South African baritone Jacques Imbrailo completed a BA Law degree and a B Mus degree at the Potchefstroom University in South Africa in 2002 under Professor Werner Nel, followed by postgraduate opera studies at the RCM under Ryland Davies. Currently studying with Gary Coward.
Awards include runner-up at South African Music Rights Organization International Scholarship competition, winner of Distell National Singing Competition in South Africa and second prize at Richard Tauber singing competition 2005, winner of the vocal category of the Royal Overseas League Competition and finalist in the Kathleen Ferrier Competition.
Opera includes Tarquinius (The Rape of Lucretia) and Guglielmo (Così fan Tutte) at RCM and with the Classical Opera Company; Mercutio (Roméo et Juliette) for British Youth Opera.
Oratorio performances include Bach's St John Passion, Handel's Messiah, Brahms' Requiem, Fauré's Requiem and Duruflé's Requiem. Purcell recording released early 2006.
He joined the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in September 2006. His ROH debut was in 2006 as Morales Carmen. Further roles at ROH include Commissioner Madame Butterfly, Marullo Rigoletto and title role Owen Wingrave in the Linbury Theatre.
Future plans include debut as Count Almaviva Le nozze di Figaro, Lille 2008 with Emmanuelle Haïm.
Repertoire details for Concert 5 and Recital 1:
Concert 5 - Thursday 14 June
- Handel: Sibillar gli angui d'Aletto (Rinaldo)
- Mozart: Deh, vieni alla finestra (Don Giovanni)
- Tchaikovsky: Ya vas lyublyu (The Queen of Spades)
- Leoncavallo: E fra quest'ansie...Decidi il mio destin...E allor perchè (Pagliacci)
With the orchestra of WNO conducted by Carlo Rizzi
Recital 1 - Saturday 9 June
- Schubert: Der Musensohn (Op 92 No 1)
- Schumann: Meine Rose (Songs, Op 90 No 2)
- Duparc: Phidylé
- Dvořák: Kterak Trojhranec Muj (Gipsy Songs, Op 55 No 2)
- Rachmaninoff: V molchani nochi taynoy (6 Songs, Op 4 No 3)
- Trad: Op my ou ramkiekie
Accompanist: Audrey Hyland