{{Short description|Welsh singer (born 1966)}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Rhys Meirion | image = Rhys Meirion 2011 llai.jpg | caption = | image_size = | birth_name = Rhys Meirion | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|df=y|02|24}} | birth_place = Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd | instrument = Vocals | genre = Opera | occupation = Classical Tenor | years_active = | label = Sain | associated_acts = | website = {{url|http://rhysmeirion.com}} }} [[File:Suo Gan - Rhys Meirion.ogg|thumb|Rhys Meirion singing the Welsh lullaby {{lang|cy|Suo Gân}} (opening)]] '''Rhys Meirion''' is a Welsh opera and classical tenor singer. He was born on 24 February 1966 in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd. He joined the English National Opera in 1999 and became a company principal from 2001 to 2004. He has also sung leading roles at Oper Frankfurt, West Australian Opera and Opera Australia.<ref>http://www.womex.com/virtual/sain_recordiau_cyf/rhys_meirionVirtualWOMEX website.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002050731/http://www.womex.com/virtual/sain_recordiau_cyf/rhys_meirion |date=2 October 2011 }}</ref> His album ''Benedictus'' with the bass-baritone Bryn Terfel was nominated for a Classical Brit Award in 2006.{{Citation needed |reason=No source is provided for the Brit award nomination |date=October 2021}}
==Biography== Rhys Meirion was born on 24 February 1966 in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, and was brought up in Tremadog.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Crump |first1=Eryl |title=Rhys Meirion at 50 |url=https://social.shorthand.com/dailypostwales/ngcaYaQ6lpf/rhys-meirion-at-50 |website=Shorthand Social |publisher=Daily Post Wales |date=19 Feb 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Powell |first1=David |title=Br-br-bravo! Tenor Rhys Meirion joins other music and sports stars to pose naked for 2021 charity calendar |url=https://www.dailypost.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/br-br-bravo-tenor-rhys-19545584 |work=Daily Post |date=3 January 2021}}</ref><ref name="SAIN"/> He studied at Trinity College, Carmarthen, where he graduated as a Bachelor of Education before working as a primary school teacher at Ysgol Pentrecelyn near Ruthin.<ref>[http://www.dailypost.co.uk/leisure/tv-wales/programme-news/2010/04/10/rhys-meirion-shares-his-favourite-places-55578-26208833/ Daily Post] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929165813/http://www.dailypost.co.uk/leisure/tv-wales/programme-news/2010/04/10/rhys-meirion-shares-his-favourite-places-55578-26208833/ |date=29 September 2012 }}</ref>
In 1997 he left teaching to study on the opera course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, where he studied with Gerald Moore.<ref name="SAIN">{{cite web|url=http://www.sainwales.com/en/artists/rhys-meirion |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120812080925/http://www.sainwales.com/en/artists/rhys-meirion |archive-date=12 August 2012|title=RHYS MEIRION |website=Sain |accessdate=7 April 2012}}</ref>
===Career=== In 1999, Meirion joined English National Opera, initially joining the Jerwood Young Singers programme. He was a company principal at the opera company from 2001 to 2004, where he sang most of the leading operatic tenor roles including Rodolfo in ''La Boheme'' and Pinkerton in ''Madam Butterfly''. He also sang Alfredo in ''La Traviata'', Nemorino in ''L'Elisir d'Amore'', Nadir in ''The Pearl Fishers'', Marcello in Leoncavallo's ''La bohème'', Duke in ''Rigoletto'', Tebaldo in ''I Capuleti e i Montecchi'', Tamino in ''The Magic Flute'', the title role in ''Ernani'', Sailor in ''Tristan und Isolde'', Rinuccio in ''Gianni Schicchi'', Italian Singer in ''Der Rosenkavalier'', Froh in ''Das Rheingold'' and Zinovy in ''Lady Macbeth of Mtzensk''.<ref name="SAIN" />
In 2002, Meirion made his Australian debut as Rodolfo in ''La Boheme'' for West Australian Opera, and his European debut as Rodolfo for Städtische Bühnen Frankfurt. In 2004 he sang the title role in Gounod's ''Faust'' with the Hong Kong Amateur Opera Society.<ref name="SAIN" />
Meirion's concert engagements have included his BBC Proms debut at the opening night of the 2001 season, a gala concert with Bryn Terfel at the Royal Albert Hall, London, the Desert Island Discs Anniversary Concert at the Royal Festival Hall, London, and a BBC recording of Beethoven's 9th Symphony conducted by Richard Hickox. He has also appeared at the Henley Festival, Cheltenham Music Festival, North Wales International Music Festival, Swansea Festival.<ref name="SAIN" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-14695444 |title=In pictures: Soaking up the atmosphere at Gŵyl Gobaith |publisher=BBC News |date=28 August 2011 |accessdate=7 April 2012}}</ref>
Meirion and Shân Cothi contributed to 'Beneath the Waves' by Kompendium, a project led by Rob Reed, keyboardist in progressive rock band Magenta.<ref>''Prog''issue 29, August 2012</ref>
===Personal life=== Meirion lives in the village of Pwllglas near Ruthin and is married to Nia. They have three children.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=An interview with Rhys Meirion |url=https://www.aberystwythego.co.uk/more/features/46-an-interview-with-rhys-meirion |magazine=EGO |date=31 March 2019 |location=Aberystwyth}}</ref>
==Recordings== [[File:Benedictus, album cover.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|Album cover of ''Benedictus'', with Bryn Terfel]] Meirion has released three solo CD recordings on the Welsh record label Sain, and one on the Australian label Stanza AV. His duet album with the bass-baritone Bryn Terfel, Catrin Finch on the harp and Annette Bryn Parry on the piano, is one of Sain's best selling recordings.<ref name="SAIN" />
==References== {{commons category}} {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.rhysmeirion.com/ Official website] * {{cite web |title=Rhys Meirion |url=https://hakaentertainment.co.uk/acts/rhys-meirion/ |website=Haka Entertainment}} – Rhys Meirion's agents
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Meirion, Rhys}} Category:Living people Category:Welsh Eisteddfod winners Category:Welsh male singers Category:Welsh operatic tenors Category:Welsh-language singers Category:People from Tremadog Category:1966 births Category:People from Blaenau Ffestiniog