David Butt Philip

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 Stolzing Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at Wiener Staatsoper; Florestan Fidelio and Prince Rusalka at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; 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. 

In the 2023-24 season, Butt Philip continues to make eagerly awaited appearances with his debut as Apollo in Richard Strauss Daphne at the Wiener Staatsoper and at the Staatsoper Berlin; a new production of  Lohengrin and a return as Stolzing both at Wiener Staatsoper; 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, Butt Philip joins the Staatskapelle Dresden for Mahler Symphony No.8 under the baton of Christian Thielemann; the Berliner Philharmoniker for Dvořák Stabat Mater conducted by Jakub Hrůša and makes his debut at the Bergen International Festival. 

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 Opera House as the Prince in a new contemporary staging of Rusalka by Natalie Abrahami and Ann Yee. His concert appearances included 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. 

Recent engagements include 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 Opera House 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 Opera House 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.

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 also a Samling Artist, an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music and winner of the prestigious John Christie Award in 2011