Bernard Abervandana

Bernard Abervandana – biography

Bernard Abervandana is a British citizen resident in the UK.

He studied at Thames Valley University, and then went on to postgraduate studies at and Avery Hill College, University of Greenwich and the Welsh College of Music and Drama, University of Cardiff. His qualifications are ALCM, Piano & Voice respectively; LLCM (TD) Piano; LLCM Voice; GLCM (Music Degree); Postgraduates PGCE & ACWCMD. He currently studies voice with Josephine Veasey CBE and under her guidance has recently made the transition from lyric tenor repertoire to the more lyrico spinto/dramatic tenor repertoire.

He made his debut with the English National Opera singing Henry Davies in Street Scene (Weill) and at Battersea Arts Centre as Leader in Lost in the Stars (Weill). Mr Abervandana joined Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Glyndebourne Touring Opera in their productions of Simon Boccanegra directed by Sir Peter Hall, and Porgy and Bess directed by Trevor Nunn and conducted by Sir Simon Rattle. He made his Royal Opera debut singing the role of Robbins in Porgy and Bess conducted by Andrew Litton, which was relayed live on BBC Radio 3. The production was filmed by Prime Time TV and recorded by EMI. At the Theatro Nacional De São Carlos in Lisbon, he appeared as Mingo in Porgy and Bess.

Very early in his career, Mr Abervandana appeared in the Opera North and Royal Shakespeare Company joint production of Show Boat directed by Ian Judge. With Opera Ireland he performed in Don Giovanni, Peter Grimes and Madama Butterfly, with British Youth Opera he performed the role of Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni; other roles performed also early in his career are Belmonte in The Abduction from the Seraglio at the Riverside Studio, Hammersmith and on a UK tour. Mr Abervandana also performed the roles of Fenton in Falstaff, Tamino in The Magic Flute, and Don José in Carmen on a UK tour with Pegasus Opera Company.

Mr Abervandana has also performed a number of roles in 20th century operas, including Monsieur Jullien in Mary Seacole (Richard Chew) conducted by the composer at the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester and St Stephen in Four Saints in Three Acts (Thompson) at the Almeida Festival, London. He has also performed internationally at the Lucerne Festival, Switzerland; the Orange Festival in France; Zimbabwe and Northern & Southern Ireland.

Bernard appeared in the Purcell Room at London's South Bank Centre in an evening of Richard Strauss's music, in which he sang scenes and arias from the roles of Narraboth in Salome, Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos and Der Kaiser in Die Frau ohne Schatten. He performed the role of Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos with English Touring Opera and with Lillian Baylis a concert of contemporary music at the Royal Festival Hall with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Most recently, he sang Raguel in Tobias and the Angel, and covered The Schoolmaster in The Cunning Little Vixen, all with English Touring Opera. Mr Abervandana sang Sportin' Life in Porgy and Bess at the Barbican Concert Hall, London, with the BBC Concert Orchestra and Aurelian Symphony Orchestra respectively. He recently sang Canio in I Pagliacci to critical acclaim in a co-production with English Touring Opera and Pegasus Opera Company.

Other past engagements include Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos at Merkin Hall, Lincoln Centre, New York and the world premiere of Equiano’s Lament (Brothwick) along with the tenor solo in Tippett's A Child of Our Time with Hull Sinfonietta. Bernard sang Peter in Porgy and Bess conducted by William Eddins for L'Opera National de Lyon, in France. Bernard recently sang Canio, I Pagliacci for Candlelight Opera and covered Othello for Birmingham Opera Company Directed by Graham Vick.

Bernard most recently sang Remus in Scott Joplin’s Opera Treemonisha on UK National Tour, including the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the South Bank

Future engagements 2009 - 2010 : CandleLight Opera Otello, Otello, date TBC; Opera National de Lyon, Peter in Porgy and Bess: 26st of June till 18th of July (2 performances) Edinburgh Festival 8th to 20th of August (3 performances)) Opera National Lyon 5th to 19th of September (2 performances)