Last Updated on January 14, 2026
A thrilling insight into tomorrow’s operatic stars
4.0 out of 5.0 starsThe Royal Opera’s 2024/25 Season drew to a celebratory close yesterday as the Jette Parker Artists (JPA) took over the Royal Opera House’s Main Stage with an afternoon of operatic highlights. Accompanied by the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, the programme featured a dynamic selection of vignettes from well-known operas, including Il barbiere di Siviglia and Le nozze di Figaro.
An annual performance, the Jette Parker Summer Show marks a milestone for the artists, singers, répétiteurs, conductors, and directors who are concluding their time on the prestigious development programme, and also provides a platform for those continuing into the 2025/26 Season to demonstrate their artistic growth.
Throughout the year, we’ve seen some brilliant performances from the current Jette Parker Artists, including Jingwen Cai and Valentina Puskas in Carmen, Ryan Vaughan Davies in Il Trovatore and Carmen and, of course, Isabela Diaz and Grisha Martirosyan in Pimpinone. They have been utterly outstanding, and it’s a real thrill to see them all back on stage performing together.
Today’s Jette Parker performance is, as Oliver Mears, the Director of The Royal Opera, commented, a fitting conclusion to a remarkable season.
For those of us in the audience, it was the chance to see and hear these young artists showcasing some major roles. Jingwen Cai’s Rosina was the perfect match for Ryan Vaughan Davies’ Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, while the pairing of Marianna Hovanisyan and Ossian Huskinson as Susanna and Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro was impeccable. It’s an opera that always moves me to tears, but usually, I’m listening to the Countess at that moment. This time, it was Hovanisyan singing “Deh vieni, non tardar” and both Huskinson’s “Tutto è disposto … Aprite un po’ quegli occhi” and Isabela Diaz as Barbarina singing “L’ho perduta, me meschina” were on the money performances.
For me, the singers collectively performed better singing the classical repertoire. That said, the three excerpts from the first half, Les Pecheurs de Perles, Luisa Miller and La Favorita, were beautifully staged with some breathtaking moments. The pairing of Grisha Martirosyn with Isabela Diaz in Les Pecheurs de Perles was as impeccable as in the production of Pimpinone. And Bass, Jamie Woollard’s Wurm had a maturity and depth of tone that was chilling. Valentina Puskas was a convincing Luisa, but perhaps could have been a little more vitriolic at times.
In La Favourita, Mezzo-Soprano Veena Akame Makia showcased a stunning and lyrical middle and lower range. At the same time, her true love, Fernando, played by Tenor Ryan Vaughan Davies, seemed a little too light in tone for this particular role at the moment. In the second half, his scintillating, dynamic and lyrical Almaviva showed him at his best.
Now in its 23rd year, the Jette Parker Artists Programme serves as a vital bridge for emerging artists as they transition to careers on the world’s leading operatic stages. To date, it has nurtured over 140 young talents from around the globe, offering intensive training, mentoring, and hands-on experience within one of the world’s most prestigious opera houses. Alumni include celebrated mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina, now internationally acclaimed for her performances as Carmen.
The Jette Parker programme equips participants with a comprehensive skill set, encompassing stage performance, role preparation, and covering principal roles at short notice. Artists also gain insight into every facet of opera production, from music coaching to theatrical design and direction.
Applications for the 2026/27 intake of Jette Parker singers are open until August 27th 2025, with conductor auditions set to follow in the autumn. Find out more here
Royal Opera House
Bow Street
Covent Garden
London
WC2E 9DD
Looking for something different? We recommend Evita currently showing at the London Palladium
All photos credit Clive Barda
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