Freya Wynn-Jones

As a teenager, Freya was a member of the acclaimed Glyndebourne Youth Opera, and here she tells us how her early experiences at Glyndebourne inspired her to work in theatre and music.

Past projects

‘I was always a young singer and actor and in 2000 I was in Zoë at Glyndebourne. This was my first experience of opera and after that, I joined Glyndebourne Youth Opera Group [now Glyndebourne Youth Opera]. I was told about Glyndebourne’s work in prisons which gave me the idea of specialising at university in applied theatre. I studied Drama and Psychology and was a music scholar at the University of Exeter. After that I formed my own company and began volunteering at Glyndebourne in the education department, before becoming a freelance artist for them.’

‘It is my absolute goal and passion. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than giving people the opportunity to discover and understand opera and realise the role they can play in its future development.’

‘There have been many!

In my working career at Glyndebourne I will always remember opening night of Tycho’s Dream and realising the magnitude of what we had collectively achieved. Raise Your Voice also gives me countless memories of seeing how music and opera can be used to enhance the lives of people living with dementia. To see someone connect with the music on a deep and intuitive level, and to see your role in that experience is totally career-affirming.’

‘I spend my life encouraging young people to take advantage of opportunities that allow them to engage with opera. In my mind, opera has something for everyone and having their voice in the mix is vital.’

Information collected 07/10/16