Welsh Tenor Rhydian Jenkins is a 2023/24 Young Artist at the National Opera Studio. Hailing from Maesteg, South Wales, he graduated with Distinction from the David Seligman Opera School at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Rhydian was previously a 2022/23 Young Artist at the National Opera Studio and is under the tutelage of Nicky Spence and Adrian Thompson. 

A winner of the prestigious 2019 Bryn Terfel Scholarship and 2021 MOCSA Young Welsh Singer of the Year, roles include Don Ottavio Don Giovanni, Count Almaviva Il barbiere di Siviglia, Peter Quint/Prologue The Turn of the Screw, Ruggero La rondine, Alfred Die Fledermaus, Basilio/Don Curzio Le nozze di Figaro and Anthony Hope Sweeney Todd. His operatic scenes include Ferrando Così fan tutte, Tamino Die Zauberflöte, Fenton Falstaff, Des Grieux Manon and Nadir Les pêcheurs de perles. Rhydian was an Emerging Artist with Clonter Opera, performing in their 2022 Spring Opera Showcase.

His 2022/23 season included performing the role of Sergei Cherry Town, Moscow (Welsh National Opera), followed by making his debut at Longborough Festival Opera performing the role of Snout/Fairy 3 from Purcell’s The Fairy Queen and covering and performing the role of Spoletta from Puccini’s Tosca with Northern Ireland Opera. Rhydian also performed the role of Vittorio in a world premiere of Marianna Bottini’s Elena e Gerardo with Random Opera Company.

During the 2022/23 residencies with the National Opera Studio at WNO, Opera North, Scottish Opera and ENO, Rhydian performed roles from scenes including Count Almaviva (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Ernesto (Don Pasquale), Fenton (Falstaff), and Vašek (The Bartered Bride). Rhydian debuted at Wigmore Hall and at The Bridgewater Hall, performing in concert with The Hallé Orchestra, and participated in the Royal Opera House masterclass led by international tenor Gregory Kunde. Rhydian has been fortunate to have participated in masterclasses led my established singers including Gregory Kunde, Gerald Finley, Susan Bullock CBE, Dame Anne Murray DBE, Della Jones and Donald Maxwell.

In 2021, Rhydian performed in the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Opera Gala, conducted by Maestro Carlo Rizzi and accompanied by WNO Orchestra, performing scenes as Nemorino L’Elisir d’Amore, Tom Rakewell The Rake’s Progress, Fenton Falstaff and Don Ramiro La Cenerentola. As a concert soloist he has performed at venues including The Royal Albert Hall, Wales Millennium Centre, Cadogan Hall and St David’s Hall, with concerts including Rossini Pettite Messe Solenelle, Handel Messiah, Mozart Requiem and Faure Requiem. Upcoming engagements includes a recital performance at Wigmore Hall with the National Opera Studio, followed by a residency performance alongside the 2023/24 Young Artists of the National Opera Studio with Welsh National Opera, where he will perform scenes in the roles of Lysander A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Beppe Rita. Next summer, Rhydian will cover and perform the role of Lysander from Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Garsington Opera, followed by joining the International Opera Studio at Oper Köln.