned him a Grammy Award. In Leoš Janáček's The Cunning Little Vixen, Opie sang the Forester in a semi-staged concert performance with the New York Philharmonic, where he delivered a nuanced portrayal noted for its depth and diction. He appeared as Faninal in Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier at the Royal Opera House in 1995 and later at the Metropolitan Opera in 2000, contributing to productions of the composer's sophisticated comedy. Among other composers, Opie recorded the role of Tonio in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci for Chandos, delivering the Prologue with characteristic dramatic intensity.

Recordings

Audio recordings and discography

Alan Opie has built an extensive discography, with numerous studio recordings on prominent classical labels such as Chandos, Decca, Hyperion, EMI, and CBS. These include complete opera sets, solo recital albums, and choral works, often highlighting his interpretive strengths in Britten, Verdi, Wagner, and English-language repertoire. His contributions to recorded opera have been particularly recognized through high-profile international releases and awards. Among his most celebrated recordings is the 1996 Chandos complete performance of Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes, conducted by Richard Hickox, in which Opie sang the role of Ned Balstrode. This album received the Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording. He followed with another Grammy-winning performance as Sixtus Beckmesser in Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, recorded in 1997 for Decca under Sir Georg Solti with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, which also earned the Grammy for Best Opera Recording. Opie has frequently collaborated with Chandos on Verdi and Italian operas, including a role in Rigoletto (as Marullo) conducted by Mark Elder and the role of Figaro in Rossini's The Barber of Seville (recorded 1994, released 2000). His 2004 Chandos solo recital Alan Opie sings Bel Canto Arias features selections from bel canto composers, showcasing his command of the Italian baritone literature. Additional highlights include earlier recordings such as Verdi's Otello (Decca, 1991) under Solti and English works on Hyperion, including Rutland Boughton's Bethlehem (1993) and Vaughan Williams' Hugh the Drover (1994). His discography further encompasses Leoncavallo's Pagliacci (Chandos, 1998) and other projects across labels, reflecting his broad operatic range and consistent presence in studio productions.

Video and filmed performances

Alan Opie has appeared in a number of filmed opera productions, primarily captured from live stage performances and released on DVD, showcasing his versatility in both classic and contemporary works. Among his notable video appearances is Benjamin Britten's Death in Venice, in which he performed multiple supporting roles including the Traveler, Elderly Fop, Hotel Manager, and others in a Glyndebourne Festival Opera production filmed in 1990 and released on DVD by Kultur in 2002. He also portrayed Balstrode in another Britten opera, Peter Grimes, in a 1994 English National Opera production that was released on DVD in 2003. Additionally, Opie sang Sid in Britten's Albert Herring from Glyndebourne's 1985 staging, released on DVD by Kultur in 2005. Opie took the role of the Doctor in Nicholas Maw's Sophie's Choice for a live recording at the Royal Opera House in 2002, issued on DVD by Opus Arte. He further demonstrated his command of Verdi repertoire in the title role of Rigoletto for Opera Australia, filmed live at the Sydney Opera House in 2010 and released on DVD. These filmed performances highlight his contributions to both British opera traditions and international stagings preserved on video.

Awards and honours

Personal life

References

  1. https://www.eno.org/people/alan-opie/
  2. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/mar/15/alan-opie-baritone-50-years-english-national-opera
  3. https://www.classicalmusicdaily.com/articles/o/a/alan-opie.htm
  4. https://opera-rara.com/artist/alan-opie
  5. https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/opie-alan-john
  6. https://www.truroschool.com/oldtruronians/notable-old-truronians/
  7. https://www.opera-arias.com/singers/alan-opie/
  8. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opera/what-to-see/alan-opie-interview-sad-eno-musicals/
  9. https://glyndebourne.com/people/alan-opie
  10. https://www.teatroallascala.org/en/media/la-scala-magazine/ulysses-without-ithaca.html
  11. https://www.metopera.org/discover/artists/baritone-and-bass/alan-opie/
  12. https://www.bayreuther-festspiele.de/en/fsdb/performers/alan-opie/
  13. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1978/12/18/1978-12-18-088-tny-cards-000111317
  14. https://music.apple.com/us/album/mozart-idomeneo-k-366-recorded-live-at-the-met-march-25-2017/1311857623
  15. https://www.eno.org/artists/alan-opie/
  16. https://theoperacritic.com/tocreviews2.php?review=sc/2007/ocprigole1007.htm
  17. https://ondemand.metopera.org/performance/detail/e1e24216-a7ba-53cd-9f43-e442217c3775
  18. https://www.schmopera.com/scene/people/alan-opie/
  19. https://www.chandos.net/artists/Alan_Opie/184309
  20. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/jul/05/classicalmusicandopera1
  21. https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/opie-alan
  22. http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/samples/cam031/90040403.pdf
  23. https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/rossini-il-barbiere-di-siviglia-in-english
  24. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEQCMEJiEPI
  25. https://operatoday.com/2011/06/the_cunning_little_vixen_new_york/
  26. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8B8KPCjJzc
  27. https://www.rohcollections.org.uk/performance.aspx?performance=24044
  28. https://archive.org/details/greatmusicman
  29. https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%203003
  30. https://open.spotify.com/track/1VYaJfArNtLEoVbThOkr1k
  31. https://www.amazon.com/Britten-Death-Venice-Jenkins-Glyndebourne/dp/B0000640T4
  32. https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7990866--britten-peter-grimes
  33. https://www.amazon.com/Britten-Herring-Graham-Hall-Hammond-Stroud-Glyndebourne/dp/B0009WIDXA
  34. https://www.naxos.com/CatalogueDetail/?id=OA1024D
  35. https://www.operaonvideo.com/rigoletto-sydney-2010-opie-matthews-oneill/
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