Jerwood Young Artists

In 2010, a new strand of work was introduced to focus on nurturing exceptionally talented singers from the Chorus selected as Jerwood Young Artists. Through the Jerwood Young Artist Programme, the singers work with leading conductors, directors, choreographers, theatre specialists and vocal coaches to enhance their skills and experience.

The Jerwood Young Artist Programme is supported by Jerwood Foundation.

Described as having a voice that is ‘richly expressive and gleam[ing] at the top’ (Opera Magazine) and ‘show stopping’ (The Observer), Henna Mun, a South Korean soprano, is currently part of the International Opera Studio at the Royal College of Music in London, under the tutelage of Sarah Tynan. This year, Henna is the recipient of the Andrea Bocelli Foundation – Community Jameel Scholar supported by the Midori Nishiura Scholarship and the Basil Coleman Opera Award. She is also supported by the Josephine Baker Trust and the Drake Calleja Trust. She is very excited to be a Jerwood Artist at Glyndebourne Festival this year. 

Henna’s operatic roles include Eurydice in Orpheus in the Underworld, Hanna in The Merry Widow, Ilia in Idomeneo, Maturina in Don Giovanni Tenorio, La Principessa in La bella dormente nel bosco, and Jenny Lind in Barnum’s Bird. She has also covered the roles of Papagena in Die Zauberflöte and the Dew Fairy in Hänsel und Gretel. Last summer, Henna was a part of the Atelier Lyrique Programme at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland.

As a member of the Irish National Opera Young Artist Studio for their 2022/2023 season, Kathleen covered the roles of Norina in Don Pasquale and Fiordiligi in Cosí fan tutte. 

While studying at Royal Academy Opera under the tutelage of  Kate Paterson, Raymond Connell and Ingrid Surgenor, Kathleen performed the roles of Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi and Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Other roles include Suor Dolcina in Suor Angelica (Wexford Festival Opera), Musetta in La bohème (Hampstead Garden Opera), Poppea in L’incoronazione di Poppea and Morgana in Alcina (Ensemble OrQuesta). As an Alvarez Young Artist at Garsington Opera, Kathleen performed the role of Fiordiligi for their annual OperaFirst performance. She looks forward to returning to work with Ensemble OrQuesta in February 2024 as La Countessa in Le nozze di Figaro.

Kathleen was generously supported by the Carr-Gregory trust during her studies at Royal Academy Opera and is currently supported by the Irish Arts Council Agility Award. In March 2023 Kathleen won the Dramatic Cup at the Dublin Feis Ceoil which enabled her to travel to New York to study with James Smidt (Haus of Shmizzay) and Rachelle Jonck, both of whom she still works with. 

George is a Welsh tenor currently on the opera programme at the Royal Academy of Music (RAM) under the tutelage of Mark Wildman and Ingrid Surgenor. Previously, George studied both Undergraduate and Masters at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama under the tutelage of Marilyn Rees. In July 2023, George performed the role of Agenore in Mozart’s Il re pastore at the Buxton International Festival. George was a chorus member for Glyndebourne Festival 2022 and Tour 2022, performing in The Wreckers, La bohème, Don Pasquale, Le nozze di Figaro and Les Mamelles de Tirésias. George will be returning to Glyndebourne for Festival 2024 as a Jerwood Young Artist. At RAM, George has performed the roles of Don Curzio in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Edoardo in Rossini’s La cambiale di matrimonio, Lurcanio in Handel’s Ariodante, and in March 2024, George will perform the role of Albert in Britten’s Albert Herring.

Recent competition successes include second prize at the Kathleen Ferrier Awards Competition 2023 and first prize in the Dunraven Welsh Young Singer of the Year Awards 2023. George’s studies are kindly supported by the Suresh and Richard McMillan Scholarships for Music and Opera.

British Tenor, Michael Lafferty, is a dynamic artist, praised for the ‘melting warmth’ of his voice, and ‘demonstrable affection and involvement’ of his performances (Opera Today). Michael studied on the Opera School at Guildhall School of Music and Drama under the tutelage of David Pollard, where he was generously supported by The Behrens Foundation, The Drake Calleja Trust and Countess of Munster Musical Trust.

Competition successes include First prize at the AESS English Song Competition, winner of the ‘Prix Andre-Bacand Prize’ at the CMIM Competition 2022 (Montreal), and finalist for the GSMD Gold Medal 2023. Concert highlights include Schumann’s ‘Requiem für Mignon’ under the baton of Sir John Eliot Gardiner for Salzurger Festpiele 2021, Handel’s Messiah for Academy of St.Martin in the Fields, and a recital for the Oxford Lieder 2023 festival.

Michael made his Glyndebourne debut in the role of Officer in Barrie Kosky’s production of Dialogues des Carmélites at Festival 2023. He has also performed the roles of Joseph de Rocher (Dead Man Walking) for GSMD Opera and Black (Black el Payaso) for Grimeborn festival 2022, a role for which he was nominated as a finalist for the OffWestEnd Awards. This year, Michael is a Samling Artist and Jerwood Young Artist at Glyndebourne Festival Opera.