Artist Biography

Image Gallery

'O weh! Ach des Ubels, das ich geahnt' (Tristan and Isolde), Wagner

Leah-Marian Jones

Mezzo-Soprano

Print

Artist Manager: Sioned Jones sioned.jones@harlequin-agency.co.uk


Long established on the stages of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; English National Opera; Scottish Opera; Welsh National Opera and Opera North, Welsh mezzo-soprano Leah-Marian Jones has made guest appearances at The Metropolitan Opera, New York; Théâtre du Châtelet; Angers-Nantes Opéra and Opéra de Rennes, France.

Long established on the stages of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; English National Opera; Scottish Opera; Welsh National Opera and Opera North, Welsh mezzo-soprano Leah-Marian Jones has made guest appearances at The Metropolitan Opera, New York; Théâtre du Châtelet; Angers-Nantes Opéra and Opéra de Rennes, France.

A graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester and the National Opera Studio, London, Leah-Marian Jones was a Company Principal at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden for eight years where she sang over thirty roles including Tisbe in La Cenerentola; Dorabella in Così fan tutte; Maddalena in Rigoletto; Mercedes in Carmen; Annina in Der Rosenkavalier; Flosshilde in Das Rheingold and Götterdämmerung.

Engagements as a freelance singer include the Title Role in Carmen; Maddalena in Rigoletto; Orestes in La Belle Helene; Sonyetka in Lady Macbeth of Mtzensk; Rossweisse in Valkyrie and Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream for English National Opera; Meg Page in Falstaff; Dorabella in Così fan tutte; Hänsel  and Witch in Hänsel Und Gretel; Annina in Der Rosenkavalier; Page in Salome; Bersi in Andrea Chenier; Baba the Turk in The Rake’s Progress; Jezibaba in Rusalka and Rossweisse, Flosshilde and Norn in Wagner’s Ring for Scottish Opera; Sara in Roberto Devereux; Hedwige in Guillaume Tell; Amenofi in Mosè in Egitto; Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana; Maddalena in Rigoletto; Kabanicha in Kátya Kabanová and Genevieve in Pelléas et Mélisande, which included performances at the 2018 Hong Kong International Arts Festival for Welsh National Opera; Zaida in Il Turco in Italia and Polly Peachum in The Beggars Opera for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Maddalena and Giovanna in Rigoletto for Opera North; Frederica in Luisa Miller for Chelsea Opera; Carmen in La Tragedie de Carmen for English Touring Opera and Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Aldeburgh Festival. 

She made her American début as Junon in Platée in Berkeley, San Francisco and subsequently performed The Young Doctor in Palestrina at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York.  In Europe she has sung Flosshilde in Götterdämmerung at the Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris; Meg Page in Falstaff and Flora in La Traviata for Angers-Nantes Opéra and Opéra de Rennes; Kabanicha in Katya Kabanova with Opéra National de Lorraine and Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Teatro Massimo, Palermo.

Recent concerts include a performance at the Hay on Wye Literature Festival with Sir Bryn Terfel, Rebecca Evans and Trystan Llŷr Griffiths. She has performed the roles of Flosshilde and Rossweisse in various concert performances of Das Rheingold and Götterdämmerung with the Hallé Orchestra conducted by Sir Mark Elder, Elgar’s Sea Pictures with the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera at St David’s Cathedral as part of the Fishguard Festival, Madame Rivers in Adelson e Salvini with the BBC Symphony Orchestra for Opera Rara at the Barbican, London (also recorded). At the Royal Albert Hall, London, she has performed in a Gala Concert with the late Luciano Pavarotti, a programme of Verdi music at the BBC Proms; Handel’s Messiah and a televised performance of Karl Jenkins’ Mass for Peace - The Armed Man, conducted by the composer in celebration of his 60th birthday.

She has hosted her own television series on S4C and appeared as a soloist on Diva, Diva, Diva with Lesley Garret on BBC 2. Recordings include Britten’s Paul Bunyan for Chandos.

