At ENO we are committed to nurturing talent. The ENO Harewood Artists programme enables exceptionally talented singers to perform with ENO while receiving specialist coaching, support and guidance for 2-3 years and is funded entirely through donations.

Scroll down as a selection of ENO Harewood Artists past and present recall their most memorable moments on the programme.

Soraya Mafi – Current ENO Harewood Artist

“Without a doubt, my favourite moment as a Harewood Artist was excitedly jumping out of a crowd of the Major General’s daughters on opening night of The Pirates of Penzance and bursting into the joyous showstopper aria ‘Poor Wand’ring One’. I felt so happy to be on that wonderful stage, singing a role that felt so comfortable for me. Sharing the stage with fellow Harewood Artists David Webb and Katie Coventry was so exciting whilst working with opera legends Sir John Tomlinson and Andrew Shore was both informative, inspiring and a real privilege in the early stages of my career. I still have to pinch myself!”

David Ireland – Current ENO Harewood Artist

“The first moment I stepped onto the stage at the Coliseum, knowing that I was going on to cover Alan Opie as Doctor Bartolo in The Barber of Seville. The auditorium is so different during a performance compared to the last time I had sang on it: during an audition in November 2016! Being around such amazing colleagues on stage and behind the scenes made the whole experience something I will never forget.”

Andri Björn Róbertsson – ENO Harewood Artist 2016-18

“I think my favourite moment of being a Harewood Artist so far has been singing Angelotti in Tosca last season and getting to share the stage with Gwyn Hughes-Jones. This was my first role at ENO and on the first night, when the orchestra played the first chords before the curtain went up, I was standing alone on the stage, with my back facing the audience. The rush of adrenaline and excitement was indescribable!”

Kathryn Rudge – ENO Harewood Artist 2011-12

“My most memorable moment as an ENO Harewood Artist was just after I completed my postgraduate opera studies when I made my professional opera debut as Cherubino in Fiona Shaw’s new production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. It was an incredible first experience of being part of a professional opera company and I learned so much from working with such esteemed colleagues, with a wonderful orchestra, chorus, backstage staff and with the support of the whole team at ENO. I’ll be forever be grateful for this opportunity!”

Lee Bisset – ENO Harewood Artist 2005-07

My first production at ENO was as First Lady in the much loved Nicholas Hytner Magic Flute. I was very wet behind the ears and shall never forget the wonderful Yvonne Howard gently educating me in our dressing room throughout the run, on every aspect of our professional lives from agents, half-hour calls, bastard prompts and concert dresses.  No college can teach what you pick up instinctively from rehearsing and performing with artists with the experience of Yvonne, John Graham-Hall and Andrew Shore etc.