Allan Clayton - About

I first heard of BBT a couple of years ago through its support of such fine singers as Andrew Kennedy and Ronan Collett. When the Trust very kindly awarded me a fellowship though, I was soon made aware of the incredible support on offer to me. Having left the Royal Academy of Music four months earlier I was in that scary place known to all recent postgraduates as ‘the real world’ – a mysterious place where no schedule exists and the onus really is on the individual to work and to excel. The BBT award has made this world easier and taken away so many of the extraneous stresses and strains which all young musicians must endure. Being given the chance to organise singing lessons and coachings in preparation for my Glyndebourne debut, without worrying about how I was going to afford it, was simply invaluable. The space and time I have also been afforded by the BBT’s support has meant that I have always been able to focus on doing the job once I am on stage. One year later the real world is a little less scary and I feel I have managed to get a sound footing thanks to the backing, practically and otherwise, of the BBT. With their continued support I am looking forward to seeing where on earth I will end up.

British tenor Allan Clayton MBE has ‘ended up’ as one of the most sought-after dramatic singers of his generation. The flexibility and consistency of his vocal range, combined with his magnetic stage presence, have led to international acclaim in music from baroque to contemporary. He maintains a balanced career with performances of leading roles on the world’s opera stages and as a Lieder singer in famous recital halls everywhere. He has performed in the premieres of several brand new operas by renowned composers and significantly contributed to their enduring success.

At such an early stage of his career, BBT contributed to the blossoming of both Allan’s talent and confidence by taking care of some of the many costly but necessary expenses, including coaching, buying scores, new photographs and concert clothes.

Allan received support with a BBT Fellowship between 2008 and 2011.

For a current biography please visit maestroarts.com

Photographs by Sam Canetty-Clarke