Liam JamesKarai

The 2024/25 season sees Liam make house debuts across Europe including Teatro di San Carlo, Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera, Erl Tiroler Festspiele and return as a guest at Staatsoper Hamburg. Previously Liam was a member of the International Opera Studio at Staatsoper Hamburg and performed roles such as Angelotti in Tosca, Hobson in Peter Grimes, Zaretsky in Eugene Onegin & Count Ceprano in Rigoletto. Outside of Hamburg he performed as Escamillo in Barrie Kosky's revived production of Carmen in Oper Frankfurt, and as well in Staatstheater Mainz in a new production by Luise Kautz. He also appeared in a concert version of Ambroise Thomas’ Hamlet as Horatio at Salzburg Festspiele (where he was previously a member of the YSP) and sang in new production of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk at Oper Leipzig and Staatsoper Hamburg. Liam has also been a finalist of many international competitions including the 41st edition of Belvedere, Operalia 2024 and the 4th edition of the Antonina Campi International vocal competition where he took home 2nd place.

Alongside his operatic career, Liam is a keen concert soloist and has regularly performed in concerts around the world. Recent highlights include singing as the Bass Soloist for Beethoven 9 with Singapore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hans Graf, performing 2 opera galas with the Orquestra Simfònica de les Illes Balears conducted by Pablo Mielgo in Mallorca, and also his Elbphilharmonie Groẞer Saal debut singing as the bass soloist in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Kent Nagano. The seasons previous, Liam performed as the Bass Soloist for several other works including Mozart Requiem and Bach’s Weihnachtsoratorium.

Liam completed a Postgraduate Diploma on a full scholarship as well as a Master of Music degree in Performance at the Royal Northern College of Music.