THE BRITISH OPERA ACADEMY (BOA)

Welcome to the British Opera Academy, MMST’s vocal performance & mentorship programme to our Young Artist Musical Ambassadors.

Artistic Director: Dr Mark Ross Clark

Executive Director: Dr Chika Robertson

BOA is excited to be working with outstanding and talented young musicians from conservatoires and universities from across the world, providing workshops, seminars and concerts throughout the year in the UK.

RECENT BOA PERFORMANCES:

BRITISH OPERA ACADEMY (BOA UK) MASTERCLASSES:

• ALLAN GLASSMAN, tenor (Metropolitan Opera, Paris Opera, Frankfurt Opera), Voice Faculty Roosevelt University, Chicago

• JAMIE BARTON, world-renowned Mezzo soprano, leading cast member in productions such as Il Trovatore (Alzucena) at Covent Garden

• JENNIFER FRANCE, known everywhere for her extraordinary performances including Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos

• RON ULEN, baritone with a successful 20-year career in Germany, Switzerland, the Far :East and the United States

• ELIZABETH BYRNE, dramatic soprano, (Metropolitan Opera, English National Opera, Glyndebourne), Voice Faculty Roosevelt University, Chicago

• CAROLINE DOWDLE, Covent Garden Jette Parker Young Artist Programme

• Class in Jazz Vocal Improv presented by Royal Academy of Music professor jazz pianist DOMINIC ALLDIS, with concert of cabaret-style performances of classic tunes by Porter, Gershwin, and Berlin

• Nutrition for Singers from baritone DUNCAN ROCK of the Metropolitan Opera and the Glyndebourne Opera

BRITISH OPERA ACADEMY FACULTY MEMBERS:

Professor Emeritus Mark Ross Clark, Artistic Director of the British Opera Academy, is an internationally acclaimed director, teacher, clinician and author of several books including Singing, Acting, and Movement in Opera; Guide to the Aria Repertoire Vol 1 & 2 (Indiana University Press) and The Broadway Song (Oxford University Press).  He has brought together and “synergized” his vast background experience in the Arts, integrating essential principles of the Alexander Technique as a certified international teacher, in his popular Singer-getics workshops. Dr Clark has presented masterclasses at prestigious international institutions including the Royal Academy of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Trinity Laban Conservatoire and the Berklee School of Music, Boston Conservatory. Clark’s prolific career includes directing over 100 operas, musicals and plays across the United States and worldwide, with credits in Italy, Mexico, Brazil, England and the Far East. He has adjudicated for the Metropolitan Opera Auditions and was Head of Opera for 10 years at Indiana University and Director of the Louisiana Opera for 17 years.  Clark began his career as a singer, performing solos with major orchestras and opera houses.  He has produced numerous students who have sung leading roles at the Metropolitan Opera and other major opera houses (including Lawrence Brownlee, Jaimie Barton, Kate Lindsey, Ailyn Perez and Kyle Kettelsen), as well as many graduates who are now leading their own opera programmes throughout the world.

Chika Robertson, CEO of the Music Mind Spirit Trust & Executive Director of the British Opera Academy, is a professor of violin at the Royal Academy of Music and on the faculty of Chicago Summer Opera.  She is internationally recognized for her expertise as a music adjudicator, masterclass and workshop leader, project director, and conference speaker. As a soloist and chamber musician, Chika has premiered significant new works with leading ensembles, including the London Sinfonietta and the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields under conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle and Sir Neville Marriner. She has also performed in a piano trio with Tchaikovsky Competition winner Peter Donohoe and contributed to numerous film soundtracks—ranging from “Amadeus” to recordings with artists like Ella Fitzgerald and Shirley Bassey — both in Hollywood and London studios. She has played at leading opera houses such as Glyndebourne and the Paris Opera. She is the Chief Executive of the Music Mind Spirit Trust (MMST), a UK charity devoted to enriching communities through music and developing new career opportunities for young musicians.

Elizabeth Byrne, celebrated dramatic soprano, has performed leading roles at The Metropolitan Opera (New York, Tokyo, Seoul), Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opernhaus Zurich, Canadian Opera Company Toronto, Scottish Opera, and English National Opera. She has collaborated with distinguished conductors including James Levine, Zubin Mehta, Seiji Ozawa, Sir Antonio Pappano, and Bernard Haitink. Byrne first made her mark in Italian repertoire—Tosca, Manon Lescaut, and Aïda—before excelling in German and Wagnerian roles such as Salome, Leonore, Sieglinde, and Brünnhilde. Her acclaimed Brünnhilde at the Edinburgh Festival received The Herald Award and a Royal Philharmonic Society nomination. Byrne has premiered roles in works by James Macmillan and Hugo Weisgall, with notable recordings for BBC and Bongiovanni. She trained at Birmingham School of Music, Royal Northern College, National Opera Studio and International Opera Studio Zurich. She is on the faculty at Roosevelt University, Chicago Summer Opera and British Opera Academy.

Tenor Allan Glassman has thrilled audiences throughout America and Europe for decades with his vibrant timbre and committed interpretations of roles.  Critics exclaim “his very presence on stage made those around him sound better.” From the Metropolitan Opera to vibrant stages including Opera San Antonio and L’Opéra de Nice and beyond, Allan Glassman’s voice has echoed in many of the world’s most esteemed venues.  His artistry has graced major festivals such as the Ravinia Festival, where his portrayal of Herod in Salome under Maestro James Conlon left a profound impression. Internationally, he has captivated audiences at Deutsche Oper Berlin with his stirring Manrico in Il Trovatore and brought emotional depth to performances of Samson et Dalila at the New Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv and the Prince in Rusalka at Oper Frankfurt and in the Czech Republic.

Renowned American baritone Ronald Ulen has built a distinguished international career, captivating audiences across Europe and the United States. He made his professional debut as Guglielmo in Mozart’s "Così fan tutte" with the National Opera Company and has performed leading roles in "Don Pasquale," "Il Barbiere di Siviglia," and "The Merry Wives of Windsor." Ulen’s European debut came at the Zürich Opera House in "Il Trovatore," followed by acclaimed performances as a resident artist in Coburg, Germany, including "Falstaff," "Eugene Onegin," and "Bluebeard’s Castle." He went on to serve as principal baritone at the Staatstheater in Schwerin, Mainz, and Augsburg, taking on over ninety roles in nearly 2,000 performances. Beyond performing, Ulen is Professor of Voice at Texas State University, a sought-after masterclass leader and adjudicator, and serves is a valued mentor and faculty member at the British Opera Academy.

For further info, please email:

Artistic Director: Dr. Mark Ross Clark drmarkrossclark@gmail.com          

Executive Director: Dr Chika Robertson  musicmindspirit@gmail.com     britishoperaacademy@gmail.com