Glyndebourne’s Jerwood Young Artists

It comes as no surprise that these young talents plucked from the chorus and nurtured should be so good, but in a one hour programme that skipped around the opera and song repertoire they certainly proved their worth. Angharrad Lyddon’s fine mezzo-soprano had precision and tone but lacked flirtation in the Bizet and one would have liked to hear something lighter from her. Angharrad Morgan’s soprano was equally skillful and given far more scope in her chosen works. Bass-baritone James Platt has the most extraordinary and effortless range and after a rather nervous start found his way and became more expressive. This was no competition, but it was tenor Stuart Jackson who truly shone. A fine voice with some remarkably easily reached high notes would have been impressive enough, but the fact that he is an expressive singer and a promising actor too brought his selections fully to life and won the audiences applause. Sadly they never sang together for us but these are names to look out for and in particular Stuart Jackson.

Studio Theatre, Brighton Dome, 20 May 2013
Rating:
Andrew Kay