James Ley

“His voice was projected with ease that allowed it to blossom into an array of beautiful overtones.”
(operawire.com)

James Ley is an American-born tenor and graduate of the Juilliard School’s Opera Studies programme. A finalist in the 2022 Operalia Competition, he has been praised for his “pure tone and innocent expressiveness” and “lovely legato line and silvery tenor.”

Since joining the ensemble at Semperoper Dresden last season, Ley has performed Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Baron Lummer (Intermezzo), Arturo (Lucia di Lammermoor), and Jonathan (Saul) and in the current season, returns as Belmonte (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Don Ottavio (Don Giovanni), and Tybalt (Roméo et Juliette).

Recent operatic highlights include Váňa Kudrjaš (Káťa Kabanová) at Bayerische Staatsoper under Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Vaudémont (Iolanta) at Oper Bern led by Nicholas Carter, Ferrando (Così fan tutte) at Opéra National de Bordeaux and Gran Teatre del Liceu conducted by Marc Minkowski, and the Messenger (Aida) under Zubin Mehta at Münchener Opernfestspiele.

As an esteemed concert artist, Ley has performed Scriabin, Symphony No.1 with Danish National Symphony Orchestra under Fabio Luisi, Bruckner, Te Deum with Atlanta Symphony and Nathalie Stutzmann, Britten, Nocturne with Aarhus Symphony Orchestra under Christoph Koncz, Beethoven, Symphony No.9 with Opéra de Limoges and Robert Tuohy and Mendelssohn Elias with Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunk under Howard Arman. James Ley is a regular performer of Handel, Messiah most recently with Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. He joined Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Edward Gardner at Edinburgh International Festival as Second Nazarene in Salome, recorded by Chandos Records.

In the 25/26 season, James Ley returns to Danish National Symphony Orchestra for Szymanowski, Symphony No.3 under Thomas Søndergård and heads to Nashville for a seasonal Messiah under Nathan Aspinall.

Ley is a former Opera Foundation scholar at Bayerische Staatsoper Opernstudio, with wider training at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence Académie, Salzburg Young Artist Project, and Internationale Meistersinger Akademie and he has participated in masterclasses with Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Renée Fleming.

General Management

“Dies Bildnis” from Mozart’s Die Zauberflӧte © IMA Neumarkt

“O paradis" from Meyerbeer’s L'Africaine © Operalia 2022

“James Ley distinguished himself as Kudrjáš.”

Bachtrack, March 2025

“James Ley was an expansive and amusing Baron Lummer, his bright tenor ideal.”

Opera Magazine, March 2025

“James Ley impressed with a confident and agile tenor as well as with his stage presence.”

Der Opernfreund, Nov 2024

“James Ley as Vaudémont provides goosebump moments.”

(Junge Buhne, 2023)

“The up-and-coming tenor James Ley as Vaudémont sings with brilliant melodic line.”

(Peter Wäch, Plattform, 2023)

“The American tenor James Ley sings the difficult passages from Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito with such strikingly impressive colours, so agile and above all so pleasant that the last prominent mention is reserved for him.”

(Michael Bastian Weiss, Abendzeitung, November 2020)

“Ley was the perfect match for this role as he sang Ferrando with playfulness and a young heart. His voice drew in listeners based on its pure tone and innocent expressiveness.”

(Operawire.com, 2019)

“Don Ottavio, James Ley, was more convincing as an ardent lover than an earnest suitor. Although he can spin out lovely legato lines with his silvery tenor, the voice was truly exciting when it bristled with energy and passion.”

(seenandheard-international.com, 2019)

“Ley was most memorable as he sang ‘Dalla sua pace.’ His voice was projected with ease that allowed it to blossom into an array of beautiful overtones.”

(operawire.com, 2019)