Opera Scotland

James Rutherford Suggest updates

Born Norwich.

English baritone.

James Rutherford studied Theology at Durham University, then singing at the Royal College of Music and the National Opera Studio. He was a BBC New Generation Artist and won first prize in the inaugural Seattle Opera International Wagner Competition.

His Wagner repertoire includes Wolfram in Tannhäuser (San Francisco) and Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde (Washington). He performed roles in Ring cycles at Covent Garden and Chicago. New roles at Frankfurt this season include the Dutchman and Wotan. He is particularly known for his interpretation of Hans Sachs, which he has performed at Graz, Hamburg, Vienna and Budapest. It was the role of his Bayreuth debut in 2010, returning the following season.

His other parts include Verdi (Germont, Iago and Falstaff), Rossini (William Tell) and Strauss (Jokanaan, Orest, Barak and Mandryka in Arabella). He has sung in Salome at both Berlin and Vienna, in Arabella at Amsterdam and Hamburg.

Early in his career he worked several times in Scotland, playing Leporello with Scottish Opera and singing in several concert performances of opera at the Edinburgh Festival.

His recordings include a live performance of Arabella made in Amsterdam (2014).