Allan Clayton

The new production of Rameau’s Castor and Pollux premiered at The Coliseum in London on Monday 24 October 2011 with Allan in the titular role of Castor.  The following are a selection of the universal praise heaped upon Allan by the national press after his spectacular performance:

“…some thrillingly beautiful singing…Allan Clayton(Castor) and Roderick Williams(Pollux) are two mightily fine singers and to hear them duelling and duetting may well entice listeners to catch this a second time.”   Nik Dasgupta, Londonist, 25 October 2011

“Allan Clayton…brings bright, dynamic, ‘helden’ resonance to the part of Castor…”  Michael White, The Daily Telegraph (blog), 25 October 2011

“Allan Clayton’s Castor was outstanding…his aria ‘Sejour de l’eternelle paix’, piercingly ornamented, became one of the highlights of the evening.”  Igor Toronyi-Lalic, The Arts Desk, 25 October 2011 

“Allan Clayton…dealt admirably with what is a very high-lying part…”  Flora Willson, Musical Criticism, 25 October 2011

“Allan Clayton…deeply affecting…”  Barry Millington, The Evening Standard, 26 October 2011

“…a wonderfully confident Allan Clayton, undaunted by the role’s high pitch…”  Rupert Christiansen, The Daily Telegraph, 26 October 2011

“Allan Clayton is outstanding as Castor, singing even the highest parts of his role with ease and beauty.”  Richard Fairman, The Financial Times, 26 October 2011

“But the evening ultimately belongs to Williams and Clayton…superb as the brothers…neither has done anything finer, and the opera is worth hearing for them, above all.”  Tim Ashley, The Guardian, 26 October 2011

“…Allan Clayton’s sensationally well-sung Castor…”  Richard Morrison, The Times, 26 October 2011

These are a selection of reviews from the national press for Allan’s performance as Lysander in English National Opera’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream:

“…the four lovers [including Allan Clayton]…all excellent…”   Richard Morrison, The Times, May 2011

“…the quartet of lovers [including Allan Clayton] was superbly sung…”   Barry Millington, The Evening Standard, May 2011

“…the four lovers [including Allan Clayton] all in fine voice…”   William Hartson, The Daily Express, May 2011

“Allan Clayton’s Lysnader…rose to the occasion on all fronts.”   Dominic McHugh, Musical Criticism, May 2011

“Allan Clayton’s gentle and easy tenor made him a compassionate and compelling Lysander.”   Lottie Greenhow, MusicOMH, May 2011

“…the lovers were well-matched, with Allan Clayton’s Lysander…excellent.”   Islington Tribune, May 2011

Playing the role of Lysander in English National Opera’s current production of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Allan Clayton has been praised by national critics across the board.

Despite battling a viral infection, Allan took to the stage on opening night at The Coliseum in London and garnered rave reviews.  Described as “excellent” by Richard Morrison in The Times and “superbly sung” by Barry Millington in The Evening Standard, Allan “rose to the occasion on all fronts” according to Dominic McHugh of Musical Criticism.

Allan Clayton recently performed Mendelssohn’s Elijah under Alan GIlbert with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra to great acclaim:

“…tenor Allan Clayton gave a strong and full-voiced performance…”  James Oestreich, The New York Times, 28 November 2010

“Allan Clayton…performed admirably…”  Lewis Smoley, Classical Source, 28 November 2010

Allan has received huge critical praise for his role as Camille with Opera North in their production of Lehar’s The Merry Widow conducted by Richard Farnes.  

“…Allan Clayton’s passionate lyric tenor lifts the role of her lover, Camille, to a new level.”

“Allan Clayton’s warm lyric tenor…produced the sweetest singing of the evening.”

“The evening’ finest singing, pure elegant and tightly focused, came from tenor Allan Clayton.”

As Ferrando in Glyndebourne’s current revival of Mozart’s opera Cosi fan tutte, Allan Clayton has won praise across the board for his fine singing and portrayal of this comic character.

“Allan Clayton offers a ringingly Latinate Ferrando…”

“The young tenor’s voice, though still cleanly focused, has strengthened and warmed since his Albert Herring days, and there is a superb certainty about the way he tackles these arias.”

