Leigh Melrose

In the 2020/21 season, Melrose takes on another definitive dramatic baritone role, that of Enescu’s Œdipe, in a new production at the Komische Oper Berlin, as well as returning to the roles of Clov Fin De Partie for its Spanish premiere in Valencia at Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía and of Golaud Pelleas et Melisande in his company debut with Grand Théâtre de Genève. Last season Melrose made his Wiener Staatsoper debut in the world premiere of Olga Neuwirth’s Orlando,and was invited to sing Alberich The Ring Cycle on the Viennese stage. He made a role debut as Smith Smee Der Schmied von Gent at Opera Vlaanderen in a hugely acclaimed new production, and held invitations to return to Teatro Real as Tadeusz The Passenger and Clov Fin de Partie at the Budapest Spring Festival.

Recent debuts include the anticipated world premiere of György Kurtág’s Fin de Partie for Teatro alla Scala, later presented in Amsterdam by Dutch National Opera; Nekrotzar in a new production of Le Grand Macabre in Zurich; Ruprecht Fiery Angel in new productions with Zurich and Rome; the title role in the world premiere of Whiteley at Opera Australia; Zimmermann’s Die Soldaten and Lord Cecil Gloriana in new productions at Teatro Real; Golaud Pelléas et Mélisande in new productions at the Ruhrtriennale Festival and Vlaamse Opera; and Alberich Das Rheingold with Teodor Currentzis at the Ruhrtriennale. An acclaimed exponent of the role of Wozzeck, his appearances include Zürich Opera, English National Opera, Royal Festival Hall and Salzburg Landerstheater. Further roles include Friedrich Das Liebesverbot and the Traveller Death in Venice, both at Teatro Real; Papageno Die Zauberflöte in Seattle; Demetrius A Midsummer Night’s Dream at La Monnaie; Ned Keene Peter Grimes for Opera Vlaanderen and Opera Oviedo. Closely associated with English National Opera, his roles have included Wozzeck, Escamillo, Sonora, Ned Keene, Tadeusz The Passenger, Papageno, Bormenthal A Dog’s Heart, Count The Marriage of Figaro, Rodolfo in Leoncavallo’s La bohème, the world premiere of Ryan Wigglesworth’s The Winter’s Tale, and Junius The Rape of Lucretia.

One of the most sought-after interpreters of contemporary music, Leigh Melrose has given many world premieres, including Dai Fujikura’s Solaris - a co-production between Theatre de Champs Elysees, Opéra de Lille and Opéra de Lausanne; Johannes Kalitzke’s Die Besessenen at Theater an der Wien; Elliot Carter’s On Conversing with Paradise at the Aldeburgh Festival under Oliver Knussen (also nominated for a Gramophone Award for ‘Best Contemporary Album); Luca Francesconi's Quartett at Royal Opera House; and Evan in James MacMillan’s The Sacrifice at Welsh National Opera. Other performances include his debut at the prestigious Maggio Musicale Festival in Florence singing Rihm’s Der maler träumt; the title role in Birtwistle's Gawain with BBC Symphony Orchestra; Matthias Pintscher’s Solomon’s Garden with the Ensemble Intercontemporain in Paris conducted by the composer; Rambo in the Channel 4 television film of John Adams’ The Death of Klinghoffer; Michael Collins in Jonathan Dove’s TV Opera Man on the Moon for Channel 4; Punch in Birtwistle’s Punch and Judy in Porto; Xenakis’ Ais with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the BBC Proms and Berlin Festival; Peter Maxwell Davies’ The Martyrdom of St Magnus at the composer’s St Magnus Festival, Orkney, in Edinburgh and Inverness; Maxwell-Davies’ Eight Songs for a Mad King with the Orquesta de Cadaqués in Madrid, the London Sinfonietta at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, BIT20 in Bergen and Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra; Michael Finnissy’s Maldon with the London Sinfonietta at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and the world premiere of Martin Suckling’s Candlebird also with the London Sinfonietta under Nicholas Collon.

His numerous concert appearances include Walton Belshazzar’s Feast, Berlioz Symphony No.3; Britten Canticles; Noah's Fludde with BBC Scottish Symphony; Carmina Burana and Beethoven Symphony No.9. At the BBC Proms he has performed Britten Cantata Misericodium with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, De Falla’s La vida breve and Sir Richard Cholmondeley in Gilbert & Sullivan’s Yeomen of the Guard.

2020-2021 season / 742 words. Not to be altered without permission