Mr James Way

An internationally acclaimed tenor, James is recognised for the versatility of his voice and commanding stage presence. His work spans a variety of disciplines as performer, educator and artistic director. Outside of his own performing, his interests lie in enhancing and enabling the performances of others, drawing on neighbouring art forms including theatre and dance as well as psychology, elite sport and performing arts medicine.

‘A magnetic presence’ (Opera Magazine), he is regularly praised for his interpretations of 20th century music: Stravinsky and Britten in particular. His wide experience includes roles at Glyndebourne Opera for both Robin Ticciati and Dalia Stasevska, Berlin Staatsoper for Rene Jacobs, Garsington Opera and BBC Proms for Douglas Boyd alongside concert engagements with Munich Philharmonic, Copenhagen Philharmonic, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris and the Philharmonia Orchestra for conductors including Jakub Hrůša, Barbara Hannigan and George Benjamin.

In demand as an interpreter of Handel, he has worked with leading baroque orchestras across the world including Handel & Haydn Society Boston, Les Arts Florissants, Freiburger Barockorchester, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Dunedin Consort. His debut as Jupiter in Handel Semele at the Musikverein was the start in a long line of Handel roles including Zadok Solomon with Harry Bicket & the English Concert at Carnegie Hall, Tempo Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno for Rene Jacobs and William Christie, San Giovanni La Resurrezione with Marc Minkowski and the title role in Samson for John Butt and Dunedin Consort.

James’ growing discography includes Handel L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato with Les Arts Florissants and William Christie and Stanford Requiem with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Martyn Brabbins, Stanford Songs of Faith, Love and Nonsense recorded with Roderick Williams and Andrew West and Purcell Fairy Queen and King Arthur with Gabrieli Consort, winner of BBC Music Magazine's Recording of the Year. His recording of the Complete Britten Canticles will be released in February 2025.

Alongside his performing, James is in demand as a performance coach and voice teacher. He has held the roles of Musician-in-residence and Head of Vocal Studies at Highgate School and is a visiting coach at the Royal Academy of Music. As one of only a handful of non-clinicians ever, he recently completed a PgCert in Performing Arts Medicine at University College London where he was awarded the Michael Shipley Award for the high level of his work and commitment to performer health and psychology.