Northern Aldborough Festival

19/06/2026

A glorious opening night in Aldborough last night for the 2026 festival, with the Orchestra of Opera North

18/06/2026

It's starting!!! Opening night. Northern Aldborough Festival. Opera North

15/06/2026

There's just a few days till the 2026 festival kicks off on 18 June!!!

One of this year's highlights is welcoming actress Joanna David, with Lucy Parham (piano) as they tell the extraordinary life of Clara Schumann in I, Clara.

It's a unique blend of music and words, narrated by Joanna - of the famed Fox acting dynasty (her husband is Edward Fox, and their children are actors Freddie and Emilia).

Thanks to Yorkshire Living magazine for this fab interview with Joanna for the festival...

12/06/2026

Thanks to @ for profiling our annual New Voices Singing Competition!

Tickets for the live semi-finals and the grand finale are available on our website!

Prestige singing competitions are often linked to London conservatoires and major cities, but Northern Aldborough’s annual New Voices Singing Competition brings internationally trained young talent to rural Yorkshire.

12/06/2026

“It’s a vocation — I’m always being challenged, and I always have options, creatively speaking, for what I do next, and for how I might satisfy myself.”

Meet New Voices semi-finalist Camilla Seale

Mezzo Soprano Camilla is also an actor with an extensive background in opera, theatre and baroque repertoire. She studied at the Royal Northern College of Music, and was a Young Artist at the National Opera Studio Global Talent Programme and was a Britten-Pears Artist. She’s accompanied by the lutist and Swedish musician, Jonatan Bought who studied at the Royal College of Music.

12/06/2026

“What drives me to sing professionally is the profound impact that singing can have on a person. Seeing the way that music speaks to people and touches them is so special.”

Meet New Voices semi-finalist Grace Hope-Gill

Welsh soprano Grace is at the Royal Academy Opera at the Royal Academy of Music as a bicentenary scholar. Recent successes include, winning the John Fussell Award for Young Musicians and Elena Gerhardt prize, and travelling to Munich with the Elton John Global Exchange scholarship. She’s supported by the Royal Academy of Music pianist, Daniel Silcock.

12/06/2026

“I feel that I have something to say through music, and I’m a great believer in the idea that it is a real privilege to be able to pursue it professionally.”

Meet New Voices semi-finalist Archie Inns.

Scottish tenor Archie works across opera, oratorio, song, and consort work, and is a Fellow with The English Concert. An Emerging Artist with Westminster Opera Company and Associate Artist with Oxford Opera, he’s studying at the Royal College of Music. He’s accompanied by fellow Scot, pianist Daniel Silcock, a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and a 2025 Britten-Pears Artist.

12/06/2026

“I love a challenge, and more than that I want to show younger generations of singers that, though it is competitive, we can still be kind, compassionate humans to one another along the way.”

Meet New Voices semi-finalist Kira Kaplan

American soprano Kira is a UK resident, and emerging artist with Scottish Opera. She was a Global Talent Young Artist with the National Opera Studio, and has won the prestigious Career Bridges Grant Competition. She’ll be accompanied by pianist Catriona Mackenzie.

12/06/2026

“I love the connection that singing creates between people.”

Meet New Voices semi-finalist Elisabeth Lee.

Elisabeth studied in Seoul and Berlin and performs across Europe. She’ll perform with Spanish pianist and conductor Alfonso, who studied at Dublin and Linz. Both are Young Artists at the National Opera Studio, London.

12/06/2026

"I hope it can briefly transport audiences out of their day-to-day lives."

Meet New Voices semi-finalist Tom Lilburn.

Tom is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and The Royal College of Music, and is a Lay Clerk at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. He sang at the funeral of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. He’s accompanied by pianist Jack Redman, who has performed at Glyndebourne Festival Opera and prestigious venues across the UK.