The role of Torquemada, the clockmaker, will be played by Guy Beynon.
Guy is a first class graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music and is currently in the final year of his postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music, studying under Adrian Thompson.
Guy made his operatic debut with Bampton Classical Opera in their Haydn double bill of Lo Speziale and La Canterina. Alongside this Guy also played the Innkeeper Rasojo inBampton’s UK premier of Salieri’s At the Venice Fair. Guy’s time at the Royal Academy has seen him perform in their production of Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress directed by Frederic Wake-Walker as well as become a regular soloist in the Academy’s ‘Bach in Leipzig’ series working with world renowned guest conductors, including Masaaki Suzuki and John Butt. Guy is also a recent winner of the Marjorie Thomas Art of Song Prize for best overall recital as well as the Flora Nielsen French Song Prize, being very highly commended in both the Lieder and English song categories too.
When did you start singing and what drew you to a career?
It was around the age of 17, where I realised it that Friday evening choir rehearsals were the highlight of my week. It was around this age that I started lessons with a quite inspirational teacher and very much caught the ’singing bug’.
What are you up to at the moment?
I’m currently in the penultimate term of my postgraduate degree at The Royal Academy of music. I’m also involved with HGO’s production of Purcell’s ’The Fairy Queen’, with performance running 19th-28th April.
What might you gain from the ERSO experience?
Beyond French song and some scattered arias, I’ve not yet sung any French opera, and certainly not had the opportunity to delve into any roles. In addition much of Torquemada’s music is similar to spoken word which will surely test and hopefully enhance my French language skills.
ERSO 