OPERA PRIZE

Opera Prize 2025
Photo Album

Sponsored by Ann Driver Trust

Contestants nominated by the UK’s leading conservatoires, compete for a prize before a distinguished panel of judges. The audience collectively act as one judge. The audience’s vote is also revealed.

This event is perfect for anyone who is either interested in spotting emerging talent, and enjoys following singers’ careers, or for an opera novice, who would like to dip their toe in the operatic water, getting a taster from a wide range of operas, before committing to a whole one.

Each item is introduced and set into context by a compère and accompanied by Robin Humphreys, described as a ‘world class repetiteur’ by Louise Flind in Opera Today.

You will also be treated to the customary appearance of Stephen Reynolds, playing his Clonter Fantasia.

This event includes the traditional 70-minute supper interval. Come and cast your vote!

Compère

Anna Meadmore

After training at the Guildhall School of Music and the London Opera Centre, Anna joined the Glyndebourne Festival Chorus. She was then a member of the BBC singers, broadcasting live as well as doing tours, recordings and Proms, and performed as a soloist with the Monteverdi Choir, in London and all over Europe. She sang with Opera North, and understudied the role of “Jennifer” in Tippett’s “The Midsummer Marriage”, at ENO. Anna was also principal soprano in Gilbert and Sullivan concerts, touring Britain, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, beginning at the Sydney Opera House, and later the Lincoln Center, New York, and Queen Elizabeth Center, Vancouver. Her solo work with the English Bach Festival included recordings of Vivaldi for EMI and staged productions at the Royal Festival Hall and the Royal Opera House. One of the highlights was singing in a Rameau opera in the historic theatre within the Palace of Versailles. After moving to Cheshire, Anna was soprano soloist in BBC performances of the Verdi Requiem and Haydn’s Creation. She gave a Manchester Mid-Day Concert recital, accompanied by Robin Humphreys, and further recitals at Jodrell Bank Planetarium and Tabley House. She sang Mozart and Ravel with the Wilmslow Symphony Orchestra and the Strauss “Four Last Songs” with the Stockport Symphony Orchestra. For Wilmslow Opera she took the principal soprano roles in La Traviata, La Sonnambula and Faust, and appeared for two years in Phantom of the Opera, in Manchester, as the opera singer “Carlotta”. As presenter, compère and adjudicator Anna has worked at concerts in the Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, and the Symphony Hall, Birmingham, and compered a Millennium Prom in Leeds Town Hall. On another new career path, Anna now works as a speaker on cruises.

Panel Members

Ann Murray DBE
Joan Rodgers CBE
Amanda Roocroft
David Gowland
Helen Hogh (Grove Artists)
Martin André
Philip Sunderland

Contestants

Amy Karensa (Mezzo-Soprano) RCS

Cornish mezzo-soprano Amy Karensa is completing her MMus in Vocal Performance at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, studying with Wilma MacDougall and Jane Irwin. She is supported by the Biddy Baxter and John Hosier Music Trust Scholarship (2025), Help Musicians, and the RCS Trust, and previously completed her BMus at the RCS studying with Elizabeth McCormack. Her recent operatic work includes Zulma in L’Italiana in Algeri with Longhope Opera Festival, the Sorceress in Dido and Aeneas (RCS), and Third Swan Maiden for Retrospect Opera’s recording of Bantock’s The Seal Woman. Concert appearances include Alto soloist in Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle (RCS) and Soprano II soloist in Mozart’s Mass in C Minor with the Scottish Chamber Choir. Amy’s awards include Winner of the Elgar Spedding Lieder Competition with duo partner Donglin Ou, the Florence Ilber Veitch Oratorio Prize, and the Classical Voice category of the Chris Treglown Foundation Fund, as well as 2nd Prize in the Leonie Kayser Competition for Singing.

