Biography
London-based tenor, James Micklethwaite, graduated from the Royal College of Music in 2021 with a Distinction in his Master of Performance. He is in demand as a soloist, operatic and ensemble singer.
Originally from Leeds, James fell in love with singing when, as a child, he performed in a number of productions with Opera North, including as Miles in their 2010 production of Britten's The Turn of the Screw for which he received high critical acclaim in the National Press. Whilst studying for a degree in Philosophy at the University of Cambridge, James was a member of The Choir of King's College, Cambridge, with whom he toured extensively in Europe, the US and Australia, and gave solo performances in venues such as the Royal Albert Hall, the Concertgebouw and the Sydney Opera House. After completing his Philosophy degree, James dedicated himself to studying singing full-time when he took up a scholarship to study for a Master's in Vocal Studies at the Royal College of Music.
This summer, he was an Alvarez Emerging Artist at Garsington Opera, performing as Tchaplitsky in The Queen of Spades, covering Grimoaldo in Rodelinda and performing the role for the Opera First performance. He received the Helen Clarke Award for his contributions to the season. Other highlights include: Apollo in Semele for Waterperry Opera Festival; Delmonte in Un Giorno di regno and Flute (Cover) in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, both for Garsington Opera; tenor soloist in the Albert Hall for the Really Big Chorus’ Messiah from Scratch; Gastone (Cover) in The Dead City for English National Opera, and Slender in Sir John in Love for British Youth Opera at Opera Holland Park. Recent concert engagements include: Bach’s B Minor Mass, and Evangelist in both the St John and St Matthew Passions; Haydn’s Creation; Mendelssohn’s St Paul, and Handel’s Messiah, Acis and Galatea and Samson.
James also performs, records and tours regularly with ensembles such as Archangelo, Polyphony, London Voices, The Carice Singers, The Netherlands Radio Choir, Hexad, Echo, Corvus Consort, Ensemble Pro Victoria, Eboracum Baroque and Recordare.