Jones was joint winner of the 2013 Wagner Society Singing Competition,[8] and has since performed several of Richard Wagner's heldenbariton roles.[9] He appeared for Longborough Festival Opera as Wotan in Die Walküre (2021) and Siegfried (2022), and is due to reprise the role in their full cycle of Der Ring des Nibelungen in 2024, in a production directed by Amy Lane and conducted by Anthony Negus.[10]
Contemporary music
Jones has given world premiere performances of works by the composers Stephen McNeff (the oratorio Cities of Dreams in 2007; the role of Elisha in the opera The Burning Boy in 2017; and the role of Y Bon Pebr in the opera 2117 / Hedd Wyn in 2022); Stuart MacRae (his Prometheus Symphony at the 2019 Lammermuir Festival);[11]Conor Mitchell (the title role in The Musician, Belfast 2021), John Metcalf (the roles of Dancing Williams, Sinbad Sailors, Willy Nilly, Mr Pugh, Mr Pritchard and Mr Floyd in Under Milk Wood: An Opera, Metcalf's adaptation of Dylan Thomas' play for voices); Peter Wiegold (his short opera based on the movie Brief Encounter in 2004); Jonathan Owen Clark (his opera Hidden States in Newcastle in 2004); Richard Elfyn Jones (his oratorio In David's Land at St David's Cathedral in 2006, and his set of songs Four Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins in 2008); Jonathan Dove (his opera for television, Man on the Moon, in 2006); Keith Burstein (playing the role of Mohammed in the opera Manifest Destiny at the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe); David Power (his set Forever and Other Songs); Emily Hall (four settings of words by Toby Litt at the 2010 Grimsby St Hugh's Festival); Sadie Harrison (Heartoutbursts); and Timothy Raymond (From Dark to Dark). For Northern Ireland Opera in 2012 he created the roles of the Policeman in Ed Bennett's Jackie's Taxi, the Father in Christopher Norby's The Girl Who Knew She Could Fly and the Father in Brian Irvine's May Contain Flash Photography.[12]
As a member of Yehudi Menuhin's Live Music Now! scheme he gave over 200 concerts,[16] mainly in partnership with the pianist Llŷr Williams, with whom he continues to collaborate; their debut album of classical songs, titled Enaid – Songs of the Soul, was released in November 2007 by Sain.[17]
In November 2008 they premiered a set of songs, Four Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins, written specifically for them by the composer Richard Elfyn Jones, in a recital at Cardiff University, and in August 2011 they appeared at an evening recital at the Machynlleth Festival, giving their first performance of Schubert's Winterreise.[18]
Recordings
Jones' debut album of classical songs, titled Enaid – Songs of the Soul, was released in November 2007 by Sain.,[19] with the pianist Llŷr Williams. A track from the album was included on Sain's 2009 compilation album, The Welsh Gold Collection.[20]
His second solo album, Songs Now, of songs by contemporary British composers, was released in August 2012 by Meridian Records, with the pianist Ian Ryan.[21] His third solo album, of songs by Clara Schumann and Rhian Samuel, with soprano Katharine Dain and pianist Jocelyn Freeman, was released in 2019 by Ty Cerdd Records under the title Song Lied Cân.[22]
Jones sings the roles of Squire Allworthy and Dobbin on Naxos' recording of Edward German's Tom Jones, released in August 2009. He appears in various roles, including Dancing Williams, Sinbad Sailors and Mr Pugh, on the original cast recording of John Metcalf's Under Milk Wood: An Opera, released by Ty Cerdd in 2014,[23] and in Stephen McNeff's 2117 / Hedd Wyn as Y Bon Pebr, also from Ty Cerdd in 2022, with a libretto by Gruff Rhys.[24]
Since 2021 Jones has been a member of the steering group of the voluntary campaigning organisation Freelancers Make Theatre Work,[28] being particularly active on the impact of Brexit on the performing arts industry in the UK.[29]
