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James Edwards was born in Essex UK and began singing as a chorister at St Paul’s Cathedral, later continuing his studies at the Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music. On the concert platform he works frequently internationally renound Orchestras and Opera Companies. Conductors have included Sir Edward Downes, Bruno Campanella, Mark Elder, Sir Charles Mackerras and Antonio Pappano. On the opera stage he has worked with directors including Elijah Moshinsky, Richard Jones, David Pountney, Jonathan Miller, Phyllida Lloyd , Moshe Leiser, Patrice Caurier, Robert Wilson and Stephen Medcalf.

James made his Royal Opera, Covent Garden debut as an Apprentice Die Meistersinger in 2002 later joining the Young Artists Programme. Whilst on contract at the Royal Opera House, James sang many roles including Pong Turandot, Gastone La traviata, Albazar Il turco in Italia and Roderigo Otello understudying Arturo Lucia di Lammermoor, Nathanael Les contes d’Hoffmann, Cassio Otello and Ernesto Don Pasquale. Since leaving The Royal Opera James has sung Novice Billy Budd and First Commissioner The Carmelites for English National Opera, Lenski Eugene Onegin for Opera by Definition and The Lovers PUSH for Tete a tete opera Pinkerton Madama Butterfly for Raymond Gubbay Productions at the Royal Albert Hall, Albert Herring at the Salzburg Landestheater Conducted by Ivor Bolton and concerts with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philhamonic Orchestra, Welsh National Opera orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Concert Orchestra.

2008 / 2009 finds James Edwards increasingly busy at both a national and international level. He recently made his debut with Gothenburg Opera singing Pirelli in Sweeney Todd, and Rodolfo in La bohème for the Blackheath Opera Project, Gustavus in Ballo in Maschera for Cork Opera as well as appearing in a Gala Evening for Longborough Festival Opera. This season, he takes the title role in The Tales of Hoffmann for Tim Hopkins’ new production with Mid Wales Opera, sings The Duke of Mantua in Grange Park Opera’s “Rising Stars” production of Rigoletto at Nevill Holt and returns to the Royal Opera House to sing First Brother in The Seven Deadly Sins with the Royal Ballet. Concert highlights will include the Verdi Requiem at the Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, a BBC Radio 2 'Friday Night is Music Night' concert, Christmas Galas for Raymond Gubbay Ltd, The Battle Proms at Althorp Park and a New Year’s Day Gala with the Mikkeli City Orchestra in Finland.

WE HEAR THAT

In 2010 James will sing Tom Rakewell for Gothenburg Opera - TBC

Last updated: October 23, 2008