English National Opera Harewood Artist Sam Downes

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What a great pleasure coaching the talented Sam on “Winterstürme“ and “Oh Freund“. Watch this space! This guy is going to go far! And thank you to the wonderful Jane Robinson for her beautiful playing and support!!!

Samuel Downes

Samuel Downes, a man with curly hair and a beard, looks directly at the camera in a dark jumper. The softly blurred background and black-and-white tones add depth to the portrait.

Samuel Downes is a 29-year old British-New Zealand Tenor from Auckland, New Zealand who has had significant vocal experience through his work with New Zealand Opera, and his chorus background. Samuel Downes is a student of César Ulloa.

Samuel recently graduated with his Masters and Professional Studies Certificate from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he was a regular performer in their mainstage productions, including Candide, Proving Up, Gianni Schicchi, The Consul, l’Enfant et les sortilege, and Le Docteur Miracle. 

Before studying in San Francisco, Samuel performed with Wellington Opera in their production of La traviata as Barone.

Samuel was a Dame Malvina Major New Zealand Opera Studio Artist in 2020, where he performed in New Zealand Opera productions, piloted new compositions, and also toured the country as part of their musical outreach programme.

He was a member of the New Zealand Opera Chorus from 2018-2021 and regularly attended the New Zealand Opera School in Whanganui.

Samuel recently transitioned from baritone to tenor in 2024. He is currently supported by the Kiri te Kanawa Foundation, the Freemason Foundation, Bernice and John Lindstrom, the John and Margaret Hunn Trust, and is the 2025 recipient of the Victoria League Singing Scholarship.

Enjoy the following read

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https://www.citylit.ac.uk/blog/the-secret-to-speaking-like-a-native-it-starts-with-pronunciation

The importance of pronunciation

These new pronunciation classes are designed to do more than just fix mistakes —they help you really understand how sounds work and can change the meaning of words. 

Students are encouraged to think about those sounds which don’t exist in English. In the German course, for example, you’ll learn how to hear and say important consonants and vowels using a clear, step-by-step method. You’ll spend time on tricky sounds like the German “ch” in ich and Buch, which can be tough for learners and also on the rounded vowels “ö” and “ü”, which need a bit of practice to get right.

Instead of just repeating words over and over, the course uses helpful diagrams showing how the mouth moves, and guided practice to help you get a feel for how German sounds are made. This way, you’re not just copying.

One of the main goals of these classes is to help you understand how sounds work in the language you’re learning. For example, you’ll learn about vowel length—how long a vowel is held or drawn out when you say it. In Swedish, this can actually change the meaning of a word! Think of glas (glass) with a long vowel, versus glass (ice cream) with a short one. You’ll get lots of support to hear and say these differences correctly. By exploring these kinds of concepts in practice, you’ll start to see pronunciation as something physical—like a skill you can train and improve, just like playing an instrument or learning a sport.

Götterdämmerung, The London Opera Company, Smith Square Hall, October 2025

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…”you’ll be pleased to know that I was complimented on my German by a native speaker! Apparently they could understand every word 👍👍 So thank you!“

What a wonderful reward to get this message from the wonderful Rozanna Madylus, First Norn https://www.connaughtartists.com/artists/rozanna-madylus

Götterdämmerung review – an accomplished performance from The London Opera Company at Smith Square Hall

German for opera lovers course

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I had so much fun teaching my last German for opera lovers workshop at City Lit discussing- of course in German- Der Rosenkavalier. Each course, opera enthusiasts come together sharing their passion and talking about an opera in German. I am looking forward to the next similar courses in September and October:

https://www.citylit.ac.uk/search/go?w=German+for+opera+lovers

Fond memories of Bruno Ravelli’s most stunning production I worked on a couple of years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmQ2GGeDtNs