News from around the world - Thomas Atkins
Posted on 15 April 2016
I’m writing this at the end of a lovely day with Kiri starting out with a photoshoot for new head shots for Edward Laurenson and me, followed by a delicious pub lunch and ending with a BBC Radio interview. Needless to say, the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation never fails to further my career, feed, and promote me!
The first term of my second year on the Opera Course at the Guildhall is coming to an end and it still a funny feeling that I have only one term left here. I have recently accepted a 6 month contract with Glyndebourne that begins in March 2016 so I will be parting with Guildhall a term early.
With auditions looming for what I will be doing after that contract I will have news very soon for what comes next! The term started with a bang as I had just come off a run of Madama Butterfly at the Arcola Theatre in London and we went straight into music calls with the conductor, Mark Shanahan, on the first day back for our production of Le Donne Curiose by Wolf-Ferrari. The production was a great success and a lot of fun.
With performances in France, Switzerland, Japan and London it’s been a busy few months, but there is no time to waste as auditions for young artist programmes are coming up fast. So far, I’ve been offered auditions with Royal Opera, Oper Stuttgart and Opernhaus Zürich. A young artist programme at any of these houses will provide invaluable experience working with the best of the best in the business. Fingers crossed!
STOP PRESS – As Aria was about to be published Tom advised that he has been accepted into the Royal Opera’s Jette Parker programme. He is thrilled and so are we – what a result!