Guest Blog: 'Art Itself Is Diverse': Indian Baritone Darwin Prakash on Education, Collaboration and Fun in ENO's COSÌ FAN TUTTE

Darwin Prakash burst onto the opera scene in 2019, when he made his professional debut in the chorus at Glyndebourne. Five years before that, he didn’t read music and had no formal singing training. The Indian baritone discusses his meteoric career trajectory and singing the role of Guglielmo in English National Opera (ENO)’s forthcoming production of Mozart’s Così fan tutte...

Rehearsals for ENO’s forthcoming Così fan tutte have been an absolute joy and a privilege to be part of. Although the production premiered in 2014, we were lucky to have original director Phelim McDermott himself lead the revival rehearsals, along with Peter Relton as Associate Director.

This Coney Island-set production is iconic for a reason, and the audience can surely look forward to enjoying the artistry and skill each and every performer brings to the stage, especially the talented team of Skills Ensemble (circus performers) who weave through every scene from the start to the end. I am also in awe of my fellow castmates Lucy Crowe, Taylor Raven, Ailish Tynan, Andrew Foster- Williams and Joshua Blue, who are all such amazing singers and equally amazing humans!

This is my role debut as Guglielmo, and he’s such great fun to play. His character arc starts off being a proud, confident and self-important man, and by the end, descends into being a defeated, hurt and jealous man. Eventually he dusts off the sadness and learns to smile, love and be happy anyway.

Così fan tutte is often described as a comedy of manners, but beneath the wit lies a poignant exploration of trust, desire and self-knowledge. Phelim leans into that complexity. His direction encourages us to treat the characters as real people making imperfect choices, but also live up to the grandiosity of the sets, the music and the opera. The result is a production that sparkles with humour, while still allowing space for vulnerability – qualities that feel especially resonant for modern audiences.

Working on this piece reminds me why Mozartian roles continue to be important for singers. The music demands precision, style and technical expertise, and the opera tests your stamina as well!

Così is an ensemble piece and ENO’s emphasis on collaboration – between cast, chorus and orchestra – brings that to the fore. While working at Three Mills studio, our rehearsal space, there was always a wonderful sense of collective storytelling in the room, and it was energising and comforting to be part of an environment where we were allowed to be vulnerable, bring forth our true self to work every day, and trust each other in this process of bringing the opera to life.

As rehearsals unfold, it’s interesting to reflect on where my own journey as a singer began...

Born in Mumbai and growing up in Delhi, far from the opera houses I now call workplaces, opera wasn’t on my radar as a possible career path. I didn’t start out with any formal training; instead, I studied geology at Delhi University, and singing was something I did for fun, to get away from my studies!

It was only after my graduation, through a chance encounter with renowned British vocal teacher Robert Alderson in the summer of 2014, that the world of classical music opened up to me. I followed some friends to an opera masterclass he was giving at The Neemrana Music Foundation in Delhi. He saw my potential, and it all started from there.

I later moved to the UK to pursue my music studies, taking part in the Glyndebourne Academy development scheme (where I received the Gus Christie Award in 2016) and going on to study at the Royal Academy of Music (under Professor Mark Wildman), graduating in 2019. I was then invited to be a Young Artist at Staatsoper Hannover, where I was the principal baritone until Summer 2025.

I’ve performed in opera houses and concert venues around the world, but the London Coliseum feels special. It is the home of English National Opera and to be able to sing in this theatre is a real honour. The auditorium is huge, but while singing on stage, the voice can easily travel to the last seat up in the balcony. I love to feel the space, make it my own and sing my heart into it.

Performing with ENO feels significant not only because of the company’s artistic ambition, but also because of its commitment to accessibility. Its ethos of performing operas in English, with accessibly priced tickets available to all, reminds us that this art form belongs to everyone. It is a value I hold close, having come to opera from a non-typical background, through curiosity rather than convention.

Because of my background, I’m often asked about representation and diversity in opera. I can only speak my truth, which is: art itself is diverse. It lives and thrives all around us in so many ways, through so many people, and therefore opera is no different. In today's world, the notion of diversity should be at the very foundation of everything, and what makes any artist feel valued is to be recognised for their work and celebrated for their excellence and individuality.

Mozart himself was endlessly curious about human nature; it seems fitting that his music continues to travel, adapt and invite new storytellers into its orbit. ENO’s Così fan tutte has been a wonderful experience, and I can’t wait to share it with audiences.

Così fan tutte opens tonight, 6 February, at the London Coliseum and runs until 21 February

Main Photo Credit: Clemens Heidrich