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Ben Kerslake Pocklington 2010


Ben Kerslake - tenor

Ben was born in Sydney and studied at the Queensland Conservatorium with an exchange to the Guildhall School of Music. Ben graduated with first class honours in music and was awarded a performance and research scholarship for a Master of Music. In this period he won the inaugural Tenor Scholarship, the Post-Graduate Opera Scenes Prize, and was selected for the Opera Queensland Developing Artist Program. Ben has sung, the lead roles in La Bohème, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Le Nozze di Figaro, The Magic Flute, The Merry Widow, The Burning Fiery Furnace, Trial by Jury, HMS Pinafore, and solo roles in Rigoletto, West Side Story, Salome, and One Touch of Venus, for companies in Europe & abroad including Opera North, Opera East, Opera Queensland, the Monte Carlo Festival, and the Ravenna Festival. Ben was the tenor soloist for the ‘Grand Opera Gala,’ at the Excelsior Hotel in Venice, and a soloist at the Sydney Opera House. He created the role of Arlecchino in the World Premiere of Jonathan Dove’s Pinocchio, which is available on DVD and was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 & Sky Arts. Most recently Ben sung the National Anthems for the Four Nations Rugby League Tournament at Twickenham and Huddersfield, broadcast internationally on Sky & Fox Sports. Upcoming engagements include Nadir (Pearl Fishers) for Swansea City Opera and Alfredo (La Traviata) for New Devon Opera. Ben is a regular swimmer, and yoga enthusiast.







Ben Kerslake - tenor

   




Born in Sydney, Ben studied music at the Queensland Conservatorium and graduated with a first class honours degree. During his honours year Ben also studied at the Guildhall School of Music, participating in masterclasses with Robin Bowman and Sarah Walker. Ben was a recipient of the Griffith University Post-Graduate Research Scholarship, and went on to graduate with a Master of Music in performance & research, studying with Joseph Ward OBE. He was also awarded the inaugural tenor scholarship and won the Post-Graduate Opera Scenes Prize. In his Masters graduating year Ben was selected for the Opera Queensland Developing Artist Program. In 2004 Ben moved to the UK, and made his Opera North debut.

Ben has sung the roles of Count Almaviva Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Heritage Opera),  Tamino The Magic Flute (Heritage Opera), Hugh Hugh the Drover (York Opera), Rodolfo La Bohème (Scottish Opera touring production), Don Basilio The Marriage of Figaro (Opera East), Don Curzio The Marriage of Figaro (Opera North, Opera East), Camille The Merry Widow (Lakeland Opera), Matteo Borsa Rigoletto (Opera North), 2nd Nazarene Salome (Opera North), Sam One Touch of Venus (Opera North), Nebuchadnezzar The Burning Fiery Furnace (Opera Queensland), Jack Johns Going Into Shadows by Andrew Schultz (Guildhall/Queensland our Conservatorium), Damon Acis & Galatea (Illawarra Choral Society), Chino West Side Story (Brisbane Festival), Ralph Rackstraw HMS Pinafore (Heritage Opera), The Defendant Trial by Jury (Heritage Opera).  Ben created the role of Arlecchino for Opera North in the world premiere of Jonathan Dove’s Pinocchio. Roles in understudy include Beppe Pagliacci  (Opera Queensland), and for Opera North, Edmondo/Dancing Master/Lamplighter Manon Lescaut, Priest Saul, Ishmael Nabucco, 1st Armed Man/1st Priest Magic Flute, Sailor Dido & Aeneas, Goro Madama Butterfly, and Lampwick Pinocchio.
His broadcasting credits include the Australian premiere of Going Into Shadows (ABC – FM Australia, 2001), Opera in the Park (4MBS – FM, Australia, 2002), a live relay of Opera North’s production of Rigoletto for BBC Radio 3 (2006), and Pinocchio for BBC Radio 3 (2008), and Sky Arts (2009). Opus Arte have produced a DVD of Pinocchio filmed during the performances at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London.


Ben’s wide-ranging concert and oratorio repertoire includes most recently “A Puccini Concert,” at Hull City Hall, including Messa di Gloria & Puccini arias; “North-East Last Night of the Proms,” at Newcastle City Hall; “Bizet – An evening with Georges,” for the AddenBrooke’s Trust at Trinity Chapel, Cambridge. Other works include the Evangelist in Bach's St. Matthew Passion (Sydney); Puccini’s Messa di Gloria (Noosa Festival), Missa Criolla by Ramirez, Handel’s Messiah, Elijah (Lancaster Choral Society) & Judas Maccabaeus; Haydn's Schöpfungsmesse & Creation; Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Bach’s Magnificat, Stainer’s Crucifixion, Mozart’s Requiem, Rossini’s Petit Messe Sollenelle (Opera North), “Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast,” by Coleridge-Taylor (Peterborough Choral Society),   a performance of Vaughan Williams’ On Wenlock Edge (The Studio, Sydney), and “Opera Gala,” (Sinfonia of Leeds; Barrandov Opera; Ultimate Voice; Bridlington Spa Theatre; Classical Promotions - Belvoir Castle) 

Ben has performed extensively in Europe, including the Monte Carlo Arts Festival, the Ravenna Festival and most recently, tenor soloist for 'Grand Opera Gala,' at the Excelsior Hotel in Venice, Italy. Ben has worked with several distinguished conductors and directors including Martin Andre, David Parry, Wyn Davies, Martin Duncan, Tim Albery, Phyllida Lloyd, David Poutney & Daniel Slater.

Forthcoming engagements include Nadir in The Pearl Fishers for Swansea City Opera, Alfredo in La Traviata for New Devon Opera, and Rossini's Petite messe solenelle in Scotland.  Ben has just sung the National Anthems for the Four Nations Rugby League Tournament, at Twickenham & Huddersfield.
Ben is a keen swimmer, surfer, skier, cyclist, and yoga enthusiast.





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