This season, Leah-Marian joins Opra Cymru to perform the role of Despina in their touring production of Cosi Fan Tutte. Recent highlights have included the roles of Latifa and Old Lady in Mohammed Fairouz's newly commissioned opera, Al Wasl in Dubai with Welsh National Opera, her role debut as Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro, Princess Marie Akrossimova/ Aide de Camp of Murat/ Mavra Kuzminichna in War and Peace and Secretary in concert performances of The Consul also all for WNO, Zita in Gianni Schicchi for Opera North and Rosa in concert performances of Silvano with Scottish Opera.


Artist biographies are updated frequently, so please contact us for the latest version. This biography should not be reproduced or altered without permission.

Bach Mass in B minor
Beethoven Choral Symphony
Beethoven Mass in C Major
Bruckner Te Deum
Colin Mathews Aftertones
Dvořák Mass in D Major
Dvořák Stabat Mater
Elgar The Kingdom
Elgar Dream of Gerontius
Elgar The Music Makers
Elgar Sea Pictures
Handel Messiah
Handel Foundling Hospital Anthem
Haydn Nelson Mass
Haydn Theresienmesse
Haydn Stabat Mater
Jenkins The Armed Man
Mahler Symphony No. 2
Mathias St Teilo
Mendelssohn Elijah
Mozart Mass in C minor
Mozart Requiem
Rossini Petite Messe Solonnelle
Rossini Stabat Mater
Saint-Saëns Christmas Oratorio
Verdi Requiem
Bach
Mass in B minor
Beethoven
Choral Symphony
Beethoven
Mass in C Major
Bruckner
Te Deum
Colin Mathews
Aftertones
Dvořák
Mass in D Major
Dvořák
Stabat Mater
Elgar
The Kingdom
Elgar
Dream of Gerontius
Elgar
The Music Makers
Elgar
Sea Pictures
Handel
Messiah
Handel
Foundling Hospital Anthem
Haydn
Nelson Mass
Haydn
Theresienmesse
Haydn
Stabat Mater
Jenkins
The Armed Man
Mahler
Symphony No. 2
Mathias
St Teilo
Mendelssohn
Elijah
Mozart
Mass in C minor
Mozart
Requiem
Rossini
Petite Messe Solonnelle
Rossini
Stabat Mater
Saint-Saëns
Christmas Oratorio
Verdi
Requiem
Prokofiev War and PeacePrincess Marie Akrossimova
Bellini NormaAdalgisa, Clotilde
Bizet CarmenTitle Role, Mercedes
Britten Paul BunyanPoppet, Goose 2
Britten A Midsummer Night's DreamHippolyta
Debussy Pelléas et Mélisande Genevieve
Donizetti Roberto DevereuxSara
Dvořák RusalkaJezibaba
Gay The Beggar's OperaPolly Peachum
Giordano Andrea Chénier Bersi
Gounod FaustSiebel
Humperdinck Hänsel Und GretelHansel, Witch
Janáček JenufaKarolka
Janáček Kátya Kabanová Kabanicha, Varvara
Mascagni Cavalleria RusticanaLola
Mascagni SilvanoRosa
Massenet ManonRosette
Menotti The ConsulSecretary
Mozart Die ZauberflöteSecond Lady
Mozart Così fan tutte Dorabella. Despina
Mozart Le nozze di Figaro Marcellina
Offenbach La Belle HeleneOrestes
Pfitzner PalestrinaYoung Doctor
Puccini Madame ButterflySuzuki
