2010 / 2011 was a great season for the artists of James Black Management and 2011 / 2012 promises to be another. Here is a list of one highlight per artist from last season and a look ahead to one highlight of the new season.
Of course, there are many more exciting things to anticipate, so don't forget to check the website for monthly updates as well as Newsdesk to see a summary of the month's major activities.
Sopranos
Katharine Fuge sang the Mozart Requiem with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. In January 2012, she tours with the Israel Camerata singjng Cantatas by J. S. Bach and Scarlatti. New CDs: J. C. Bach Welt, gute Nacht SDG CD; J. S. Bach Johannes Passion SDG CD.
Ruby Hughes sang Minerva in The Return of Ulysses for English National Opera. During 2011 / 2012, she is a BBC New Generation Artist and in Summer 2012 sings Aminta in L’Olimpiade for Garsington Opera at Wormsley. New CD: Handel Messiah ORF CD.
Kate Ladner sang Magda in La rondine for Opera Holland Park. In Summer 2012, she sings The Tsarevna in Kaschey the Immortal and the title role in The Maiden in theTower at the Buxton. Festival.
Hye-Youn Lee sang Lisette in La rondine for Opera Holland Park. In Summer 2012, she sings Elettra in Idomeneo for Grange Park Opera.
Mari Moriya sang The Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte for Seattle Opera. During 2011 / 2012, she continues as a member of the Landestheater Linz, where her roles will include the title role in Maria Stuarda, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte and Mimì inLa bohème.
Alwyn Mellor sang Isolde in Tristan und Isolde for Grange Park Opera. In November 2011, she sings Brünnhilde in Siegfried for Oper Leipzig.
Rachel Nicholls sang Sieglinde in Die Walkúre with Susan Bullock, Sir John Tomlinson and Richard Berkeley-Steele at the St Endellion Festival. In Summer 2012, she sings Brünnhilde in Götterdämmerung for Longborough Festival Opera. New CD: J. S. Bach Cantatas – Vol. 49 BIS SACD; St Matthew Passion Sabra CD / DVD
Sarah Redgwick sang Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni for English National Opera. In Summer 2012, she sings Nella in Gianni Schicchi for Opera Holland Park.
Claire Rutter sang the title role in Lucrezia Borgia for English National Opera. She returns to ENO in Autumn 2011 to sing the title role in Tosca.
Mezzo-sopranos
Wilke te Brummelstroete sang Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte at the Lucerne Festival. In Autumn 2011, she tours in Beethoven Symphony No. 9 with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner. New DVD / Blu Ray: Siegrune in Die Walküre (from the Bayreuth Festival) Opus Arte.
Carolyn Dobbin sang Maddalena in Rigoletto for Grange Park Opera. In September 2011, she makes her debut at English National Opera as Hannah in The Passenger.
Fiona Kimm sang Annina Der Rosenkavalier for Opera Zuid. In Autumn 2011, she sings The Governess in The Queen of Spades for Opera North.
Claire Wilkinson sang the Christmas Oratorio with the Orquesta Ciudad de Granada. In December 2011, she tours Messiah with the Netherlands Bach Society. New CD: J. C. Bach Welt, gute Nacht SDG CD
Countertenor
James Laing sang Zelim in La verita in cimento for Garsington Opera at Wormsley. In September / October 2011, he appears in the St Matthew Passion at the National Theatre. New CD: Raphael in Tobias and the Angel Chandos.
Tenor
Joseph Cornwell sang Giove / Pisandro in Il ritorno d'Ulisse at the Flanders Opera. During 2011 / 2012, he appears on tour with Les Arts Florissants as Pirro in La Didone. New DVD: Eumete in Il ritorno d'Ulisse Dynamic DVD.
Steven Ebel was a member of the Jette Parker Young Artists' Programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, during 2010 / 2011, his roles including Jaquino in Fidelio, Gennaro in L'isola disabitata, Malcolm in Macbeth and Heinrich der Schreiber in Tannhäuser. New CD: Wolf in Louis Karchin's Romulus Naxos CD.
James Edwards sang Tom Rakewell in The Rake's Progress for Gothenburg Opera. During Autumn 2011, he tours with Raymond Gubbay Ltd in Last Night of the Autumn Proms.
Christopher Lemmings created The Prince in Seven Angels for The Opera Group. In January / February 2012, he makes his debut at the Geneva Opera as Clarence / Tyrrell in Richard 111.
Richard Roberts sang Mime in Das Rheingold for Opera North. In March 2012, he sings Kaufmann in Jakob Lenz for English National Opera.
Baritone
Alexander Robin Baker was a Jerwood Artist at the 2011 Glyndebourne Festival, where he sang The Huntsman Rusalka. During 2011 / 2012, he is a member of the National Opera Studio.
Stephen Gadd sang Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde for Grange Park Opera. In Summer 2012, he sings Storch in Intermezzo for Buxton Festival Opera.
Njabulo Madlala was featured on Scottish Opera's 2011 Opera Highlights Tour. In Autumn 2011, he sings Scarpia in Tosca for Grange Park Opera 'Rising Stars'.
Adrian Powter made his debut with English National Opera as Wagner in Faust. He opens his 2011 / 2012 season as Baron Mirko Zeta in The Merry Widow with Yvonne Kenny at West Green House.
Simon Thorpe sang Michele in Il tabarro for English Touring Opera. In Autumn 2011, he sings Escamillo in Carmen for the State Opera of Australia.
Bass Baritone
Roman Ialcic sang Kaspar in Der Freischütz at the Opéra-Théâtre de St Étienne. In Summer 2012, he sings Tomsky in The Queen of Spades for Grange Park Opera.
James Oldfield sang Nick Shadow in The Rake's Progress for Gothenburg Opera. In March 2012, he sings Achilla in Giulio Cesare for Opera North. New CD: Handel Messiah Signum CD.
Conductior
John Rigby conducted an extensive series of Classical Spectaculars for Raymond Gubbay Ltd. On 31 December 2011, he conducts a New Year's Eve Open Air Gala in Berlin.
Peter Selwyn conducted La rondine for Opera Holland Park. In September 2011, he conducts Owen Wingrave at the Nuremberg International Chamber Music Festival.
Alexander Walker conducted an Elgar Birthday Concert with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in Malvern. In November 2011, he makes his debut with
Johannes Wildner conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra in Mahler Symphony No. 6. During 2011 / 2012, he continues as Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra and conducts Die Zauberflöte at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Geona.