The Royal Opera's Jette Parker Young Artist Programme Announces 20th Anniversary Company and New Audition Dates

September 2021 will mark the start of The Royal Opera's Jette Parker Young Artists Programme (JPYAP) 20th anniversary year. Over the last two decades the Programme has trained and supported 137 young singers, directors, conductors and pianists from across the globe - providing immersive access to all areas of opera, music and theatre production. The JPYA Programme also provides participants with opportunities to work with partner companies in the UK and across the world, ensuring a truly international approach that prepares artists for global careers.

To celebrate this momentous year, the ROH has announced that former Link Artists soprano April Koyejo-Audiger, tenors Thando Mjandana, Alan Pingarrón and baritone Chuma Sijeqa - will join Young Artists from the 2021 Programme to form the JPYAP 20th Anniversary Company. They are joined by soprano Alexandra Lowe, mezzo-sopranos Kseniia Nikolaieva and Stephanie Wake-Edwards, tenors Andrés Presno and Egor Zhuravskii, bass Blaise Malaba, stage director Isabelle Kettle, opera répétiteur Michael Sikich, opera conductor and répétiteur Michael Papadopoulos and ballet conductor Edo Frenkel.

Returning in October, Meet the Young Artists Week offers a chance to hear music from the rising stars of the opera world, as well as returning former young artists. The rich programme of song, piano music, operatic arias and ensembles, will close with a special alumni birthday recital curated by the Programme's founder and Artistic Director David Gowland. From September, a new programme of Recitals at Lunch return running through to the end of summer.

In the Linbury in May 2022, JPYAs will mark the centenary of Stravinsky's rarely performed Mavra in a mixed programme with Schoenberg's 1912 melodrama Pierrot Lunaire. And throughout the year audiences can catch 28 returning JPYA alumni and graduates of the Link Artist programme joining the Anniversary Company for roles on both the Linbury and Mainstage. In addition, as part of a new initiative, recent conservatoire graduates will receive mentoring from former JPYAs. This new programme will also offer observership opportunities for directors and conductors and lighting designers on behalf of The Royal Opera.

The anniversary year culminates on 23 July 2022 for a special performance on the Main Stage marking the achievements of the artists and the Programme across two decades, with ROH Music Director Antonio Pappano, who also celebrates 20 years with The Royal Opera, joining to conduct.

The JPYAP has announced singer, conductor and répétiteur auditions for the 2022/23 Programme. Applications for singer auditions open on 1 July 2021 with opera conductor and repetiteur applications opening from 14 February 2022. Please visit the ROH website for full information.

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