British/Australia tenor Ben Kerslake was born in Sydney, and studied music at the Queensland Conservatorium graduating with a first class honours degree. During his honours year Ben also studied at the Guildhall School of Music, participating in masterclasses with Robin Bowman and Sarah Walker. Ben was a recipient of the Griffith University Post-Graduate Research Scholarship, and went on to graduate with a Master of Music in performance & research, studying with Joseph Ward OBE. He was also awarded the inaugural tenor scholarship and won the Post-Graduate Opera Scenes Prize. In his Masters graduating year Ben was selected for the Opera Queensland Developing Artist Program. In 2004 Ben moved to the UK, and made his Opera North debut.
Ben has sung the roles of Alfredo La Traviata (New Devon Opera), Nadir The Pearl Fishers (Swansea City Opera), Count Almaviva Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Heritage Opera), Tamino The Magic Flute (Skipton Camerata, Heritage Opera), Hugh Hugh the Drover (York Opera), Rodolfo La Bohème (Scottish Opera touring production), Don Basilio The Marriage of Figaro (Opera East), Don Curzio The Marriage of Figaro (Opera North, Opera East), Camille The Merry Widow (Lakeland Opera), Matteo Borsa Rigoletto (Opera North), 2nd Nazarene Salome (Opera North), Sam One Touch of Venus (Opera North), Nebuchadnezzar The Burning Fiery Furnace (Opera Queensland), Jack Johns Going Into Shadows by Andrew Schultz (Guildhall/Queensland our Conservatorium), Damon Acis & Galatea (Illawarra Choral Society), Chino West Side Story (Brisbane Festival), Ralph Rackstraw HMS Pinafore (Heritage Opera), The Defendant Trial by Jury (Heritage Opera). Ben created the role of Arlecchino for Opera North in the world premiere of Jonathan Dove’s Pinocchio. Roles in understudy include Beppe Pagliacci (Opera Queensland), and for Opera North, Edmondo/Dancing Master/Lamplighter Manon Lescaut, Priest Saul, Ishmael Nabucco, 1st Armed Man/1st Priest Magic Flute, Sailor Dido & Aeneas, Goro Madama Butterfly, and Lampwick Pinocchio.
Ben’s wide-ranging concert and oratorio repertoire includes most recently a concert performance as Ishmael/Abdullah in Nabucco; “A Puccini Concert,” at Hull City Hall, including Messa di Gloria & Puccini arias; “North-East Last Night of the Proms,” at Newcastle City Hall; “Bizet – An evening with Georges,” for the AddenBrooke’s Trust at Trinity Chapel, Cambridge. Other works include the Evangelist in Bach's St. Matthew Passion (Sydney); Puccini’s Messa di Gloria (Noosa Festival), Missa Criolla by Ramirez, Handel’s Messiah, Elijah (Lancaster Choral Society) & Judas Maccabaeus; Haydn's Schöpfungsmesse & Creation; Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Bach’s Magnificat, Stainer’s Crucifixion, Mozart’s Requiem, Rossini’s Petit Messe Sollenelle (Opera North; Crieff Choral Group), “Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast,” by Coleridge-Taylor (Peterborough Choral Society), a performance of Vaughan Williams’ On Wenlock Edge (The Studio, Sydney), and “Opera Gala,” (Sinfonia of Leeds; Barrandov Opera; Ultimate Voice; Bridlington Spa Theatre; Classical Promotions - Belvoir Castle; Opera Box Swansea City Opera)
His broadcasting credits include the Australian premiere of Going Into Shadows (ABC – FM Australia, 2001), Opera in the Park (4MBS – FM, Australia, 2002), a live relay of Opera North’s production of Rigoletto for BBC Radio 3 (2006), and Pinocchio for BBC Radio 3 (2008), and Sky Arts (2009). Opus Arte have produced a DVD of Pinocchio filmed during the performances at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London.
Ben has performed extensively in Europe, including the Monte Carlo Arts Festival, the Ravenna Festival and most recently, tenor soloist for 'Grand Opera Gala,' at the Excelsior Hotel in Venice, Italy. Ben has worked with several distinguished conductors and directors including Martin Andre, David Parry, Wyn Davies, Martin Duncan, Tim Albery, Phyllida Lloyd, David Poutney & Daniel Slater.
Ben is a keen swimmer, surfer, skier, cyclist, and yoga enthusiast.
