BIOGRAPHY

Jonathan Summers has achieved world acclaim for his interpretation of a wide variety of operatic roles in the great opera houses of the world, particularly the works of Mozart, Verdi and Puccini.
After early training in Australia and Britain, his highly praised debut with Kent Opera as Rigoletto in Jonathan Miller’s production was quickly followed by a contract with The Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London.
His many guest appearances include Scottish Opera, Welsh National Opera, English National Opera, Opera North, Glyndebourne Festival, Opera Australia, Victoria State Opera, State Opera of South Australia, Paris Opera, Theatre du Capitole Toulouse, La Fenice Venice, Theatre Communale Florence, Theatre Municipale Lausanne, Hamburg State Opera, Bavarian State Opera Munich, State Opera Cologne, Theatre de la Monnai Brussels, Grand Theatre Geneva, The Metropolitan Opera New York, and Lyric Opera Chicago.
For many years he has regularly worked with the great opera singers of the day including Joan Sutherland, Kiri Te Kanawa, Mirella Freni, Alfredo Kraus, Jon Vickers, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Luciano Pavarotti; and also many of the great conductors including Carlos Klieber, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Charles Mackerras, Sir George Solti, Bernard Haitink, Riccardo Muti, Wolfgang Sawallisch, and Claudio Abbado.

EARLY CAREER
Studied singer with Bettine McCaughan in Melbourne (1964-1974)
and in London with Otakar Kraus (1974-1980)
Won all major singing competitions in Australian during 1972, 1973 & 1974
Professional debut November 1975 in the title role of Rigoletto for Kent Opera.

MAJOR DEBUTS
English National Opera November 1976 as Tonio in I Pagliacci
Royal Opera House Covent Garden debut January 1977 as Killian in Der Freischutz
Opera Australia Sydney in June 1981 as Pere Germont in La Traviata
Paris Opera in January 1982 as Herrufer in Lohengrin
Hamburg State Opera May 1986 as Rodrigo in Don Carlos
Metropolitan Opera New York January 1988 as Marcello in La Boheme
Bavarian State Opera Munich January 1988 as Figaro in La Nozze di Figaro
La Fenice Venice January 1990 as Rodolfo in La Boheme (Leoncavallo)

A more detailed biography can be downloaded here

Jonathan is represented by Patricia Greenan & Penelope Marland Associates Artists Management