ENO Young Singers

The ENO’s Young Singers Programme, the first initiative of its kind in the UK, enables exceptionally talented UK-trained singers to perform with a major opera company while receiving specialist coaching, support and guidance. 

It was founded in 1998 as a means of providing a full-time training and performance scheme for talented singers at the beginning of their careers. This allowed them to continue their technical development within the professional environment of a repertory opera company. 

The programme has now evolved to accommodate the changing needs of singers at this vital stage in their development, allowing a more flexible approach with an individually tailored scheme for up to 12 singers across the season, who are no longer tied to a full-time salaried programme. This allows ENO to nurture a wider group of artists, from those performing small roles and covers through to singers who are already tackling main roles in the country’s largest theatres.

John McMurray, ENO’s Head of Casting, oversees the programme and ensures that its members are provided with a constant and reliable core for mentoring, advice and career development. Members of the programme receive a variety of training, including coaching sessions with Head of Training Jane Robinson, Consultant Coach Michael Pollock and ENO music staff. In addition they may receive dramatic, movement, performance psychology and language coaching, as well as opportunities to learn from distinguished artists who in past seasons have included; Dame Josephine Barstow, Joan Rodgers, Graham Clark, Yvonne Kenny, Ann Murray DBE, Stephen Lord, Gwynne Howell, Geraint Dodd, Robert Lloyd, Brindley Sherratt and Gwyn Hughes Jones.

Members of the ENO Young Singers Programme in the 2009/10 Season are Mairead Buicke, Sophie Bevan, Kate Valentine, Elena Xanthoudakis, Madeleine Shaw, Anna Grevelius, Christopher Turner, Dwayne Jones, Benedict Nelson and James Gower

Supporters of the ENO Young Singers Programme

Debut Founding Patrons
Vernon & Hazel Ellis

Trust and Foundation Supporters
The Foyle Foundation
The Audrey Gunn Award
The Hedley Foundation
The Idlewild Trust
Lord and Lady Lurgan Trust
The Lynn Foundation
The Radcliffe Trust
The Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation

Supporters
Accenture
H. L. Allan
The American Friends of ENO
John & Gilly Baker
Anthony Boswood
Mr J. Clay
Sir Anthony & Lady Cleaver
The John S. Cohen Foundation
Philippa Drew
Peter & Fiona Espenhahn
Richard Fernyhough
Mr & Mrs Rodney Galpin
Liz Grimsey
Kenneth & Ann Hampton
Michael Hartnall
Rosalind Headley-Miller
Rachel & Charles Henderson
Stephen & Leila Hodge
Arthur Knight
Sir Francis Mackay
Harriet & Michael Maunsell
Nicholas & Lindsay Merriman
John & Caroline Nelson
Hugh & Eleanor Paget
Graham & Alison Pimlott
Nicholas & Claire Prettejohn
Michael & Giustina Ryan
Martin & Elise Smith
Mr & Mrs Stuart Stradling
Mrs Carolyn Townsend
Dr & Mrs Michael West
George & Moira Yip
and two anonymous donors

For further information on how you can get involved in supporting this programme or other areas of ENO’s work please click here