Welsh Tenor Rhydian Jenkins is a member of the International Opera Studio at Oper Köln, and a former Young Artist at the National Opera Studio. He is a graduate from the David Seligman Opera School at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, achieving a Distinction under the tuition of Adrian Thompson and John Fisher. Hailing from Maesteg in South Wales, Rhydian studied under Nicky Spence and Adrian Thompson.
In the 2025/2026 season at Oper Köln, he performs the roles of Don Curzio (Le Nozze di Figaro), Lamplighter (Manon Lescaut), Pang (Turandot), Maurizio di Mauro (Der satanarchäolügenialkohöllische Wunschpunsch), Max (Max und Moritz) and Basilio (cover) (Le Nozze di Figaro). In May and June 2026, Rhydian will be making his house and role debut with Stadttheater Gießen, performing the role of Sellem in their production of The Rake’s Progress (Stravinsky).
Described as “a singer to watch out for in 2024”, Rhydian is a winner of the prestigious 2019 Bryn Terfel Scholarship and 2021 MOCSA Young Welsh Singer of the Year Prize. Recent engagements include covering and performing the role of Lysander in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Count Ivrea in Verdi’s Un giorno di regno with Garsington Opera as a 2024 Alvarez Young Artist.
Most recently, Rhydian performed the roles of Tamino Die Zauberflöte, Parpignol La bohème, Monostatos Die Zauberflöte, Batman Superheldennormalos (World premiere) and Vocal Ensemble La Passione di Simone during his first season at Oper Köln, followed by performing the role of Peter Quint/Prologue in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw with Cumbria Opera Group. Other operatic roles include Don Ottavio Don Giovanni, Alfred Die Fledermaus, Basilio Le Nozze di Figaro and Anthony Hope Sweeney Todd.
In 2023, engagements include making debuts at Longborough Festival Opera performing the role of Snout & Fairy 3 in Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, followed by covering and performing the role of Spoletta in Puccini’s Tosca with Northern Ireland Opera. He then performed the role of Vittorio in a world premiere production of Bottini’s Elena e Gerardo with Random Opera Company, and was a finalist in the 2023 Bampton Classical Opera Young Singers’ Competition. In 2022, Rhydian performed the role of Sergei in Welsh National Opera’s production of Cherry Town, Moscow (Cheryomushki) Shostakovich, and covered and performed the role of Ruggero in Puccini’s La rondine with IF Opera.
Whilst a Young Artist at the National Opera Studio, he has performed in residency performances at Welsh National Opera, Scottish Opera, English National Opera and Opera North, with roles from scenes including Count Almaviva Il barbiere di Siviglia, Ernesto Don Pasquale, Fenton Falstaff, Lysander A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Vasek The Bartered Bride, Beppe Rita, Jacquino Fidelio, Telemaco Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria, Le Remendado Carmen, Lover The Vanishing Bridegroom and Loki The Monstrous Child.
In 2021, Rhydian performed in the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Opera Gala, conducted by Maestro Carlo Rizzi and accompanied by Welsh National Opera Orchestra, performing scenes in the roles of Nemorino L’Elisir d’Amore, Tom Rakewell The Rake’s Progress, Fenton Falstaff and Don Ramiro La Cenerentola.
Rhydian has also made his debut performing at the iconic Wigmore Hall during lunchtime recitals curated by Dame Ann Murray DBE and Sholto Kynoch, and also debuted at The Bridgewater Hall, performing in concert ‘The Glories of Rome’ with The Hallé. He is in high demand as a concert soloist, with performances including Rossini Petite Messe Solenelle, Mozart Requiem, Mozart Missa solemnis, Handel Messiah, Haydn Nelson Mass and Faure Requiem, and has performed at numerous venues including The Royal Albert Hall, Wales Millennium Centre, Cadogan Hall and St David’s Hall.
Following this summer’s production of Macbeth with Longborough Festival Opera, he will be returning to Germany for role debuts in the 2026/27 season.