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© Tristram Kenton

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Alison Kettlewell

Mezzo Soprano

Alison Kettlewell was born in Taunton, Somerset and graduated in drama before studying singing at the Royal Northern and on the Opera Course at the Royal College of Music. She was a winner of the AsLiCo Competition for Young Opera Singers of Europe and a finalist in the Kathleen Ferrier Awards.

In the current season she makes her debut with the Royal Ballet & Opera in two new productions, firstly as Madame Larina in Ted Huffman’s productions of Eugene Onegin, and later in the season Rossweisse in Barrie Kosky’s production of  Die Walküre. Among her recent highlights are La Frugola Il trittico for Welsh National Opera; and Little Buttercup HMS Pinafore for English National Opera.

Her operatic roles include Madame Larina Eugene Onegin (Scottish Opera); Venus Tannhäuser, Fricka and Waltraute Der Ring des Nibelungen (Longborough Festival Opera); Charlotte Werther, Suzuki Madama Butterfly, Dorabella Così fan tutte and The Secretary The Consul (Opera Holland Park); Kate Pinkerton Madama Butterfly and Mercédès Carmen (Raymond Gubbay); Donna Elvira Don Giovanni (Como, Pisa, Lucca); Diamantina L’isola di Merlino (Cremona, Mantova and Brescia); Dorisbe Gustavo il re di Svezia (Montepulciano Festival); Diana La Calisto (Batignano Festival); Ramise Arminio (London Handel Festival); and Lucilla La scala di seta (Wexford Festival Opera). Concert performances include Delilah Samson and Delilah (Brangwyn Hall); and Dangeville Adriana Lecouvreur (Chelsea Opera Group).

She has also covered Ježibaba Rusalka (The Royal Opera); Kostelnička Jenůfa (The Royal Opera, Welsh National Opera); Kabanicha Káťa Kabanová (The Royal Opera, Glyndebourne); Mère Marie Dialogues des Carmélites (Glyndebourne); Amneris Aida, Katisha The Mikado, Judith in Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, Marguerite The Damnation of Faust, Herodias Salome (English National Opera); Geneviève Pelléas et Mélisande, Azucena Il trovatore (Scottish Opera); and Roméo I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Opéra national de Montpellier).

In contemporary opera she has performed Matilda and George Cautionary Tales by Errollyn Wallen (Opera North); Mother The Juniper Tree by Roderick Watkins (Almeida Opera, Munich Biennale) and Servant in Param Vir’s Ion (Opéra national du Rhin and Music Theatre Wales in Strasbourg, Berlin and the Linbury Theatre at the Royal Opera House). She also sang the role of Giraffe Early Earth Operas (ENO Baylis).

In concert Alison has performed repertoire from the Bach Passions through to Elgar The Dream of Gerontius and Verdi Requiem. She sang Mary in Berlioz’s L’enfance du Christ with the Northern Sinfonia, and has performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the English Chamber Orchestra, London Mozart Players, and the Orchestra of St John’s at venues including the Barbican, Royal Albert Hall, Symphony Hall, Birmingham and live on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune. She also performed Siegrune Die Walküre with the Hallé Orchestra under Sir Mark Elder which was also recorded.

Steven Swales Artist Management represents Alison Kettlewell worldwide

Reviews

Madame Larina / Eugene Onegin / Royal Ballet & Opera / 2024

“British mezzo Alison Kettlewell as Larina, Tatyana’s mother, has a wonderfully warm sound and tonal focus and convinced as the mother of the two young women.”
(London Unattached)

“Alison Kettlewell’s touching Madame Larina…”
(The Times)

“Madame Larina (Alison Kettlewell) and Filipyevna (Rhonda Browne) have rarely seemed less like plot devices, and more like living, loveable human beings.”
(The Spectator)


La Frugola / Il tabarro / Welsh National Opera / 2024

“…a stand-out performance, much applauded by the audience, came from Alison Kettlewell as La Frugola.”
(Art Scene in Wales)

“…there’s impressive support from Alison Kettlewell as the bag lady Frugola, who brings light relief when singing of her cat Ali Baba.”
(Opera Today)


Madame Larina / Eugene Onegin / Scottish Opera / 2018

“Alison Kettlewell’s rich mezzo a treat as Madame Larina.”
(Bachtrack)

“Alison Kettlewell’s elegant Mme Larina”
(The Sunday Times)

Videos

News

Royal Ballet & Opera

1, 4, 7, 11, 14, 17 May 2025

Wagner: Die Walküre
Conductor: Sir Antonio Pappano
Director: Barrie Kosky

 
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