Puccini La RondineBianca, Gabriella
Puccini Gianni SchicchiZita
Rameau PlatéeJunon
Richard Strauss Der RosenkavalierAnnina
Richard Strauss SalomePage
Rossini Le Comte OryIsolier
Rossini L'Italiana in AlgeriZulma
Rossini La CenerentolaTisbe
Rossini Il Turco in ItaliaZaida
Rossini Guillaume Tell Hedwige
Rossini Mosè in Egitto Amenofi
Shostakovich Lady Macbeth of MtzenskSonyetka
Stravinsky The Rake's ProgressBaba the Turk
Tchaikovsky The EnchantressPolia
Verdi RigolettoMaddalena, Giovanna
Verdi StiffelioDorothea
Verdi AidaHigh Priestess
Verdi La TraviataFlora, Annina
Verdi OtelloEmilia
Verdi NabuccoFenena
Verdi Luisa MillerLaura
Verdi FalstaffMeg
Verdi La battaglia di LegnanoImelda
Verdi Luisa MillerFrederica
Wagner Das RheingoldFlosshilde
Wagner GötterdämmerungFlosshilde, First Norn, Second Norn
Wagner ParsifalSecond Esquire, Third Flower Maiden, Sixth Flower Maiden
Wagner Die WalküreRossweisse
Prokofiev
War and Peace
Princess Marie Akrossimova
Bellini
Norma
Adalgisa, Clotilde
Bizet
Carmen
Title Role, Mercedes
Britten
Paul Bunyan
Poppet, Goose 2
Britten
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Hippolyta
Debussy
Pelléas et Mélisande
Genevieve
Donizetti
Roberto Devereux
Sara
Dvořák
Rusalka
Jezibaba
Gay
The Beggar's Opera
Polly Peachum
Giordano
Andrea Chénier
Bersi
Gounod
Faust
Siebel
Humperdinck
Hänsel Und Gretel
Hansel, Witch
Janáček
Jenufa
Karolka
Janáček
Kátya Kabanová
Kabanicha, Varvara
Mascagni
Cavalleria Rusticana
Lola
Mascagni
Silvano
Rosa
Massenet
Manon
Rosette
Menotti
The Consul
Secretary
Mozart
Die Zauberflöte
Second Lady
Mozart
Così fan tutte
Dorabella. Despina
Mozart
Le nozze di Figaro
Marcellina
Offenbach
La Belle Helene
Orestes
Pfitzner
Palestrina
Young Doctor
Puccini
Madame Butterfly
Suzuki
Puccini
La Rondine
Bianca, Gabriella
Puccini
Gianni Schicchi
Zita
Rameau
Platée
Junon
Richard Strauss
Der Rosenkavalier
Annina
Richard Strauss
Salome
Page
Rossini
Le Comte Ory
Isolier
Rossini
L'Italiana in Algeri
Zulma
Rossini
La Cenerentola
Tisbe
Rossini
Il Turco in Italia
Zaida
Rossini
Guillaume Tell
Hedwige
Rossini
Mosè in Egitto
Amenofi
Shostakovich
Lady Macbeth of Mtzensk
Sonyetka
Stravinsky
The Rake's Progress
Baba the Turk
Tchaikovsky
The Enchantress
Polia
Verdi
Rigoletto
Maddalena, Giovanna
Verdi
Stiffelio
Dorothea
Verdi
Aida
High Priestess
Verdi
La Traviata
Flora, Annina
Verdi
Otello
Emilia
Verdi
Nabucco
Fenena
Verdi
Luisa Miller
Laura
Verdi
Falstaff
Meg
Verdi
La battaglia di Legnano
Imelda
Verdi
Luisa Miller
Frederica
Wagner
Das Rheingold
Flosshilde
Wagner
Götterdämmerung
Flosshilde, First Norn, Second Norn
Wagner
Parsifal
Second Esquire, Third Flower Maiden, Sixth Flower Maiden
Wagner
Die Walküre
Rossweisse

