Opera Scotland

David Butt Philip Suggest updates

Born Wells, Somerset.

English tenor.

David Butt Philip sang as a chorister in Peterborough Cathedral before studying Philosophy and Politics at University of Liverpool.  He then trained in Manchester at the RNCM and in London at the Royal Academy of Music and National Opera Studio. He was a Samling Scholar (2009).

Operatic appearances in Britain include Glyndebourne, where he spent two seasons in the chorus, winning the John Christie Award 2011.  He created Laertes in Brett Dean's Hamlet, later singing the title role on tour.  He has returned to the Festival as Florestan.

At the Royal Opera he was in the Jette Parker scheme to 2014, singing several solo parts, and has since sung Grigory Boris Godunov, Narraboth Salome, Florestan and the Prince Rusalka.

He has worked with ETO (Rodolfo); ENO (Rodolfo, Pinkerton, Don José); OHP (Pinkerton, Rodolfo, Vaudémont Iolanta, Folco Isabeau); Opera North (Luigi Il tabarro, Laca, Bacchus); Edinburgh Festival (John Kingdom, Bacchus).

On the continent his appearances include Madrid (Essex Gloriana, Froh, Prince); Vienna; Munich; Berlin Deutsche Oper (Dwarf Der Zwerg); Berlin Staatsoper (Florestan); Cologne (Hamlet); Prague (Rodolfo); Lille (Erik).

Elsewhere he has sung at the New York Met (Grigory, Laertes); Washington (Florestan); Sydney (Lohengrin).