Jonathan Cooke,
tenor
Another young tenor with a promising future, Jonathan Cooke was Scarpia’s henchman
Spoletta, and made his mark.
Everybody Can! Opera - Tosca 2019
Tamara Cooper - seenandheard-international.com
...throughout the company – in Jonathan Cooke’s honey-toned Monsieur Triquet...
...– there was evidence of Studer and Lyness’s skill at casting, and at building an ensemble.
Mid Wales Opera - Eugene Onegin 2018
Richard Bratby - criticscircle.org.uk
Jonathan Cooke's personable Cavaradossi worked genuine Puccini ardour and lyricism into his two arias.
Carmina Priapea - Tosca 2017
Peter Reed - Opera Magazine
It was good to hear Jonathan Cooke's ardent tenor managing such a smooth transition from heavenly to earthly as Angelo.
Music in the Minster - Miracle! 2015
Martin Dreyer - Opera Magazine
If it was a gamble to cast student Jonathan Cooke as Tamino, it was justified by his ardent lyricism and relationship with Pamina
Young Opera Venture - Magic Flute - 2014
Yorkshire Post
Jonathan Cooke sported a strong tenor as Tamino
Young Opera Venture - Magic Flute - 2014
Martin Dreyer - Opera Magazine
Cooke – a veteran already of the St. Endellion Festival, a sure-fire guarantee of quality – brought Tamino a kind of Prince William-like noble spirit, which suggested he was ready made not just to join Sarastro but to replace him.
Young Opera Venture - Magic Flute - 2014
Roderic Dunnet - Seenandheard-international.com
The soloist, fine tenor Jonathan Cooke, does his one moment in the spotlight, Te ergo quaesumus, appropriate justice.
Paisley Abbey - Berlioz Te Deum - 2012
The young solo quartet was terrific, piercing the church's acoustical fog and including a boyish tenor, Jonathan Cooke, who confidently surmounted the orchestral tone in his martial, Fidelio-like solo.
Greyfriars Kirk, Edinburgh - Beethoven Symphony No. 9 - 2008
Conrad Wilson - Herald Scotland
Jonathan is a versatile tenor, equally comfortable on the operatic stage, concert platform, and choral circuit. He recently completed the opera course at the renowned Alexander Gibson Opera School, studying with Amand Hekkers.
Born in Cheshire, Jonathan started singing at an early age. With school, he took part in many concerts and services at Chester Cathedral. He also sang as a treble under Richard Hickox at the St Endellion Festival in North Cornwall.
As a teenager, he performed frequently in plays and musicals, of which R.C.Sherriff's Journey's End, Bernstein's West Side Story and Gilbert and Sullivan's The Gondoliers stand out.
Jonathan won a scholarship to study singing at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. During his undergraduate years he represented the Academy in the Junior Kathleen Ferrier competition.
Whilst an undergraduate student at the RSAMD, he created the role of Georg Weikmann in Rory Boyle’s new opera Kaspar Hauser: Child of Europe. Roles in opera scenes performances include Lysander in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lechmere - Owen Wingrave, Nemorino - L’Elisir d’Amore, Oronte - Alcina, Male Chorus - The Rape of Lucretia and Jupiter – Semele.
In March 2013 he was the winner of the Frank Spedding Lieder Prize adjudicated by John Shirley-Quirk. He has been commended in both the Margaret Dick award for singing and the Hugh S Roberton Prize for Scots Song, and in February 2014 was a finalist in the Governors' Recital Prize.
Jonathan completed his studies at the Alexander Gibson Opera School (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland). Principal roles include Ruggero in Puccini's La Rondine (RCS), Tamino in the Young Opera Venture's touring production of The Magic Flute and Le Mari in Poulenc's surreal one-act opera Les Mamelles de Tiresias (RCS).
He has sung in the chorus with opera companies including Rossini’s La Donna del Lago at Garsington Opera, Donizetti’s Emilia di Liverpool with the European Opera Company and in several productions with Scottish Opera. Last summer he was at Grange Park Opera for their productions of La Boheme and Samson et Dalila.
Jonathan has enjoyed a life-longstanding association with the St Endellion Music Festival. Whilst growing up he sang in the chorus, making his way down through the voice parts! He now enjoys cameo appearances in many of the Festival's concerts and operas, whilst assisting behind the scenes for most of the other concerts.
This Spring, Jonathan will enjoy returns to Mid Wales Opera and the Merry Opera Company for tours of Tosca and Messiah respectively. In the summer, Jonathan joins Kentish Opera to sing the role of Don José in Carmen, before returning to West Green House Opera to sing the role of Dr Blind in die Fledermaus.
Operatic Repertoire includes Turiddu, Cavalleria Rusticana (Hampstead Garden Opera - 2016), Eisenstein, Die Fledermaus (Fulham Opera - 2016), Cavaradossi, Tosca (Carmina Priapaea - 2017), Spoletta, Tosca (The Opera Project and Mid Wales Opera 2017 and 2019), Monsieur Triquet, Eugene Onegin (Mid Wales Opera - 2018), Lensky, Eugene Onegin (Opera South East - 2018), Don Jose. Carmen (Kentish Opera - 2019)
Amongst my solo concert repertoire is Britten St Nicolas, Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, On This Island and Abraham and Isaac, Elgar The Kingdom, Handel Messiah, Mendelssohn Elijah, Verdi Requiem, Bach St John Passion (Evangelist), Mozart Requiem and Beethoven Symphony no. 9.
Appearances with North Wales Opera Company:
September 2019, Cavalleria Rusticana (Turriddu), Stiwt Theatre (Rhosllannerchrugog, UK).
October 2019, Tosca (Cavaradossi), Stiwt Theatre (Rhosllannerchrugog, UK).
