John Savournin is a British Opera Singer and Director with 20 years experience, who enjoys a richly varied international career, having established himself as one of the opera world's most versatile artists and creatives.  He is the Artistic Director and CEO of Charles Court Opera.

He has directed productions and devised projects for companies including Opera North, Royal Ballet and Opera, Opera Holland Park, English National Opera, Scottish Opera and English Touring Opera.  In 2025 he will direct The Merry Widow in a co-production between Scottish Opera, Opera Holland Park and D'Oyly Carte.

As a singer, he has sung leading roles with companies including the English National Opera, Garsington Opera at Wormsley, BBC Proms, The Grange Festival, Opera Holland Park, Opera North, Scottish Opera, Welsh National Opera and the Nederlandse Reisopera.  In the 2024/25 season he returns to Opera North to sing Sir Despard, Ruddigore, and to ENO to sing the Pirate King, The Pirates of Penzance.

In concert, recent engagements included Judas in Elgar's The Apostles for the Three Choirs Festival, the Angel/Priest in The Dream of Gerontius for the London Chorus at Cadogan Hall, and Fortitudo in Haydn’s Applausus for Classical Opera at Cadogan Hall.  He has a passion for contemporary music, recently performing Peter Maxwell Davies’ Eight Songs for a Mad King for the Land’s End Ensemble, Calgary, and the Ossian Ensemble.

His recordings include Bartolo on the BBC Singers / BBC Concert Orchestra recording of Alfred Cellier’s The Mountebanks for Dutton Epoch, and Gubbins/The Dragon for Resonus Classics, which won a BBC Music Award.

He has been the Artistic Director and CEO of the nationally renowned Charles Court Opera for nearly 20 years - a company which focuses its work on the development of young singers.  He is a mentor with SingersResound, an online mentoring community for professional classical singers and a regular adjudicator for competitions at UK music colleges.

He is absolutely delighted to be working with Opera Prelude on developing its programme of events and opportunities for the young singers it supports.

We are absolutely thrilled to have John on board and can't wait to start facilitating wonderful musical opportunities for young artists together!

Please join us in welcoming him to the team!