Thomas Kennedy

Baritone

Previously a choral scholar at New College, Oxford, Thomas taught maths before returning to postgraduate musical study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he won the English Song Prize.  

Since graduating with distinction in 2009 he has performed the title role in Rossini's Il Signor Bruschino for British Youth Opera, Marcello and Schaunard in OperaUpClose's Olivier Award-winning La Boheme at the Soho Theatre, Alidoro La Cenerentola, CIA director Manifest Destiny 2011 both for OperaUpClose, Marullo Rigoletto (Bury Court Opera), Lesbo Agrippina (Barber Opera), Frank Die Fledermaus (Bloomsbury Opera), Morales Carmen (Kentish Opera), Mr Slender/Bardolph in Salieri's Falstaff and Erimante in Cavalli's Erismena both for New Chamber Opera, and Benoit/Alcindoro La Boheme for British Youth Opera once again. Past roles include Belcore, Onegin, Count Almaviva and Mozart's Figaro; other operatic work includes chorus for ENO, Garsington and Grange Park Opera.

Highlights of his concert work include The Messiah with the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra in Nicosia, the song project Lads in their hundreds directed by Iain Burnside at Kings Place and on BBC Radio 3, in which his contribution was singled out by Opera Now magazine as 'a tour de force', and Ives' General William Booth enters the Kingdom of Heaven with Sir Andrew Davis and the BBCSO at the Barbican Hall. Other oratorio repertoire recently performed includes Bach's St John Passion, Cantata 140 Wachet Auf and B minor Mass, Rossini's Petite Messe Solonelle, and Haydn's Nelson Mass. He has also sung with the Mark Morris Dance Company on their 2009 UK tour performing Schubert lieder at venues including Sadler's Wells, Cardiff's Millenium Centre and Snape Maltings.

Future plans include Long Tom in Opera South's Merrie England in Spring 2012 and reprising the role of Marcello for OperaUpClose's revival of La Boheme at the King's Head Theatre.