Samling Artists Ted Black and Sid Ramchander will make their debut performances at The Glasshouse in July as guests at our 30th birthday party themed concert. They’ll join past and current members of Samling Academy for a glittering evening of song, opera, dance and spoken word inspired by Gatsby’s parties, with music including scenes from La boheme and La traviata. The semi-staged concert is directed by Miranda Wright with choreography by Desirée Kongerød.
samling.org.uk/events/samling-academy-the-party/
Ted Black has also just released his debut studio album, ‘Hold Fast to Dreams’, a recording of 34 songs by Florence Price, including many that remain unpublished.
prestomusic.com/classical/products/9855587–florence-b-price-hold-fast-to-dreams
Opera and concert news
Glyndebourne
Glyndebourne have announced the productions and headline castings for the summer 2027 festival. Louise Alder will make her role debut as Violetta La traviata and in a new production of La Cenerentola Svetlina Stoyanova is Angelina.
glyndebourne.com/festival/festival-2027-announcement/
Scottish Opera
In Scottish Opera’s 2026/27 season, Madeline Boreham makes her company and role debut in the title role of Alcina alongside Edward Jowle as Melisso.
Catriona Hewitson, Lea Shaw and Edward Jowle appear in the world premiere of The Galloping Cure by Missy Mazzoli.
Trine Møller takes the title role in Turandot with Daniel Barrett as Mandarin
In Fidelio, Julia Sporsén is Leonore, Thorbjørn Gulbrandsøy is Florestan, Daniel Barrett is Don Pizarro and Catriona Hewitson is Marzelline.
In Madama Butterfly, Andrés Presno is Pinkerton, Lea Shaw is Suzuki and Daniel Barrett is Prince Yamadori.
scottishopera.org.uk/what-s-on/202627-season/
Bethany Horak Hallet will make her Swiss debut later this year singing Messiah with the Chamber Orchestra of Lausanne conducted by William Christie.
Oxford Song
Louise Alder, Benjamin Appl, James Baillieu, Hugo Brady, Natalie Burch, Harriet Burns, Sebastian Hill, Stuart Jackson, Johannes Kammler, Joseph Middleton, Michael Pandya, John Reid, William Vann and Nardus Williams all appear in this year’s Oxford Song festival, which takes the theme of ‘Love’.
You can also see Alfred Fardell, George Ireland, Daniel Silcock and future Samling Artists Maryam Wocial and Archie Bonham in the festival’s Young Artist events.
Britten Pears Young Artists
Bridget Esler and Alfred Fardell have been selected for this year’s Britten Pears Festival Academy for singers and pianists led by James Baillieu. Zany Denyer will join the Summer Academy for pianists and string quartets and receives the Richard and Gillie Cave Bursary,
brittenpearsarts.org/britten-pears-young-artists-2026-27
New recordings
Joseph Middleton joins Austrian mezzo-soprano Sophie Rennart for ‘Irrlicht’ a collection of songs by Franz Schubert that explores the uncertainties and ambiguities of his music.
Other news
Annabel Kennedy has signed with IMG Artists.
Harry Grigg and George Herbert were both finalists at this year’s Ashburnam English Song Awards.
ashburnhamenglishsongawards.co.uk/the-2026-final/
And finally, if you missed William Thomas in Haydn’s Creation with Royal Northern Sinfonia at The Glasshouse on 17 May, you can watch it on YouTube until 16 June:
