New artist in residence: Sir Thomas Allen

Tuesday 28 November 2017

The Royal College of Music is delighted to announce that the great British baritone and RCM alumnus, Sir Thomas Allen, will be working with our students in the coming years as RCM Artist in Residence.

As part of a dynamic and ongoing relationship with the RCM's Vocal Faculty and International Opera School, Sir Thomas Allen will direct Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro in the autumn of 2018. Director of Opera, Michael Rosewell comments: 'I first met Tom during my time as a member of the music staff at the Vienna State Opera. He happened to be performing the role of the Count in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. His portrayal of the Count was a revelation to me as he inhabited the role like no other singer I’d encountered. It is an enormous pleasure to be working on a production with him in the intimate setting of the Britten Theatre again, and I relish the prospect of Tom sharing his unique insights, gained from performing Mozart roles in the world's greatest opera houses with the RCM's outstanding ensemble of vocal talent.'

In the coming years, Sir Thomas Allen will work with members of the RCM opera cohort on all aspects of role preparation with particular reference to the Da Ponte operas, holding masterclasses at the RCM on a regular basis. His championing of the importance of poetry in the training of young singers will be reflected in related song projects and collaborative initiatives, and it is a privilege to have this great artist dedicating his time to the development of our next generation of vocal artists.