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has played many roles during his career and has received enthusiastic acclaim from audiences and critics alike.
Below, find his biography and some of the many national and international reviews of his performances. Also, a special video for you to enjoy, featuring the aria "La Vendetta" from Le Nozze di Figaro at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. Jonathan plays the role of Bartolo, for which he received warm critical acclaim.
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Jonathan Veira’s extensive repertoire over 25 years includes Don Alfonso Così fan tutte, Leporello Don Giovanni, Papageno The Magic Flute,the Count, Dr Bartolo & Antonio Le nozze di Figaro, Don Magnifico La cenerentola, Dr Bartolo Il barbiere di Siviglia, Mustafa L’Italiana in Algeri, Falstaff, Fra Melitone La forza del destino, Dulcamara L’elisir d’amore,Don Pasquale, Tonio Pagliacci, Schaunard La Bohème (Leoncavallo), Sharpless Madama Butterfly,the Bonze madama Butterfly ,Scarpia Tosca,the Sacristan Tosca, Don Alvaro La vedova scaltra, Buonafede Il mondo della luna (Haydn), Harasta The Cunning Little Vixen, Kolenatý The Makropulos Case, Dikoi Kat’a Kabanova, The Foreman Jenůfa, Keçal The Bartered Bride, Claggart Billy Budd, Hobson Peter Grimes,Bottom Midsummer night's dream,Quince midsummer night's dream, Varlaam Boris Godunov, Calchas La Belle Hélène, Baron Mirko Zeta The Merry Widow, The Doctor Vanessa, Merlin New Year, and The Judge Sweeney Todd.
Among the conductors he has worked with are David Atherton, Sir Andrew Davis, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Sir Bernard Haitink, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Vladimir Jurowsky, Jirí Kout, Jon Marin, Antonio Pappano, Christian Baddea,Steven Barlow and Michael Schønwandt amoung many others.
Jonathan Veira has appeared regularly at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, English National Opera and Glyndebourne Festival. His international engagements have taken him to the Opera de Lyon, Opernhaus Zürich, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Royal Danish Opera, Opernhaus Leipzig, Norwegian National Opera,the Royal swedish opera the Opéra du Rhin, Opera New Zealand, and the opera companies of Montpellier, Nice ,Aix-en-provence,Caen,Lille,Amias and limoges. In the United Kingdom Jonathan Veira has also appeared with Scottish Opera and Welsh National Opera. As a concert artist Jonathan Veira has performed in major venues including many engagements for the BBC Promenade Concerts at the Royal Albert Hall.
Jonathan Veira was a featured artist in the Lehnhoff Janacek cycle at Opéra de Lyon in the roles of Dr Kolenatý The Makropulos Case, Dikoi Kat’a Kabanova, and The Foreman Jenůfa.
Television appearances include: Le Nozze di figaro(ROH);Death in Venice(GFO);Madama Butterfly(ROH);Marriage of Figaro(channel 4);Zoe (Glyndebourne in conjuction with channel 4)amongst others. He has frequently appeared on BBC 1 for over 21 years on Songs of Praise and a variety of religious programmes.
Nearly all of the above operas have been aired on Radio 3 and various national European radio stations. Jonathan has also made frequent appearances on BBC radio 2's Friday Night is Music Night. In addition Jonathan broadcast regularly over many years for the live BBC Proms.
Recordings include: Le nozze di Figaro(Chandos); Jenufa(ROH); Lulu (GFO); Betrothal in a Monastery(GFO); La vedova Scaltra(Montpelier); Rose of Persia The spanish lady(BBC); Opera Rara collection of Bel canto style(Philharmonia);A century of english song(Somm); Of fire and dew,the songs of John Jefferys (Somm);Idylls and Elegies With the philharmonia:more of john jefferys(divine art); Fogotten memories;a collection of Edwardian and Victorian parlour songs with Shelley Katz Piano.
Jonathan has also recorded six solo CDs and a DVD of his one man show on the elevation label with a mixture of popular and Gospel songs; details on the shop page.
