James Hancock
James was born in Melbourne. A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts he was a Victoria State Opera Young Artist and was awarded the Opera Foundation Australia German Operatic Award which gave him a contract at Oper Köln; Dame Joan Sutherland Scholarship; Tait Memorial Trust Scholarship; Australian Musical Foundation London grant: American Institute of Musical Studies Scholarship and a Bayreuth Bursary.

Companies he has worked for include: Victoria State Opera; Melbourne Opera: Opera Australia; Longborough Festival; Abbey Opera; Meistersingers Ltd; Pocket Opera Nürnberg (Der Ring in einem Abend arr. David Seaman) at the Covent Garden and Bath Festivals; Cambridge University Opera Society (Bill, Maschinist Hopkins, Brand; Der Mann Schwergewicht, Krenek; and The Mayor Der Held, Mosolov); UCL Opera (The King, The King and the Marshal, [Drot og Mask], Heise).

James’ recent roles include Conte di Luna Il Trovatore with Pavilion Opera and Brent Opera; Simon Boccanegra Simon Boccanegra for OperaUK; Rigoletto Rigoletto for New Devon Opera; Holländer in Der fliegende Holländer at the Barbican, London Lyric Opera with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Lionel Friend: Don Pizarro Fidelio at Cadogan Hall, LLO/ RPO conducted by Madeleine Lovell. James recently sang Scarpia Tosca with the Lambeth Orchestra.

Reviews

"The heroically ringing voice of James Hancock rang throughout the theatre"
The Spectator, Michael Tanner

'The musical highlight of the evening came from James Hancock's brilliant projection of Vaughan Williams's Songs of Travel." Musical opinion Denbigh Richards

"Most striking of all was James Hancock as Boccanegra...... Hancock made Boccanegra a living, believable character, with pleasing voice and committed delivery."
www.classicalsource.com Nick Breckenfield

"Hancock sang the Strauss group with a thrilling voice of searing intensity"
Melbourne Age, Clive Connell

Appearing in: Cycles, Der fliegende Holländer and Fidelio

Website: http://www.jameshancock.co.uk