“Allan Clayton offers a ringingly Latinate Ferrando…”

Allan Clayton appears at the Glyndebourne Festival this season in the return of the acclaimed production of Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte.  Allan will play the part of Ferrando, performing alongside Barbara Senator, Sally Matthews, Robert Gleadow, Anna Maria Panzarella and Pietro Spagnoli.

This production is a revival of the smash hit 2006 production directed by Nicholas Hytner.  Sharing conducting duties are Sir Charles Mackerras and James Gaffigan.

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“Clayton is the real thing: a great British singer who deserves to be championed.”

“Allan Clayton [as Cassio] took his part with distinction”

“Allan Clayton…a vivid Cassio…”

“…beauty of tone was the hallmark of Allan Clayton’s Cassio.”

“Among a fine group of comprimarios, Allan Clayton’s Cassio showed most promise.”

“Allan Clayton’s spirited Ferrando, aways clear-tones, was well-balanced…”

“Allan Clayton’s Ferrando…bounces along….”

“The highlight is the supple, limpid Ferrando of Allan Clayton, who is developing into one of the most mellifluous Mozartian tenors around.”

“Allan Clayton makes an ardent and accomplished Belmonte”

“Clayton and his accompanist James Baillieu, showed sensitivity and disarming simplicity in their approach to four of Hugo Wolf’s Eichendorff Lieder, before turning to Schumann’s setting of the poet in his Op 39 Liederkreis. When Clayton’s German is stronger and more idiomatic this will be quite some interpretation: glimpses of fresh insight and formidable vocal power lit the cycle.”

“The apex of the cycle, and the recital, was ‘Remember your lovers’, its refrain an adaptation of ‘The Last Post’, given by Clayton with impressive power, incision and poignancy.”

“And the new Albert … is the young tenor Allan Clayton, making a memorable Glyndebourne debut. This is one of the most multidimensional performances of the title role I’ve seen in some years. Clayton sees Albert’s end in his beginning: from the very first moments, humping sacks of turnips into the shop, there are a latent virility and ardour in his voice. It takes only a tot of rum in the lemonade to get him going. And Clayton’s minutely expressive tenor is gloriously reborn, as he hails a future in which he will be reselected and resurrected again and again. He looks the part, too: with wide eyes that flash from innocence to blazing experience overnight.”

“And what a Glyndebourne debut for young Allan Clayton as Albert. Taking his cue from the lonely flute and bass-clarinet interlude into the final act, he portrays Albert’s isolation with truthfulness, singing beautifully of his dreams and earnestly of his frustrations. This Albert is unlikely to join the ranks of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, his May Day gift from the pious community. Or if he does, he won’t go quietly.”

“Glyndebourne is at its matchless five-star best for a revival of Britten’s Ealing comedy Albert Herring. American soprano Gwynne Geyer makes a splendid old trout of a Lady Billows, and Allan Clayton – a highly promising young British tenor in the Bostridge and Padmore mould – is a most endearing Albert, sung with character and charm.”

“Clayton is that rare thing: an English tenor of lithe yet robust and unmannered muscle.”

“Allan Clayton brought a sure tone to the tenor numbers, lyrical in the opening ‘Comfort ye’ and impressively controlled in ‘Thou shalt break them’.””

“(Mark) Stone returns as an alert Papageno in the sublime quintet from Die Zauberflöte, ‘Hm! Hm! Hm! Hm!’, and is joined by the startlingly talented Allan Clayton as Tamino (Toby Spence come to mind when hearing his easy tone and intelligent rendition of the text)”
“The duet ‘Natus cadit’ from Apollo et Hyacinthus turns out to be top-drawer Mozart, the soprano and tenor voices both blending and contrasting in this relaxed performance by Martene Grimson and Allan Clayton.”

“The youthful voices were not unduly stretched – Allan Clayton, soon to be Glyndebourne’s Albert Herring, sounds a promising tenor”

“Allan Clayton’s bold tenor was heard to advantage as Count Vaudémont”

“Julia Sporsén’s Iolanta charted the character’s journey from introspective melancholy to the rapturous revelation of love and sight – prompted by the appearance of Allan Clayton’s winningly ardent Count Vaudémont”

“The soprano and countertenor, Sophie Daneman and Iestyn Davies, were deeply expressive, tenor Allan Clayton rising effortlessly to his high notes, with Neal Davies outstanding for his diction.”