Tell us about your journey into opera - did you have a eureka moment when you were younger?

I’d never seen an opera before I’d started studying it. I grew up in Wales, competing a lot in local competitions. My grandma taught me up until I was about 14 or 15 before I started having singing lessons. I was lucky to have two really good teachers before coming to conservatoire, Ann Atkinson and Brian Hughes. I auditioned at the Royal College in London a few days after my 18th birthday. They offered me a place on the day, and I thought ‘gosh, I guess I’m going to have to take this up’! It was a big step moving to London from a farm in rural Wales but I’m glad I did it. I’ve been here now for seven years.

What advice would you have for younger opera singers thinking about embarking upon a career as a performer?

I’d say just focus on what you want and take every opportunity. Along the way I haven’t turned opportunities down much, because you never know what they might lead on to. The other thing I would say is don’t focus on other people’s achievements or journeys – enjoy your own process.

If you weren’t an opera singer, what do you think you’d be doing instead?

It’s a very easy answer for me – I’d be home, farming. I went on a taster weekend to an agricultural university and the deadlines for auditioning for conservatoire happened to fall before the university application deadline. If I had been unsuccessful in my audition, I would’ve put my application in for university and I’d be doing something completely different with my life.

What are your plans for the future?

I’m very excited to announce I’ll be taking part in the young artists programme at the Bayerische Staatsoper’s Opera Studio in Munich. Just before that, I’m traveling to Switzerland to do an opera at the Verbier festival where I’ll be playing the role of Fenton in Falstaff.