Canadian-born tenor James Schouten has recently graduated from the Alexander Gibson Opera School at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland under the tutelage of Stephen Robertson. James switched from high baritone to tenor in 2019 after graduating from the Royal College of Music. His performed operatic roles include: Loge Das Rheingold (Regents’ Opera), Le Prince Charmant Cendrillon (RCS Opera), Don Jose Carmen (Opera in Oborne), Laca Jenufa (Fulham Opera), Isépo La Gioconda (Grange Park Opera), Eisenstein Die Fledermaus (Opera Gold), Parpignol La boheme (Opera UpClose), Starveling A Midsummer Nights’ Dream (RCMIOS), Bartolo Il barbiere di siviglia (PopUp Opera), Silvio I Pagliacci (Hampstead Garden Opera) and Harlekin Ariadne auf Naxos (Queens’ Opera). Opera scenes at RCS include extracts of Peter Grimes (Peter Grimes) and Le Mari (Les Mamelles de Tiresias).
Recent contemporary projects include Tony West Side Story, Animus/Pianist in Simone Spagnolo's Even you lights, cannot hear me (Opera in the City Festival), Nebuchadnezzar in Joseph Cabons' To Himself, Alone, Jawad in Orlando Gough’s Weather The Storm (Garsington Opera/Rosetta Life), Enriqué in Ed Lambert’s The Parting (Tête-à-tête Festival, London) and Jon/Composer/Musical Director of lockdown micro-opera Threshold for OperaVision's 2020 competition Opera Harmony.
He has recently sung in the final of the Clonter Opera Prize (2024), won the Ye Cronies Competition at RCS (2023) and reached the final of Marmo All’Opera in Carrara, Italy (2022). James has generously been supported by ABRSM, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Trust and The Opera Awards Foundation Bursary.
Upcoming performances include Alfred Die Fledermaus (Kentish Opera), The Architect Taj Mahal (Grange Park Opera), Bacchus Ariadne auf Naxos (Trentino Music Festival), Der Zwerg Der Zwerg (Wexford Festival Opera), Oedipus RexOedipus Rex (New Palace Opera) and Froh Das Rheingold (Grange Park Opera).
“Cavalier’s Rock Tosca is basically one of the best ideas anyone has ever had. Big, sweaty, loud and brilliant, rock’s ego-heavy aesthetic is ideal for Puccini’s personality-driven thriller… The genius behind it all, as well as conducting from the keyboard and playing a fabulously nasty Scarpia (yes, all at the same time) is the multi-talented James Schouten.” - BACHTRACK
WATCH
Immer Ist Undank Loges Lohn - Das Rheingold - James Schouten - 2024 Carole Rees Awards (Mastersingers Wagner Vocal Competition) at St. John's, Waterloo. Accompanied by Kelvin Lim. (Recorded October 2024)
James performs Siegmund’s aria ‘Ein Schwert verhiess mir der Vater’ from Wagner’s opera ‘Die Walküre’ at the 2024 Clonter Opera Prize. (Recorded February 2024).
James performs Max’s aria ‘Durch die Wälder’ from Carl Maria von Weber’s opera ‘Der Freischütz’. (Recorded March 2023).
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