The John Christie Award 2023: Michael Ronan
The winner of the John Christie Award for 2023 is Northumbrian bass-baritone Michael Ronan. The announcement was made from the stage at the Glyndebourne Opera House during Glyndebourne Chairman Gus Christie’s traditional last night speech.
The John Christie Award is described as Glyndebourne’s most prestigious award and has been supported by the Musicians’ Company since its inception over fifty years ago. Michael Ronan joins a distinguished list of past winners including Ryland Davies, Richard Van Allan, Linda Esther Gray, Sir John Tomlinson, Gerald Finley, Alfie Boe, Kate Royal, Matthew Rose, Allan Clayton, Duncan Rock, David Butt Philip, Louise Alder and James Newby.
Michael Ronan has just completed his studies at Royal Academy of Music. He saw recent success as the winner of the Royal Academy of Music’s prestigious 2022 Bicentenary Prize, and in competition has also been awarded the Joan Chissell Schumann Lieder Prize, the Thomas Armstrong English Song Prize, and the Blyth-Buesst Opera Prize. Michael joined the Jerwood Young Artist Program at Glyndebourne Festival Opera for the 2023 season and performed the role of Keeper of The Madhouse in The Rake’s Progress. Michael will be singing Masetto (Don Giovanni) for Glyndebourne’s autumn programme this coming October.