Hampstead Garden Opera is proud to have six distinguished artists as its patrons. Their experience across singing, conducting and directing will be a guiding light for HGO as we create opportunities for the next generation of opera performers.
Dame Emma Kirkby is one of the world’s foremost interpreters of Renaissance and Baroque music. Celebrated for the purity of her soprano voice, expressive clarity and sensitive musicianship, she helped shape the modern early music revival through an exceptional international career in concerts and recordings. Her collaborations with leading period ensembles and distinguished instrumentalists have introduced generations of listeners to this rich repertoire. Appointed a Dame in 2007, she also received the Queen’s Medal for Music. A committed teacher and champion of emerging musicians, Emma is Co-President of Hampstead Garden Opera, supporting its work in nurturing the next generation of singers.
Howard Williams is a distinguished British conductor whose international career encompasses opera, ballet, orchestral and choral music. He has conducted more than one hundred opera and ballet productions, working with English National Opera, the Royal Ballet and companies across Europe. His concert appearances include the BBC Proms and performances with many of Britain’s leading orchestras. Former Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Hungary’s Pécs Symphony Orchestra, he received honours for his contribution to Hungarian music. A respected teacher of conducting at the Royal College of Music, Howard is Co-President of Hampstead Garden Opera and a committed supporter of young performers.
Paul Daniel is an internationally renowned conductor and former Music Director of both English National Opera and Opera North. He has conducted at major opera houses around the world and received an Olivier Award for outstanding achievement in opera. His experience and commitment to opera make him a valued patron of HGO.
Lesley Garrett is one of Britain’s best-known sopranos, celebrated for a career spanning opera, concerts, musical theatre and television. A former principal soprano at English National Opera, she has performed internationally and introduced countless listeners to opera. She was appointed CBE for services to music.
Nadine Benjamin is a British soprano whose work spans opera, concerts and song. She has performed with English National Opera, the Royal Opera and Glyndebourne. A dedicated mentor as well as a performer, she founded the Everybody Can! opera and mentorship programme and was appointed MBE in recognition of her work.
David Parry is an opera conductor whose career has taken him to English National Opera, Glyndebourne, Opera North and companies across Europe and beyond. Particularly associated with Italian opera, he has recorded extensively for Opera Rara and Chandos. He also supports the development of HGO’s young singers through his coaching.
Bruno Ravella is an internationally active opera director whose early work included several productions for Hampstead Garden Opera. He directed HGO’s The Marriage of Figaro in 2013, following The Elixir of Love, The Clemency of Titus and Mansfield Park. His career has since taken him to opera houses across Europe and further afield. HGO is proud to count an artist who cut his teeth with the company among its patrons.
Robert Lloyd CBE is one of Britain’s most distinguished operatic basses. Born in Essex and educated at Oxford, he became Principal Bass at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, in 1972. His international career has included appearances at the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala and the Salzburg Festival, spanning repertoire by Mozart, Verdi, Wagner and Mussorgsky. He was the first British bass to sing Boris Godunov at Covent Garden, in Andrei Tarkovsky’s celebrated production, later performed at the Kirov Opera in Leningrad. He was appointed CBE in 1991 for services to music.
