“baritone Jack Bowtell was the backbone of the night with a ringing, impassioned delivery”
Originally hailing from the Ribble Valley in Lancashire, British baritone Jack Bowtell, graduated his undergraduate BMus in Vocal Performance in July 2018, from The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. After progressing on to The David Seligman Opera School, under the tutelage of Donald Maxwell, Jack graduated in July 2020 with distinction in MA Advanced Operatic Performance.
Jack has had the pleasure of performing in masterclasses for a number of notable singing tutors and coaches including: Adrian Thompson, Susan Bullock, John Fisher, Michael Pollock, Ingrid Surgenor, Joseph Middleton and Simon Lepper.
Jack made his operatic debut in 2016, performing the role of Willi Graf in Welsh National Youth Opera’s critically acclaimed production of Kommilitonen! by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, directed by Polly Graham and conducted by Alice Farnham. In 2019 Jack returned to Welsh National Opera to make his company debut as Second Prison Guard in Dead Man Walking by Jake Heggie which featured as part of WNO’s 2019 Freedom Season.
Recent operatic highlights have included a company debut last summer with Longborough Festival Opera, in Max Hoehn’s critically acclaimed production of L’Elisir D’Amore, conducted by Alice Farnham. Jack is extremely excited to be returning to Longborough Festival Opera for their production of Götterdämmerung, that will feature as part of their eagerly anticipated Longborough Ring. In addition to this, Jack will be making his company debut with Opera Holland Park in their productions of Pagliacci and The Yeomen of the Guard.
Previous operatic roles include, Pinellino - Gianni Schicchi (Puccini), Mr. Gedge, The Vicar - Albert Herring (Britten) and more recently Guglielmo - Così fan tutte (Mozart). Other covers and scene performances include Abraham Kaplan - Street Scene (Weill), Marcello - La Bohème (Puccini) and Figaro - Le nozze di Figaro (Mozart).
In addition to opera, Jack regularly appears as a concert and oratorio soloist across England and Wales, and has featured in several recordings and live broadcasts for BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio Wales.
Concert highlights have included joining the RWCMD Symphony Orchestra and Chorus as the bass soloist for Fauré's Requiem at St David's Hall, under the baton of David Jones to commemorate the College’s 70th anniversary.
Prior to graduation, Jack served as a Student Scholar of the BBC National Chorus of Wales, alongside artistic director Adrian Partington. Whilst at the BBC, Jack had the opportunity to perform under the baton of several internationally renowned conductors such as Sir Karl Jenkins and Sir Martyn Brabbins, regularly featuring on BBC radio and television broadcasts such as the BBC Proms.
Listed amongst Jack’s awards and competition successes are The Eileen Price Prize For Lieder Singing, The Webber Trust Scholarship, The Leverhulme Trust Scholarship, The RWCMD Friends Connect Bursary and the Mario Lanza Educational Foundation.
Alongside his operatic endeavours, Jack has an established a strong teaching base in the city, and is a sought-after singing teacher offering lessons from his Cardiff studio.
Photographs by Ray Morgan