Bella Marslen (Soprano) RCM

Australian soprano Bella Marslen is a member of the Royal College of Music’s International Opera Studio studying with Professor Janis Kelly. She is an Andrew Treagus Scholar, a Mimi and Colin Watts Scholar and a recipient of a 2025 Tait Memorial Trust Award. From 2022–2023, Bella was a Young Artist with West Australian Opera. Her performed roles include Lauretta and Una Conversa – Gianni Schicchi/Suor Angelica (Freeze Frame Opera, 2021), Soprano Soloist – Bach’s Easter Oratorio (West Australian Opera, 2023), First Wood Sprite – Rusalka (West Australian Opera, 2024), Barbarina – Le Nozze di Figaro (RCM, 2025), Angel – Jonathan Dove’s Seven Angels (RCM, 2025) and Vixen – Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen (RCM, 2025). Bella performed at the Wigmore Hall in London and the Salle Cortot in Paris as a 2024 Wigmore French Song Exchange Artist, returning to the Wigmore Hall in 2025 in recital with the RCM.

Hannah McKay (Soprano) GSMD

Hannah McKay, a soprano from Northern Ireland, is completing her final year of the Opera Course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She recently performed the title role in the UK premiere of Respighi’s Lucrezia and now working on Mrs Coyle in Britten’s Owen Wingrave. Upcoming performances include Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors and Verdi’s Requiem in Durham Cathedral, and she will cover Tatyana in Eugene Onegin for The Grange Festival this summer. Hannah’s roles include Slave in the LSO’s Salome at the Barbican, 2nd Woman in Dido and Aeneas, and cover for Maria Bertram in Dove’s Mansfield Park. She was a Young Artist at West Green House Opera, covering the title role in Suor Angelica. She won the Audience Prize at the Glenarm Festival of Voice, reached the finals of the Irish Heritage Bursary Competition, and premiered Jessie Montgomery’s Lunar Songs on BBC Radio 3. Hannah holds a First-Class BA in Music from Durham University.

Niamh Pragnell Toal (Mezzo-Soprano) RWCMD

Scottish Mezzo-Soprano Niamh Pragnell Toal, studied both her Undergraduate and Postgraduate degrees at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. She was awarded the Mabel Linwood Christopher Award and The Keynote Artists Prize. Niamh is now at The David Seligman Opera School and is the recipient of The Janet Price Opera Prize and The Countess of Munster Musical Trust Award. Her studies are also supported by The Caledonian Society and Leverhulme Arts as well as a RWCMD Scholarship. Recent engagements include Opera Scenes with RWCMD – Carmen, Carmen, Kate Julian, Owen Wingrave and Mrs. De Rocher, Dead Man Walking. Other performances include Mrs. Nolan, The Medium (RWCMD), Sister St Charles, Dialogues of the Carmelites (RWCMD) and Pan Ddaw’r Nos: An evening of song with Sir Bryn Terfel (RWCMD). As well as annual Burns Night Recitals for The Cardiff Country Club.

Rafael Rojas (Tenor) RNCM

Rafael Rojas is a Mexican tenor, whose performances include Chicago and Moulin Rouge. Further to winning the Carlos Moreli Competition (2022), he earned a full scholarship to the México Opera Studio, performing in Carmen, La hija de Rapaccini, and Anita. He was also awarded the Bellas Artes Prize (2025) and a two-time winner of the Laffont Competition (2023, 2024). Rafael is currently studying at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM). His forthcoming performances include The Love for Three Oranges, The Cunning Little Vixen, and the principle tenor in Mascagni’s Iris at Wexford Festival Opera (September).

Zixin Tang (Mezzo-Soprano) RAM

Chinese mezzo-soprano Zixin Tang is currently in her final year at the Royal Academy Opera in London, where she studies with Kate Paterson and Jonathan Papp. She previously trained at the Central Academy of Drama Opera Studio in Beijing and completed her master’s degree at the Royal College of Music. She is supported by the Helen Marjorie Tonks Foundation and the Andrea Bocelli Foundation. Her recent highlights include the title role of Carmen and Mutter in Hänsel und Gretel at the Royal Academy Opera, as well as Madame Flora (Baba) in Menotti’s The Medium at the Beijing International Opera Festival. In 2025, Zixin was a finalist in the 12th International Stanisław Moniuszko Vocal Competition in Warsaw, a Young Artist at the Georg Solti Accademia, and the 1st Prize winner of the 8th Biennial International Opera Competition. She also won the 3rd Prize at the Verdi International Competition China (2024), in addition to earlier awards from the Concorso Internazionale di Canto Lirico and the Tokyo International Vocal Competition.