Scottish Baritone Jonathan Forbes Kennedy is in his second year of the MMus Opera Course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s Alexander Gibson Opera School, under the tutelage of Scott Johnson. He previously completed his BMus and MMus (Performance) degrees at RCS while studying with Alan Watt. In the coming year, he will be singing the roles of; Paul in Philip Glass’ Les enfants terribles, Der Vater in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel, and the Steward in Jonathan Dove’s Flight, at RCS.
Previous operatic roles include: The Speaker in The Magic Flute (Waterperry Opera Festival), Der Vater in Hänsel und Gretel (Berlin Opera Academy), Papageno in Die Zauberflöte (Fife Opera), Eugene Onegin (Fife Opera), Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro (Opera Dei Lumi), The Host of the Garter Inn in Sir John in Love (RCS) and Antonio in Le Nozze di Figaro (RCS). In 2017, Jonathan created the role of Reverend Tregold in the world premiere of The Life to come, a new Opera by Composer Louis Mander with a Libretto by Stephen Fry, (Surrey Opera).
On the concert platform he has sung as a soloist for the Mozart and Fauré Requiems, Handel Israel in Egypt, Beethoven Missa Solemnis, J S Bach St Matthew and St John Passions, Vaughan Williams Serenade to music and 5 Mystical songs, Finzi In terra pax and Saint-Saëns Oratorio de Noël. He has also performed Schubert’s Winterreise with Pianist Jacco Lamfers and Copland’s Old American Songs with the City of Carlisle Orchestra.
Jonathan has also sung in the chorus at Grange Park Opera in their 2018 and 2019 seasons, and was a Bridging the Gap Young Artist with the Dunedin Consort in 2019-2020.
Jonathan’s studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland are generously supported by a scholarship from the ABRSM, for which he is extremely grateful.