In recent seasons, Jonathan Veira’s engagements have included Don Magnifico La cenerentola for the Royal Swedish Opera and the Royal Danish Opera; General Groves Dr Atomic and Varlaam Boris Godunov for English National Opera; Würfl, Caroskvouci and De Konsel The Adventures of Mr Broucek and Harasta The Cunning Little Vixen for Grand Théâtre de Genève; Mustafa L’Italiana in Algeri in Lille, Amiens and Caen; Dulcamara L’elisir d’amore at Leipzig Opera; Dr Bartolo Le nozze di Figaro and Le Bailli Werther for the Royal Opera; Dr Bartolo Il barbiere di Siviglia for Norwegian National Opera; Frank Die Fledermaus and Father Augustine Betrothal in a Monastery for Glyndebourne Festival Opera; Tosca (ENO) and Falstaff (GTO)
Jonathan recently sang the role of Don magnifico to great critical acclaim for GTO(see reviews).
His future plans include Mustfa for opera Opera limoges and in Aix-en-provence,quince ,midsummer night's dream (ENO) and the title role of the new glyndebourne production of Don Pasquale. |
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| Jonathan as Bartolo in the acclaimed production of 'Marriage of Figaro' from The Royal Opera House |
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Online Review:
'...the magnificent Jonathan Veira as Varlaam began to hint that under the cumbersome speeds and brooding sets a good performance of the opera could have been in the making. Jonathan Veira in particular gave the jovial rogue a richly diverse characterisation, both as an actor and with his vocal range.'
The Stage:
'...outclassed by Brindley Sherratt's noble scribe Pimen and Jonathan Veira's rumbustious monk-on-the-run Varlaam.'
Musical Criticism.com:
' Jonathan Veira's Varlaam was excellent in the comic scenes on the Lithuanian border.'
Sunday Telegraph:
'... and Jonathan Veira has rollicking fun as the drunken Varlaam.'
Opera Today:
'Jonathan Veira was a characterful Varlaam.'
Boulezian:
'Jonathan Veira shone in the wonderful role of Varlaam; he simply was the fraudulent mendicant friar.'
The Independant on Sunday:
'... warmly sung Innkeeper (Yvonne Howard) and Varlaam (Jonathan veira) are not to be sniffed at.'
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Politiken 21st October 2002/ Jan Jacoby:
Veira is also masterly with his icy and heavy authority. After a lot of excellent comedy roles it is very exciting meeting his great musical and dramatic talent in Claggert's demonic figure, who's imposing danger only Billy Budd can overlook. From his first imposing entrée up the stairs from below deck with a lurking glance he has the stage in his power, and treating the text sharp as a snake he stretches his beautiful voice to powerful dominant heights.
Børsen (Stock Exchange Paper) /Ulrik Cold:
Veira is the poison personified, as the, disturbed & envious Claggert. He has to destroy happiness and joy.
B.T. /Randi K. Petersen:
…and Veira sings the Master of Arms Claggert gloriously and has a formidable stage presence in his strong hatred to the Navy's upper-class officers.
Skånska Dagbladet (Scania Daily Mail) Ingemar Olander:
Impressing is Jonathan Veira as the villain Claggert. Dark and devilishly-slow walking across the stage he spots and corners his victim merciless.
Jyllands-Posten / John Christiansen:
Billy Budd's evil opponent Claggert was played to the line, but never crossing it by the harmonious singing of Jonathan Veira. Britten has given him a credo of evil similar to Jago in Othello, adding to the figure an extra edge of psychological mystery.
Berlingske / Søren Kassebeer:
Veira's Claggert is ironic and demon like and there are many fine moments. A fine detail is the way Veira portrays Claggert, touching deeply and underlining that there is still a little part left of humanity underneath the rock hard surface.
Ekstra Bladet ****** Gregers Dirkinck-Holmfeld:
…and now to the Devil himself. 'Can't you get love yourself then destroy others' - black and evil as Shakespeare's Jago, Jonathan Veira sings and acts so we are all thrilled (or is sending icy thrills down the spine?)
Dagen (The Day, totally new news-paper) Jakob Levinsen:
It is though the English veteran Jonathan Veira as Claggert, who steals big parts of the performance, is able to show how the evil hurts the monster as well.
Der Nordschleswiger, Germany / Fritz Schultz:
The baritone Jonathan Veira sings and acts the dark and unpleasant Claggert or outstandingly.
(Der Bariton JV singt und spielt hervoragend den unbehaglichen und bösartigen Claggert.)
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Sunday Express:
'...especially strong work from Jonathan Veira as the wicked Judge Turpin.'
What's On? :
'Jonathan Veira gives us a truly ghastly Judge Turpin.'
