Artists 2023/24


Alexandra Meier

Swiss mezzo-soprano Alexandra Meier is finishing her final year on the opera course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. There she recently performed the role of “Sister Helen Prejean” in Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, as well as “Berthe” in Judith Weir’s Blond Eckbert. Her studies are supported by the Herbert and Theresie Lowit Memorial Scholarship. Alexandra is a 2022/23 Britten Pears Young Artist where she participated in a masterclass with Antonio Pappano and recently performed at Aldeburgh festival. Previously she played “Der Trommler” in Viktor Ullmann’s Der Kaiser von Atlantis at Theater Basel, and Hänsel in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel with the Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz. In 2021 Alexandra was an Alvarez Young Artist with Garsington Opera.

Jorge Carlo Mariani

Jorge Carlo Mariani began his 2022/2023 season working on a ROH recital, Debut classical concerts and Petite messe solennelle of Rossini in Brussels with Hortus Musicalis. He also did a series of concerts with Chapelle Sauvage with Flemish Opera in Gent and Antwerpen. He worked in Theatre Dortmund last season singing Gastone in La Traviata under the baton of Gabriel Feltz and Motonori Kobayashi. During this time, he also sang the role of Alvar in the Fernánd Cortez by Spontini, Peter Quint from Turn of the Screw, Marzio from Mitridate Re di Ponto, Rinaldo from Armida, Tamino from Die Zauberflöte, and Masaniello in La Muette de Portici. Mariani studied at the Royal Conservatory Ghent working together with Gidon Saks and Marcos Pujol. He was also part of Rossini Opera Academy in Pesaro working with Juan Diego Florez. 
 
Jake Muffett

Jake Muffett (baritone) attended the King’s School Grantham and later read music at the University of York before training at the Guildhall School and subsequently the National Opera Studio. For the 2020-2022 seasons Jake was a member of the Opera Studio at Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf and since the beginning of the 2022/23 season is now a member of their soloist ensemble. As a member of the ensemble Jake regularly undertakes leading roles on their main stage. During the 22/23 season Jakes roles included: Falke (Die Fledermaus), Malatesta (Don Pasquale) & Ping (Turandot). Jakes planned roles for the 23/24 season include: Ping, Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Dandini (La Cenorentola), Papageno (Die Zauberflöte) & Albert (Märchen im Grand Hotel).
 
 
James Quilligan
 

James is a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He was also a Monteverdi Choir Apprentice.Recent operatic roles have included Steward in Flight by Jonathan Dove (RCS), Street Singer in Die Dreigroschenoper by Weil (RCS), Tarquinius in The Rape of Lucretia (cover, RCS), and Gaoler in Cabildo by Amy Beach (Grimeborn) as well as engagements with the ROH, Le Concert d’Astrée, and Grange Park Opera.In 2021 James was awarded the Elgar/Spedding Lieder prize alongside his duo partner, Amy Chang.Upcoming productions include Le Nozze di Figaro at Montecastelli in July.

Meilir Jones

Born on the Isle of Anglesey, bass-baritone Meilir Jones studied at Royal Academy of Music (MMus) and Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (BMus). In 2021 he toured with Diva Opera as Masetto Don Giovanni and Dancaïre Carmen. In 2019 he performed Sciarrone & Carceriere Tosca (Abu Dhabi International Festival), Leporello Don Giovanni (Opra Cymru & Covent Garden Chamber Orchestra) and Messenger Belshazzar, Handel, while covering Figaro Le nozze di Figaro (Grange Festival). Solo concert highlights include Handel’s Messiah (Wales Millennium Centre), Bryn Terfel’s Brynfest (Royal Festival Hall), London Welsh Festival of Male Choirs concert (Royal Albert Hall) and the WW1 Battle of Passchendaele centenary commemorations (Tyne Cot, Belgium). 

Fiona Finsbury

Fiona trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre arts and The Royal Northern College of Music. Recent roles include: Albina in La Donna Del Lago and Miranda in The Dancing Master at Buxton International Festival, Mother in Lambs at the Royal Opera House, The Witch in Hansel and Gretel at Opera Holland Park for British Youth Opera, Nedda in Pagliacci at Iford, Violetta in La Traviata for Opera D’draig, and Euridice in Orfeus at The Young Vic. Other roles performed include Mimì in La Boheme for Hampstead Garden Opera, the title role in Tosca at the Trafalgar Studios, and the title role in Cendrillon at the RNCM. 

Beca Davies

Beca Davies is a mezzo-soprano from West Wales, and a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Beca recently covered the role of Hansel in Mid Wales Opera’s production of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel. Prior to this, she created the role of Meinir in a world premiere of Cyfrinach y Brenin by Mared Emlyn for OPRA Cymru. She also sang the roles of Miss Bourne/Julia Price in The Ghost Train by Paul Crabtree (UK premiere, St Magnus International Festival), and the title role in Marco Galvani’s new sci-fi opera, Helena (world premiere, Tête-à-Tête Festival). Other engagements include: Mary Ann – The Boatswain’s Mate, Ethel Smyth (Spectra Ensemble); Lola – Cavalleria rusticana (Edinburgh Studio Opera) and Cherubino – Le nozze di Figaro (Berlin Opera Academy).