Della Jones

Della Jones, one of Great Britain’s leading mezzo-sopranos, was born in Neath and studied at the Royal College of Music where she won many prizes including the Kathleen Ferrier Memorial Scholarship.

Della Jones has appeared with the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, English National Opera, English Music Theatre, Welsh National Opera, Scottish Opera, Opera North and the English Bach Festival and foreign engagements have included performances in the U.S.A., Canada, Russia, Japan and throughout Europe in more than 120 roles. Her repertoire includes title-roles ARIODANTE, LA CENERENTOLA and CARMEN, Rosina IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, Messenger ORFEO, Adalgisa NORMA, Dido LES TROYENS, Donna Elvira DON GIOVANNI, Herodias SALOME, Brangäne TRISTAN UND ISOLDE, Jocasta OEDIPUS REX, Baba the Turk THE RAKE’S PROGRESS, Hermia A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, Dido and Sorceress DIDO AND AENEAS, Marcellina LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, La Folie and Thalie PLATÉE, Juno SEMELE, Aunt Hermance in the world premiere of Gavin Bryars’ DR. OX’S EXPERIMENT, Hostess BORIS GODUNOV, Fidalma IL MATRIMONIO SEGRETO, Mrs Grose THE TURN OF THE SCREW, Auntie and Mrs Sedley PETER GRIMES and Marthe FAUST.

Della Jones’ concert appearances include engagements with BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Cleveland Orchestra, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Prague Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Arnhem Philharmonic Orchestra, Ensemble Intercontemporain, Paris, Les Musiciens du Louvre in repertoire including Britten’s PHAEDRA, Hindemith SANCTA SUSANNA, Benedict Mason’s CHAPLIN OPERAS, SONGS OF THE AUVERGNE, Frank Martin’s LE VIN HERBÉ, John Metcalfe’s MUSEUM OF THE AIR, Mendelssohn A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. She sang at the Inauguration of the Welsh Assembly, made an acclaimed appearance at the Last Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in 1993, took part in the Gala Concerts as part of the “Hand-over” Ceremony in Hong Kong 1997 and in the Bernard Haitink Farewell Performances at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 2002

Della Jones broadcasts regularly on radio and television both in this country and abroad and has recorded over 80 roles for all the major record companies, including L’INCONTRO IMPROVVISO and IL RITORNO DI TOBIAS with Antal Dorati, ALCINA, L’INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, MESSIAH, and STABAT MATER with Richard Hickox, DIDO AND AENEAS with Ivor Bolton, Donna Elvira DON GIOVANNI with Arnold Ostman, TESEO with Marc Minkowski, Vitellia LA CLEMENZA DI TITO with Christopher Hogwood, Rosina IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, SEA PICTURES with Charles Mackerras, Rossini, French and Spanish Song Recitals, Peter Maxwell Davies’s BLACK PENTECOST, THE STONE LITANY and RESURRECTION conducted by the composer and Monique DIE KATHRIN conducted by Martyn Brabbins.