David Butt Philip

Tenor

One of the most exciting tenors Britain has to offer today, David Butt Philip is quickly becoming a firm favorite on the major international stages. An alumnus of the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme, his recent debuts in roles such as the title role of Lohengrin and  Stolzing Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at Wiener Staatsoper; Florestan Fidelio and Prince Rusalka at the Royal Ballet and Opera; Bacchus Ariadne auf Naxos at the Edinburgh International Festival and Bayerische Staatsoper and title roles of Der Zwerg and Lohengrin at Deutsche Oper Berlin,  have earned him major critical and public acclaim.

This 2024-25 season Butt Philip returns to the Metropolitan Opera as Florestan Fidelio, a role he also sings at Semperoper Dresden, in his company debut. He also reprises the Title Role of Lohengrin at the Wiener Staatsoper under the baton of Christian Thielemann and the title role in Der Zwerg at Deutsche Oper Berlin, where he also stars as Kaiser in a new production of Die frau ohne Schatten. On the concert platform he performs the Glagolitic Mass and Mahler Symphony no. 8 with the Czech Philharmonic; the title role of Candide in concert performances at Semperoper Dresden; and Dream of Gerontius for Huddersfield Choral Society and the Opera North Orchestra under conductor Martyn Brabbins.

 

Last season Butt Philip made three appearances at Wiener Staatsoper: his role debut as Apollo in Richard Strauss Daphne, a new production of Lohengrin and a return as Stolzing Die Meistersinger in the production he premiered the previous season. Other highlights included his debut at the Staatsoper Berlin as Apollo; Don José Carmen and Lohengrin at the Deutsche Oper Berlin; Florestan Fidelio at the Bayerische Staatsoper and a role debut as Canio Pagliacci at Opera Holland Park. On the concert platform he performed Mahler Symphony No. 8 with Staatskapelle Dresden under the baton of Christian Thielemann and at the Bergen International Festival with Edward Gardner; and made his debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker with Dvořák Stabat Mater conducted by Jakub Hrůša.

 

Engagements of the previous season included a triple appearance at the Wiener Staatsoper as Laca Jenůfa, Stolzing in Keith Warner’s new production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Don Jose Carmen. He also made his company and role debut at the San Francisco Opera as Der Kaiser in David Hockney’s production of Die Frau ohne Schatten conducted by Sir David Runnicles and returned to the Royal Ballet and Opera as the Prince in a new contemporary staging of Rusalka by Natalie Abrahami and Ann Yee. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Grigory Boris Godunuv and in the American premiere of Brett Dean’s Hamlet as Laertes; Boris in a new production of Katya Kabanova at the Salzburg Festival and in Glyndebourne; the title role in Brett Dean’s Hamlet, this time in a new production by Matthew Jocelyn in Cologne; his widely acclaimed role debut in the title role of Der Zwerg in a new production by Tobias Kratzer, and as Lohengrin at Deutsche Oper Berlin; Bacchus Ariadne auf Naxos at the Bayerische Staatsoper; the Prince in Christof Loy’s new production of Rusalka, Froh Das Rheingold and Essex in Sir David McVicar’s new production of Gloriana, all at Teatro Real and Erik Der fliegende Holländer at Opéra de Lille; Florestan Fidelio at the National Theatre in Prague and subsequently at the Royal Ballet and Opera in Tobias Kratzer’s coveted production, replacing an ailing Jonas Kaufmann. The performance starring Butt Philip and Lise Davidsen was subsequently aired on BBC4 and was met with great acclaim. British audiences saw him at the Royal Ballet and Opera as The Prince Rusalka, Grigoriy Boris Godunov; Narraboth Salome and a Christmas concert conducted by Mark Wigglesworth; at English National Opera as Rodolfo in their Drive & Live production of La bohème, Daniel Kramer’s new production of Britten’s War Requiem, for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award, Don Jose Carmen and Pinkerton Madama Butterfly; at Opera Holland Park as Count Vaudemont in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta and Folco in Mascagni’s Isabeau; at Opera North as Laca Jenůfa and Luigi Il Tabarro; and at Glyndebourne as Laertes in the premiere of Brett Dean’s Hamlet at the Glyndebourne Festival and then as the title role on tour.

 

His notable concert appearances include Stolzing Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg for his debut at the Spring Festival in Tokyo and Schönberg’s Gurre-Lieder with the London Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Edward Gardner.

