Biography

William Robert Allenby studied at the Royal Academy of Music and the RSAMD winning prestigious scholarships and awards at both establishments. More recently he studied with Michelle Wegwart and with the recently late American baritone, Theodor Uppman in New York. In 2008 he recieved coaching from Gerald Martin Moore and currently studies with John Pryce-Jones.

Awards/ Prizes

William has been the recipient of a number of prestigious awards and prizes including;

• Associated Board 3 Year Entrance Scholarship (RAM)
• Peter Mooney Scholarship for singing (RSAMD)
• Wil Forge Foundation Award (RSAMD)
• Bayreuth Bursary Competition (Runner-up)
• In 2002 he was the recipient of the Concordia Barthel Prize for Excellence.

Opera and Contemporary Music

Dr Wilhelm Reischmann Elegy for Young Lovers- Henze in Fiona Shaw's new production for the latest ENO/Young Vic collaboration, conducted by Stefan Blunier, at the Young Vic, South Bank, London.

Sacristan Tosca (scheduled performances 3rd and 7th July) with English National Opera, directed by Catherine Malfitano and conducted Edward Gardner.

Stage Technician The Makropulos Case, with English National Opera, directed by Christopher Alden and conducted by Sir Richard Armstrong.

Alcade/Surgeon Forza Del Destino in Martin Duncan's new production for Opera Holland Park, conducted by Stuart Stratford, at the Holland Park Theatre, London.

Il torrigiano Francesca da Rimini, with Opera Holland Park, directed by Martin Lloyd-Evans and conducted by Philip Thomas.

Pish Tush The Mikado in Jonathan Miller's accliamed production for English National Opera, at the London Coliseum.

William made several debuts this season; with Iford Festival Opera as Dr Bartolo and Antonio in Marriage of Figaro, with Opera Project as Sacristan, Sciarrone and Jailor in Tosca, and the Grimeborn Festival as the Teacher in Der Jasager by Kurt Weill at the Arcola Theatre, London. He also covered Dr Bartolo in Barber of Seville in Jonathan Miller's production for English National Opera, and made his debut with the Halifax Choral Society in their annual performance of Handel's Messiah at the Victoria Theatre, Halifax.

2009 saw his return to Iford Festival Opera as a critically appraised Dr Bartolo in The Barber of Seville, (see reviews page). In the Autumn he returned to English National Opera to cover the Black Minister (Le Grande Macabre).

William gained early experience singing with Scottish Opera, Opera North and the D’Oyly Carte Opera before joining Glyndebourne Opera in 1993, performing roles in La Traviata, Arabella and Eugene Onegin and appearing regularly on Channel 4 TV and at the BBC Proms. Since leaving Glyndebourne in 1997 he has sung in Belgium, Holland, France, Italy, Spain, Iceland, Australia, Asia and in the UK. Roles include; Germont Pere La Traviata (Buxton Opera H’se), Araspe Tolomeo (Handel) (Musiktheater Transparent- Antwerp), Morales Carmen (Opera Ireland), Alfio Cavalleria Rusticana (Saigon Opera House and Vietnamese National TV), Marullo Rigoletto (Bermuda Festival) and Belcore L’elisir d’amore and Assan in Simon Callow’s highly acclaimed production of The Consul, both for Opera Holland Park in London. He has worked regularly at English National Opera since 1999 and has also sung Marcello La Boheme for the ENO Bayliss Project. In contemporary music he has made many appearances including; Judge Parke in ‘The Blackened Man’ by Will Todd (World Premiere), Duke of Cornwall in ‘Vision of Lear’ by Toshio Hosakawa (UK Premiere), both at the Linbury Studio, ROH Covent Garden and Title Role, ‘The Blind Man’ for Alexander Goehr at the ADC Theatre, Cambridge. He also covered Barney Bagnal, ‘The Silver Tassie’ (World Premiere) for ENO.

Recitals, Chamber Music and Oratorio

William Robert Allenby formed the Allenby/Jaekel duo with pianist Peter Jaekel in 1988 making many concert appearances around the country including; Leighton House, London (English Song Festival) in addition to Television appearances for Yorkshire TV and ITV. They made their US Recital debut in 2002 at St Mark’s Church in the Bowery, New York with support from the Concordia Foundation.
William has a vast concert repertoire including; the Faure Requiem (London Philarmonic Choir), Handel’s Messiah (St Mary’s, Edinburgh and the Halifax Choral Society), Carmina Burana and Belshazzar’s Feast (Ulster Hall, Belfast), the Durufle and Brahms Requiems and the Haydn Seasons. He has also appeared at some of the worlds leading Early Music Festivals (including Holland, Italy, France and Antwerp) with the renowned Italian music ensemble Mala Punica, under the direction of Pedro Memelsdorff.

Radio Broadcasts and Light Music

Since 1989 William has been a regular soloist and recording artist for BBC Radio and is a regular star singer on the BBC’s longest running light-music programme on BBC Radio 2, ‘Friday Night is Music Night’.
William has travelled the world presenting and devising many concerts and performing recitals aboard many leading ocean liners including the QE2 and was invited to headline for the inaugural season on the new Queen Mary 2. He has also appeared with orchestras at home and abroad including: BBC Concert Orchestra, Iceland Symphony, Royal Philarmonic, RTE Concert Orchestra, Philarmonic Orchestra of Gran Canaria and the London Philarmonic.