Derek Welton

Bass-baritone

Home
Reviews
Features
Discography

“Perhaps the greatest revelation was Derek Welton’s dark, resonant singing and powerful physical presence as Klingsor. Clearly this young, British-trained Australian is destined for a big Wagnerian career”
(Hugh Canning, Opera, October 2018)

Hailed as a major Wagnerian voice of the future, Derek Welton made his first foray into the repertoire as Donner (Das Rheingold) under Richard Farnes at Opera North. He subsequently appeared as Klingsor (Parsifal) at the Beijing Music Festival and made his debut as der Heerrufer (Lohengrin) at Semperoper Dresden conducted by Christian Thielemann. His debut at the 2017 Bayreuther Festspiele as Klingsor under Hartmut Haenchen followed his acclaimed first performances as Wotan (Das Rheingold) at Deutsche Oper Berlin conducted by Donald Runnicles.

The current season includes two important house debuts, at Lyric Opera of Chicago as Pandolfe (Cendrillon) under Sir Andrew Davis, and at Bayerische Staatsoper as Klingsor under Kirill Petrenko. As a member of the Ensemble of Deutsche Oper Berlin performances there include The Cunning Little Vixen, Rienzi, Otello and a staged version of Verdi’s Messa da Requiem and he also sings further performances of Parsifal for Victorian Opera, Melbourne.

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, Op. 125 Choral IV. An die Freude © Brattle Media

Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro (excerpt) © SWR

Handel: Messiah (excerpt)

Humperdinck: Hänsel und Gretel (excerpt)

Vaughan Williams: Robin Hood and the Pedlar © Albion Records 2011

“Derek Welton shows that Klingsor’s hatred of the Grail World is above all self-loathing. With his comprehension of the text and his vocal sound, he presents himself as one of the best Klingsor performers of recent times.”

(BR Klassik, August 2018)

“Expelled from the order for impure desires, Klingsor’s domain is an Islamic hall where he keeps a secret stash of crosses above, perhaps trophies for every knight Kundry has seduced. At the very least, it’s a room of penitential flagellation and a treat to see robust Australian bass Derek Welton in a brilliant Bayreuth debut, mining the villainy of his character in acting and voice while projecting the text with meaning and expression.”

(Limelight, August 2018)

“[impersonating] the unholy trio of Anabaptists with a fine feeling for their grotesque elements, [Derek Welton dispatched] Zacharie’s couplets with great verve.”

(Opera Magazine, March 2018)

“Baritone brilliance. Derek Welton gives a stand out turn singing Martinu.”

(BBC Music Magazine, January 2018)

“The young Wotan was sung by the ensemble member Derek Welton, who scored a personal triumph, crowned by a most lyrical ‘Abendlich strahlt’.”

(Opera Magazine, July 2017)

“The new Klingsor of the powerful-voiced Derek Welton stands out from the cast.”

(Bayerischer Rundfunk Klassik, July 2017)

“The part of Klingsor is often more characterised than sung; Derek Welton sings it fully and on top of that is convincing in characterisation.”

(Neue Musikzeitung, July 2017)

“Derek Welton made a terrific demonic entrance as Klingsor. With shaved head, black beard and a similarly coloured voice”

(Mittelbayerische Zeitung, July 2017)

“In contrast, Derek Welton sounds full-bodied and youthfully fresh.”

(Die Presse, July 2017)

“With striking timbre and strong stage presence, Derek Welton is a splendidly disingenuous Klingsor.”

(Münchner Merkur, July 2017)

“Derek Welton gave the murderous St Bris appropriately lugubrious tones.”

(Opera Magazine, February 2017)

“Similarly impressive, the Australian baritone Derek Welton in the role of Saint-Bris, absorbed in the ecstasy of his barbarism”

(Opernwelt, January 2016)

“Derek Welton provides contrast with his broad bass-baritone as a dark Comte de Saint-Bris.”

(Die Presse, November 2016)

“Derek Welton sang a beautiful-sounding Heerrufer…[and] was on par with the rest of the star cast.”

(Der Neue Merker, May 2016)

“Derek Welton’s Heerrufer demonstrated impressive stage and vocal presence across the three acts, with intelligently declaimed text and a certain ease across his vocal range.”

(Altamusica, May 2016)

“Derek Welton was a convincing Heerrufer with an attractive Heldenbaritone timbre and striking declamations.”

(Opernnetz, May 2016)

“Derek Welton was an impressive complement to the cast as Heerrufer and impressed with a deep understanding of the text and a beautiful timbre.”

(Online Musik Magazin, May 2016)

“Deutsche Oper Berlin came up with a very good ensemble performance: Derek Welton as passionately potent, big-voiced Jaroslav Prus and also vocally a genuine opponent of Marty.”

(Opernglas, April 2016)

Derek Welton

Shirley Thomson

Catherine Znak

Derek Welton returns to Bayreuther Festspiele as Klingsor

Derek Welton sings Dream of Gerontius with Boston Philharmonic Orchestra

Derek Welton sings Pförtner in Korngold’s Das Wunder der Heliane

Eleven HarrisonParrott Vocal Artists nominated for International Opera Awards

Derek Welton and Stephen Milling return to Semperoper Dresden in Der Ring des Nibelungen

Claudia Boyle, Jonathan McGovern and Derek Welton reprise their roles in A Quiet Place with Kent Nagano

Shirley Thomson

Catherine Znak