Leigh Melrose

In the 2024/25 season, Melrose makes anticipated debuts as Balstrode in a new production of Peter Grimes at the Dutch National Opera, the title role in Beat Furrer’s new opera Das grosse Feuer at Opernhaus Zürich; and Eurymaque in a new production of Fauré’s Pénélope which inaugurates the Opera Fetsival at the Bayerische Staatsoper. Melrose also returns to the Dutch National Opera and the role of Kajin in Rudi Stephan’s Die ersten Menschen and also to Müpa Budapest for James MacMillan’s Christmas Oratorio.

Last season included a series of very exciting projects and role debuts as Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at the Teatro Real in a new production by acclaimed French director Laurent Pelly and as Šiškov in a new production opera by Dimitri Tcherniakov at Ruhrtriennale of Janáček’s From the House of the Dead. Further highlights included Ned Keene at Teatro alla Scala in a new Peter Grimes directed by Robert Carsen and Don Pizarro Fidelio at the Staatsoper Hamburg.

Recent successes include Prospero in Thomas Adès’ The Tempest at Teatro alla Scala where he also premiered György Kurtág’ Fin de Partie; a hugely acclaimed debut in the title role of Enescu’s Œdipe in a new production at the Komische Oper Berlin; Nekrotzar in a new production of Ligeti’s Le Grand Macabre in Zürich; Clov Fin de Partie at Dutch National Opera and Opéra national de Paris; Ruprecht in Calixto Bieito’s production of Prokofiev The Fiery Angel at Zurich Opera where he also performed the title role of Wozzeck; Alberich Das Rheingold in new productions at Staatsoper Stuttgart, English National Opera and Ruhrtriennale; Kajin in Bieito’s new production of Rudi Stephan’s Die ersten Menschen at Dutch National Opera and the world premiere of Héctor Parra’s Orgia, after Pier Paolo Pasolini’s play in a project imagined by Calixto Bieto at the Teatro Arriaga Antzokia in Bilbao. Closely associated with Teatro Real, Madrid his many triumphs there include The Traveller Death in Venice; Friedrich Das Liebesverbot; Ruprecht The Fiery Angel and Richard Nixon Nixon in China for which he was awarded one of the Artistic Prizes at the 3rd Teatro Real Awards in recognition for his extraordinary contribution to several productions at the Teatro Real.

One of the most sought-after interpreters of contemporary music, Leigh Melrose has given many world premieres, including Louis Andriessen’s exhilarating Theatre of the World at Dutch National Opera and with the Los Angeles Philharmonic; Dai Fujikura’s Solaris – a co-production between Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Opéra de Lille and Opéra de Lausanne; Johannes Kalitzke’s Die Besessenen at Theater an der Wien; Elliot Carter’s On Conversing with Paradise at the Aldeburgh Festival under Oliver Knussen (also nominated for a Gramophone Award for ‘Best Contemporary Album’); Luca Francesconi’s Quartett at Royal Ballet & Opera; and Evan in James MacMillan’s The Sacrifice at Welsh National Opera. Other performances include his debut at the Maggio Musicale Festival in Florence singing Rihm’s Der maler träumt; the title role in Birtwistle’s Gawain with BBC Symphony Orchestra; Matthias Pintscher’s Songs from Solomon’s Garden with the Ensemble Intercontemporain in Paris conducted by the composer; Rambo in the Channel 4 television film of John Adams’ The Death of Klinghoffer; Michael Collins in Jonathan Dove’s TV opera Man on the Moon for Channel 4; Punch in Birtwistle’s Punch and Judy in Porto; Xenakis’ Ais with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the BBC Proms and Berlin Festival; Peter Maxwell Davies’ The Martyrdom of St Magnus at the composer’s St Magnus Festival in Orkney, Edinburgh, and Inverness; Maxwell-Davies’ Eight Songs for a Mad King with the Orquesta de Cadaqués in Madrid, with the London Sinfonietta at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, with BIT20 in Bergen and with the Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra; Michael Finnissy’s Maldon with the London Sinfonietta at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and the world premiere of Martin Suckling’s Candlebird, also with the London Sinfonietta under Nicholas Collon.