Michael Mofidian
Born and raised in Glasgow, Michael Mofidian studied at Cambridge University and the Royal Academy of Music before joining the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
A versatile singer and actor, Michael feels at home in a wide range of repertoire and styles. For the Royal Opera House his roles included Narumov Queen of Spades, Alcade Forza del destino, Angelotti Tosca, Zuniga Carmen, Minotauros Phaedra (Linbury Studio Theatre), Johann Werther, Bass 1 Death in Venice, Dr Grenvil La Traviata, Judge and Chelsias Susanna and Deputy Don Carlo; he also covered the roles of Figaro Le nozze di Figaro and Colline La bohème. Whilst there he worked under conductors including Sir Antonio Pappano, Edward Gardner, Richard Farnes, Alexander Joel, Daniel Oren, Julia Jones and Keri-Lynn Wilson, and directors including Sir David McVicar, Barrie Kosky and Christof Loy.
Despite many cancellations, 2020 saw his Scottish Opera début as Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte. He made his Glyndebourne Festival début roles as the Doctor in Pelléas et Mélisande and the Imperial Commissioner in Madam Butterfly in the 2018 Festival, where he was a Jerwood Young Artist. Other operatic roles include Leporello Don Giovanni for British Youth Opera, Immigration Officer Flight, The Protector Written on Skin (scenes), and the title role in Noyes Fludde.
Future opera performances include his début at Dijon Opera as Angelotti Tosca, a return to the Royal Opera House Covent Garden as a guest in the role of Masetto Don Giovanni and a role in the 2023 Glyndebourne Festival. In summer 2021 he will make his Salzburg Festival début as Angelotti Tosca, alongside Anna Netrebko, Yusif Eyvazov and Ludovic Tézier.
During the 19/20 season Michael was due to make debuts with the London Symphony Orchestra under Alan Gilbert performing Tippett’s Child of Our Time, St John Passion with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra, at the Salzburg Festival in Verdi I Vespri Sicilliani with Daniele Rustioni, and with Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia under Sir Tony Pappano (Night-watchman in Die Meistersinger). He was also due to perform guest roles for Scottish Opera and for Royal Opera House Covent Garden.
Michael is keen concert artist with an already considerable repertoire, including Verdi Requiem; Jesus, Pilate and arias in both Bach Passions; Haydn Creation; Handel Messiah; Stravinsky Les noces; Beethoven 9th Symphony; Mozart Requiem; Fauré Requiem; and Dvořák Stabat Mater. This season he performed Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder and a new composition by Roderick Williams with the Britten Sinfonia under Sir Mark Elder, and is also scheduled to make débuts with BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
Along with his duo partner Keval Shah, Michael was a joint winner of the 2017 Oxford Lieder Young Artist Platform, through which he has given recitals in the Oxford Lieder Festival and at St John’s, Smith Square. He has also performed in recital at Wigmore Hall, and at the Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh with Malcolm Martineau and most recently at City Halls in Glasgow broadcast by the BBC as well as a return to Oxford Lieder with pianist Jâms Coleman. Future recitals include returns to Oxford Lieder, Wigmore Hall and the Heidelberger Frühling.
Along with fellow Scots Nicky Spence, Mhairi Lawson, and Iain Burnside, Michael took part in the first recording of the complete songs of Erik Chisholm, due to be released in 2021 by Delphian Records.
In masterclasses and individual coaching sessions he has worked with Malcolm Martineau, Sir Thomas Allen, Gerald Finley, Simon Keenlyside, Brindley Sherratt, Roderick Williams, James Gilchrist, Ann Murray CBE and Christopher Purves.
Michael is also a composer; his works include pieces for orchestra, instrumental chamber music, art songs and works for vocal ensemble, and his teachers have included Sir James MacMillan, Richard Causton and Robin Holloway.