 

Born and brought up in Wells in Somerset, Butt Philip was a chorister at Peterborough Cathedral. He is a graduate of Royal Northern College of Music, the Royal Academy of Music, and the National Opera Studio and was also a Samling Artist, an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music and winner of the prestigious John Christie Award in 2011.

Performances

DECEMBER 10 2024

Title role, Der Zwerg; Deutsche Oper Berlin

Berlin, Germany

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JANUARY 26 2025

Der Kaiser, Die Frau ohne Schatten; Deutsche Oper Berlin

Berlin, Germany

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JANUARY 30 2025

Der Kaiser, Die Frau ohne Schatten; Deutsche Oper Berlin

Berlin, Germany

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FEBRUARY 2 2025

Der Kaiser, Die Frau ohne Schatten; Deutsche Oper Berlin

Berlin, Germany

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FEBRUARY 5 2025

Der Kaiser, Die Frau ohne Schatten; Deutsche Oper Berlin

Berlin, Germany

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More Dates

Performances

DECEMBER 10 2024Title role, Der Zwerg; Deutsche Oper BerlinBerlin, GermanyBuy Tickets
JANUARY 26 2025Der Kaiser, Die Frau ohne Schatten; Deutsche Oper BerlinBerlin, GermanyBuy Tickets
JANUARY 30 2025Der Kaiser, Die Frau ohne Schatten; Deutsche Oper BerlinBerlin, GermanyBuy Tickets
FEBRUARY 2 2025Der Kaiser, Die Frau ohne Schatten; Deutsche Oper BerlinBerlin, GermanyBuy Tickets
FEBRUARY 5 2025Der Kaiser, Die Frau ohne Schatten; Deutsche Oper BerlinBerlin, GermanyBuy Tickets
FEBRUARY 8 2025Der Kaiser, Die Frau ohne Schatten; Deutsche Oper BerlinBerlin, GermanyBuy Tickets
FEBRUARY 11 2025Der Kaiser, Die Frau ohne Schatten; Deutsche Oper BerlinBerlin, GermanyBuy Tickets
MARCH 4 2025Florestan, Fidelio; Metropolitan OperaNew York, United StatesBuy Tickets
MARCH 7 2025Florestan, Fidelio; Metropolitan OperaNew York, United StatesBuy Tickets
MARCH 10 2025Florestan, Fidelio; Metropolitan OperaNew York, United StatesBuy Tickets
MARCH 12 2025Florestan, Fidelio; Metropolitan OperaNew York, United StatesBuy Tickets
MARCH 15 2025Florestan, Fidelio; Metropolitan OperaNew York, United StatesBuy Tickets
APRIL 5 2025Title role, Dream of Gerontius; Huddersfield Choral SocietyHuddersfield, United KingdomBuy Tickets
APRIL 27 2025Title Role, Lohengrin; Wiener StaatsoperVienna, AustriaBuy Tickets
MAY 1 2025Title Role, Lohengrin; Wiener StaatsoperVienna, AustriaBuy Tickets
MAY 4 2025Title Role, Lohengrin; Wiener StaatsoperVienna, AustriaBuy Tickets

Press

Butt Philip was on top form, his heroic radiant tenor a thrilling match for Röschmann as the chemistry took hold, and the characters circled each other with increasing fascination in a passionate finale.

Bachtrack

Tenor David Butt Philip interpreted The Prince with his beautiful lyric voice. The center of his voice is extraordinarily strong, which is perfect for this score, which is written in that very area.  His phrasing and legato were impeccable in Czech, and his ascensions to the several A flats and naturals were brave, secure, and strong…. His interpretation was ardent and amorous as well as remorseful in Act three, when he managed to create a final magical love duet with Golovneva

Opera Wire

…a cast dominated by David Butt Philip’s sensationally well sung Don José… the scale of his singing, his subtlety – a wonderful messa di voce on the climactic note of the Flower Song – and his transition from the diffident, even shy brigadier of Act 1 to homicidal psychopath in Act 4 suggested a great future in the role… There’s a goldmine of promise here.

Opera Magazine

..breathtaking. That was absolutely world class

Klassik

His ardent delivery is married to a fine stage presence, resulting in a thrilling reading.

Releases

Parry: Scenes From Shelley's Prometheus Unbound
Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos (Edinburgh International Festival)
Candide
 Brett Dean: Hamlet

MWA