Claire Hampton
Welsh National Opera

Claire Hampton began her musical career at the age of 12 joining her school choir. At the tender age of 14, she sang with the National Youth Choir. Susan McAllister guided Claire through the next few years until she studied with Teresa Cahill at the Royal Northern College of Music. Here she won both the Elsie Thurston Memorial and Alexander Young prizes. Following her four year undergraduate course, Claire won a major postgraduate scholarship from the Peter Moores Foundation. Further musical experience was gained as a freelance concert artist.

Claire feels privileged to have toured the Greek Islands with the Laskarina Chamber Emsemble introducing classical music to some people for the first time. At the Welsh National Opera, which Claire joined in 2002, she performed in her first role of Jana in Janacek's opera "Jenufa". She later recorded this role with Sir Charles McKerras.

Claire clearly enjoys her many roles in opera as a chorister and principal soloist, her most favourite to date being Papagena in Mozart's "Magic Flute". Currently she has the pleasure of covering the role of "Angell" in Handel's opera "Jeptha" and is looking forward to the forthcoming WNO production of Don Giovanni, Tosca and Mazepa.