Biography

Rhydian Jenkins is a 24 year old Tenor from Maesteg, South Wales, currently studying on the MA Opera Course at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama’s David Seligman Opera School in Cardiff. Rhydian is under the tuition of Adrian Thompson and John Fisher. Rhydian’s studies at the David Seligman Opera School are supported by the RWCMD Scholarship, the Sybil Tutton Opera Award, The Countess of Munster Musical Award, and a Musicians’ Company Award (David Goldman Award), and recent success includes winning The Michael Jones Contemporary Opera Prize, the Dorothy Davies Ingram Award and the 2021 MOCSA Young Welsh Singer of the Year Competition.

In 2020, Rhydian played the roles of Ferrando (Cosi fan tutte) and Basilio (Le nozze di Figaro) in the 2020 RWCMD Winter Opera Gala, with scenes conducted by John Fisher. In March 2021, he played the roles of Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Count Almaviva (The Barber of Seville) and Basilio (The Marriage of Figaro) in the college’s Spring Opera productions. Most recently, Rhydian performed in the 2021 RWCMD Opera Gala conducted by Carlo Rizzi and the Welsh National Opera Orchestra at the Wales Millennium Centre. As well as this, Rhydian also performed the role of Peter Quint from Britten’s The Turn of the Screw in the 2021 RWCMD Summer Opera, which was directed by Martin Constantine and conducted by David Jones. Rhydian’s latest engagement includes performing in Don Giovanni, Cosi fan tutte and Acis and Galatea with Dorset Opera Festival as part of their Elite Chorus, and performing the role of Basilio/Don Curzio (The Marriage of Figaro) with Saluzzo Opera Academy in Italy.

In 2019, having won three first prizes at the Urdd Eisteddfod, Rhydian was fortunate to have won the coveted Bryn Terfel Scholarship. As of winning this, he is scheduled to travel to Japan as part of the Welsh St David’s Day Festival celebrations, performing in a series of concerts and events in the cities of Tokyo and Kitakyushu (Covid permitting).

Rhydian is looking forward to his second and final year on the Opera Course at the David Seligman Opera School at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff.

Musicians’ Company Award: Musicians’ Company David Goldman Award 2021

Page Updated: Feb 2022

Photo Credit: Geraint Todd Photography