Opera

War & Peace

Madame Akhrossimova in War & Peace with Welsh National Opera, September 2018
The Guardian
Leah-Marian Jones brings distinction to Madame Akhrossimova, but she also brings vocal colour and intensity to other vivid vignettes.

Katya Kabanova

Kabanicha in Katya Kabanova at Opera National de Lorraine, February 2018
Olyrix
Leah-Marian Jones is an extraordinary Kabanikha. Odious, cruel, tyrannical, she never lets go of her smirk until Katia's suicide.

Rusalka

Jezibaba in Rusalka for Scottish Opera
Opera Now
As Jezibaba, Leah-Marian Jones evokes a pungent worldly wisdom that is both pragmatic and hideous.

Guillaume Tell

Hedwige in Guillaume Tell by Welsh National Opera, November 2014
Planet Hugill
Leah-Marian Jones made warmly supportive Hedwige, and her account of Hedwige's impassioned outburst in act four, when Tell is in prison, made you wish Rossini had given more to the role.

Roberto Devereux

Sara, Duchess di Nottingham in Vagaries Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux for Welsh National Opera, October 2013
Seen and Heard International
Leah-Marian Jones’ portrayal of that role by was outstanding in both singing and acting.

Roberto Devereux

Sara, Duchess di Nottingham in Vagaries Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux for Welsh National Opera, October 2013
Morning Star
Leah-Marian Jones is utterly convincing as the unhappily married Duchess of Nottingham who pines for her lost love, the Earl of Essex. Her scenes with both Elisabetta and Leonardo Capalbo's Roberto are pure joy as she moves from anguish to tender love.

Roberto Devereux

Sara, Duchess di Nottingham in Vagaries Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux for Welsh National Opera, October 2013
Wales Online
Leah-Marian Jones sang a fragile, vulnerable Sara, the queen’s love rival for Roberto in this loose retelling of history. Sara’s scenes with her husband, the powerfully sung Nottingham from David Kempster, were gripping and disturbing.

The Rake's Progress

Baba the Turk in The Rake's Progress for Scottish Opera, March 2012
Culture Magazine Sunday Times
Leah-Marian Jones is an alluring and sympathetically sung Bearded Lady.

Hansel and Gretel

Witch in Hansel and Gretel for Scottish Opera, February 2012
The Daily Telegraph
The show was stolen by Leah-Marian Jones’s comic turn as the Witch – wittily presented as a simpering rococo dairymaid, rather than a toothless hag.

Hansel and Gretel

Witch in Hansel and Gretel for Scottish Opera, February 2012
The Guardian
Leah-Marian Jones played the flirtatious witch with vocal might and flair.

Hansel and Gretel

Witch in Hansel and Gretel for Scottish Opera, February 2012
The Financial Times
Leah-Marian Jones, who sang Hansel in a previous Scottish Opera production, is reincarnated as the Witch – glamorous and candy-like, with a vivid cackle. She sets the seal on a memorable night.

Hansel and Gretel

Witch in Hansel and Gretel for Scottish Opera, February 2012
Culture Magazine Sunday Times
Leah-Marian Jones plays and sings and eye - and ear - catching Witch.

Katya Kabanova

Kabanicha in Katya Kabanova for Welsh National Opera, October 2011
The Guardian
Leah-Marian Jones's Kabanicha is chilling.

La Cenerentola

Tisbe in La Cenerentola for the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, December 2007
The Sunday Times
Leah-Marian Jones’s venomous Tisbe almost steals the show.

Cosi fan tutte

Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte for the Royal Opera, Covent Garden
The Times
Leah Marian Jones was the best of the women as Dorabella who for once is blonde and fluffy as well as flirtatious. The Heart Duet with Guglielmo showed the advantage of having fresh young voices toying with one another.

Carmen

Mercedes in Carmen for the Royal Opera, Covent Garden
The Sunday Times
Leah Marian Jones’ Mercedes stood out, the only singer on stage to sing and speak meaningful idiomatic French.

Otello

Emilia in Otello for the Royal Opera, Covent Garden
Opera
Leah-Marian Jones convinced us that Emilia is a formidable character.

Der Rosenkavalier

Annina in Der Rosenkavalier for Scottish Opera
Opera
The many smaller roles were most expertly filled, with Leah-Marian Jones a particularly alluring Annina.

Concerts & Recitals

Soloist in Verdi Requiem with Brighton & Hove Philharmonic Society
Evening Argus
Leah Marian Jones’s voice is wonderfully brass edged but she can also let it soar bravely high. What is more, she acts each phrase as well as she sings it. Her Carmen for English National Opera must have been ravishing.

This Artist Biography was last updated on 26 January 2023. It is our policy to update biographies every six months. If this information is to be used after 26 July 2023 please contact us and we shall be delighted to supply you with the latest version by return.