





James Hendry
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Honorary Associate Artist, Royal Northern College of Music
Described by Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung as possessing “something truly special”, James Hendry stands at the forefront of young British conductors.
Recent highlights include Verdi’s Don Carlo for the Finnish National Opera and Ballet (where he returns this season for Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Festen), Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro for Royal Swedish Opera, and Puccini’s Tosca in a return to Staatsoper Hannover, where he was Erste Kapellmeister over four seasons. The 2024/25 season also saw Hendry conduct a new opera by Elena Kats-Chernin – Lene fliegt ins Zirkusland – for Philharmonie Luxembourg, and concerts for Opera Ballet Vlaanderen with a semi-staged production of Peer Gynt.
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Previous seasons’ engagements include Offenbach’s Barbe-bleue for Opéra National de Lyon, and numerous productions at Royal Opera House Covent Garden, where he was a member of the prestigious Jette Parker Young Artists Programme, including Oreste, Der Rosenkavalier, Adriana Lecouvreur, Hänsel und Gretel and Turandot. He has also conducted at English National Opera (Lucia di Lammermoor), Oper Frankfurt (Don Giovanni), Luzerner Theater (Revue des Follies) and Opera North (The Marriage of Figaro). A keen symphonic conductor, he has recently worked with the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchester der Tiroler Festspiele Erl, Southbank Sinfonia, the Orchestra of Opera North, Royal Northern Sinfonia and the Niedersächsisches Jugendsinfonieorchester.
Hendry has been Assistant Director of the Hallé Youth Choir, and a vocal coach and accompanist for the Hallé Choir Academy. He has an ongoing association with the National Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company, for which he has conducted all the main G&S titles including The Mikado, HMS Pinafore and The Gondoliers.
Growing up in Kingston upon Hull, he was one of the first students to be accepted onto the Yorkshire Young Musicians programme, going on to study piano with Helen Krizos at Royal Northern College of Music and later as a répétiteur with Kevin Thraves, earning a British Education Award for outstanding achievements during his studies. Hendry is now an Associate Member of the Royal Northern College of Music.
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Katya Walker-Arnott Artist & Project Manager
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“James Hendry literally electrifies the orchestra.”
“James Hendry, first Kapellmeister, proves to be an atmospheric Rimsky-Korsakov interpreter. Finely-tuned and never overshadowing, the conductor accompanies the singers, but also knows how to lead the Hanover State Symphony Orchestra to highlights.”
“With Hendry, on the other hand, every muscle fibre seems to demonstrate exuberant enthusiasm. This is strange when you see it for the first time – but in the long run it is contagious.”
“Rimsky-Korsakov’s music really glitters and sparkles, and conductor James Hendry is the prospector here, presenting the colouristic richness and instrumental finesse in full glory and with finely balanced sonority.”
“On this night I saw the assistant conductor, James Hendry, who mastered this whirlwind opera creating vibrant orchestral passages and sensitive moments with the singers too.”
“The ensemble finished off with the finale from ‘Falstaff’ and again the star was in the pit – James Hendry conducted with accomplished zest, thrillingly allowing these young singers to emerge triumphant from this experience.”
“From Rossini’s ‘Le comte Ory’, too, though there was real promise in the crisp musical guidance of another Jette Parker Young Artist, repetiteur and conductor James Hendry.”