BIOGRAPHY

Australian baritone Allyn Wu, currently based in London, is a dynamic and versatile performer with a deep passion for a wide range of musical styles. Now in his first year of postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music, he is a scholarship recipient studying under Marcus van den Akker, Raymond Connell, and Chad Vindin.

Allyn is an experienced oratorio singer with a strong interest in historical performance. He regularly performs with the Academy Baroque Soloists as part of the Bach in Leipzig and Resounding Shores series, working with esteemed conductors such as Masaaki Suzuki, Dame Jane Glover, John Butt, Eamonn Dougan, Elizabeth Kenny, and Peter Whelan. His extensive repertoire includes Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, Handel’s Messiah and Dettingen Te Deum, Mozart’s Requiem, Haydn’s Nelson Mass, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 (“Ode to Joy”), Mendelssohn’s Elijah, C.P.E. Bach’s Magnificat, and J.S. Bach’s St John Passion, St Matthew Passion, St Luke Passion, Christmas Oratorio, B Minor Mass, along with over half of Bach’s 200+ cantatas.

His operatic repertoire spans from early music to contemporary works. His recent sold-out performance as Winter and Hymen in Purcell’s The Fairy Queen with Hampstead Garden Opera earned him a nomination for an Offies Award. His first operatic experience was in the Royal Academy Opera’s Opera Triple Bill, performing in the chorus under Ryan Wigglesworth. He has since returned for productions such as Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress under Trevor Pinnock, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro under Alice Farnham, and most recently Rossini’s La Cenerentola under Jonathan Darbourne with Hampstead Garden Opera and Wagner’s Der fliegende Holländer under Anthony Negus at the Endellion Festival. Other operatic highlights include his nuanced portrayals of Papageno (Die Zauberflöte) and Don Alfonso (Così fan tutte) in the Academy’s Vocal Faculty Scenes, as well as his commanding interpretation of Apollo in Handel’s Apollo e Dafne. Actively exploring contemporary opera, he recently performed as Jackson in Sarah Marze’s The District and in George Parris’ When the Sky Cracks Open at the Tête à Tête Opera Festival.

As a recitalist, Allyn has performed at venues across London, including the Academy Voices series at the Italian Cultural Institute and the Royal Academy of Music Piano Festival. He will soon appear at Bob Boas House in a recital of works by Johannes Brahms, Robert and Clara Schumann, curated by German Lieder expert Richard Stokes.

In addition to his solo work, Allyn is an active choral singer, having performed with leading ensembles such as The Sixteen, Academy of Ancient Music, and Oxford Bach Soloists. He is also a choral deputy across London, including Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, and Westminster Cathedral.

Alongside his singing, he is furthering his musical expertise by studying choral conducting under Nicholas Chalmers. He has also enriched his artistic development through workshops and masterclasses with Dame Emma Kirkby, Nicky Spence, Mark Padmore, and Iestyn Davies.

Allyn is generously supported by the London Women’s Clinic Foundation Award and the Josephine Baker Trust, enabling him to pursue excellence in vocal performance and musical scholarship.