The Stage :
' Jonathan Veira a menacing Judge Turpin.'
Sunday Telegraph:
'Role call of distinguished British singers filled the other roles.... Jonathan Veira as the self-flagellating judge.'
Birmingham Post:
'Jonathan Veira is a sinister Judge Turpin.'
Daily Telegraph :
'Jonathan Veira a chillingly cadaverous lecher of a Judge Turpin.'
The Independant :
'Jonathan Vera is a bluff Dickensian cameo to treasure.'
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The Independent:
'Falstaff... debauched and avuncular with a glint in the eye and taken by Jonathan Veira with a fine line in mellow lyricism as well as the bark that is worse than the bite, and a presence that easily dominates' .... vocally plausible, visually glorious...
Opera Magazine:
'Jonathan Veira's outsize stage personality is well suited to the title role... his over-weening self-confidence and ebullience were ideal.'
The Sunday Telegraph:
'Jonathan Veira's Falstaff... strongly sung was free from caricature that makes the Fat Knight merely ridiculous. One could believe this Sir John had once been page to the Duke of Norfolk.'
Evening Standard:
'Jonathan Veira's... delivery and timing were immaculate from start to finish, and he managed to display every aspect of Falstaff's sophisticated, contradictory make-up with a lustful honesty that was quite delightful. His humour, his temper, his pride and humility all fine-tuned to comic perfection.'
The Times :
'Jonathan Veira sustains a clear, lithe line throughout.'
What's On & Where To Go:
Mr Veira both looks and sounds the part, doesn't over do the comic acting.... finds both humour and pathos.... a first rate performance.'
Opera Now:
'Worthy of special mention is Jonathan Veira's hilarious Falstaff. Every comic moment... is mined and exploited, his absurd caperings, mock-heroics and moves of self-satisfaction perfectly embody the spirit of the self-deluded Sir John.'
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Time Out :
'Casting is uniformly strong with experienced bass Jonathan Veira singing Mustafa with the right amount of menace and stupidity.'
The Times:
'Jonathan Veira is a fine comic and sang Mustafa's recitatives with clarity, imagination and - a shining beacon in a dark evening - a modicum of wit.'
Sunday Telegraph:
'Jonathan Veira as Mustafa sang excellently.'
Evening Standard:
'Jonathan Veira's impressively amiable, well-sung Mustafa...'
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The Times:
'Unstinting praise for... Jonathan Veira's virtuoso performance as the lawyer Kolenatý.'
Sunday Telegraph:
'Jonathan Veira explosive as Dr Kolenatý.'
Guardian:
'Jonathan Veira's Kolenatý projects well, especially as he is pattering through the details of the lawsuit.'
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'Jonathan Veira with sonorous baritone offered a wonderful character study.'
'The Old Doctor, played by Jonathan Veira, was the most beautiful surprise ... a feeling baritone and a still more highly-gifted actor ... who meets exactly the tone between embarrasment and comic.'
'Jonathan Veira brings a relief which makes his character particularly attractive.'
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Opera News: As Talum Hadjo in 'The Magic Fountain' (Scottish Opera)
'Jonathan Veira was impressive as the seer Talum Hadjo'
Belfast Telegraph: Dulcamara: 'L'elisir d'amore' (Opera Northern Ireland)
'The cast was dominated by the towering and well-sung Dulcamara of Jonathan Veira'
Opera Now: Dr Bartolo: 'Il Barbiere di Siviglia' (Opera Northern Ireland)
'Jonathan Veira's vigorous Doctor, sung with beauty and elegance...'
Danish Gazette: Fra Melitone in 'La forza del destino' (Royal Danish Opera)
'As the monk Melitone, Jonathan Veira juggles with his elegant baritone and wins his way into the hearts of the audience.'
Evening Standard: Leporello: 'Don Giovanni' (Glyndebourne Touring Opera)
'...for Jonathan Veira, a familiar Glyndebourne star, Leporello is an ideal role.'
The Guardian: Papageno: 'Die Zauberflote' (Covent Garden Festival)
'Jonathan Veira had both the voice, rich and firm, and the effervescent personality to dominate the performance.'
Belfast Telegraph: Amonasro: 'Aida' (Opera Northern Ireland)
'As always, Veira sings and convinces with superb style.'
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| Don Pasquale trying to marry off Ernesto, his nephew, who flatly refuses. So Pasquale says he will marry her instead- That's Opera for you! |
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