Allan Clayton is established as one of the most exciting and sought-after singers of his generation. He studied at St John’s College, Cambridge, and at the Royal Academy of Music in London. An Associate of the Royal Academy of Music and former BBC New Generation Artist from 2007 to 2009, his awards include The Queen’s Commendation for Excellence and a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship.

Allan garnered huge praise as the lead role in Brett Dean’s Hamlet, which had its premiere at Glyndebourne in June 2017. During 2017, Allan also sang the role of David in Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. At the beginning of the 2017/18 season, Allan sang the role of Ferdinand in Miranda for Opéra Comique. He returns to Komische Oper Berlin in 2018 for Handel’s Semele, and also returns to Glyndebourne for Handel’s Saul.

Allan’s concert appearances include The Dream of Gerontius at the Barbican Centre in London with the London Symphony Orchestra and Sir Mark Elder, Britten’s War Requiem with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Semyon Bychkov, and Handel’s Messiah for the Handel & Haydn Society in Boston. He appears regularly at the BBC Proms, where he has sung the title role in Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex with the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sakari Oramo and also performed in Vaughan Williams’ A Pastoral Symphony with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. He gave the premiere of Gerald Barry’s new work, Canada, at the 2017 BBC Proms, with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla. Recently, Allan has sung in a concert performance of Wagner’s Das Rheingold with the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Jurowski, Britten’s War Requiem at the Nationaltheater Mannheim, and joined the London Symphony Orchestra for Britten’s Spring Symphony.

A consummate recitalist, Allan has given lieder recitals at the Cheltenham, Perth and Aldeburgh Festivals. Last summer he performed a programme of Shakespeare songs with Sophie Bevan and Christopher Glynn at the Ryedale Festival and Wigmore Hall. Allan has made many appearances at Wigmore Hall, alongside singers such as Elizabeth Watts and Iestyn Davies, accompanied by Christopher Glynn, James Bailleau and Julius Drake.