‘Outstanding contralto Jess Dandy just gets better and better, bringing real gravitas and moral authority to the priggish “good son” Sancio, holding her ground against…rival Alfonso & Altomaro.’
Alexandra Coghlan, The Ipaper
Jess is making a name for herself as a specialist in the contralto roles of Handel. Described as ‘stand-out’, she sang the role of Eduige in the English Concert recording of Handel Rodelinda, which was nominated for a Gramophone and BBC Music Magazine Award, as well as being the Times album of the week.
Contemporary opera, and particularly the co-creation of new work, is another particular interest. Beginning her operatic journey with George Benjamin Into the Little Hill with Shadwell Opera (Finnegan Downie Dear/Jack Furness), Jess has gone on to create various works with composer Alex Mills, whose opera Dear Marie Stopes appeared at the Wellcome Collection and Kings Place. Jess looks forward to making her French operatic debut next year at Opéra Grand Avignon in Three Lunar Seas, a new opera by Josephine Stephenson.
Jess will be developing her operatic work over the coming seasons. You can hear a selection of arias in the videos below.
Gluck Che farò senza Euridice?
Jess Dandy, Orfeo Kerstin Thomas, Euridice Dylan Perez, piano
Bobby Williams, Sound & Video February 2020 St Paul's Knightsbridge
Jess Dandy 'I was a constant faithful wife' Walton, The Bear
Jess Dandy 'Près des remparts de Séville' (Séguidilla) Carmen, Bizet
Handel ‘As with rosy steps’
Wagner "Weiche, Wotan!" (Erda's Warning)
The English Concert - Handel Rodelinda
“The other stand-out performance comes from the remarkable young contralto Jess Dandy, whose weighty but agile voice sounds tailor-made for the tricky role of Eduige.... It’s a treat to hear the part assigned to a true contralto rather than a mezzo (no disrespect to the great Janet Baker, who sang it opposite Joan Sutherland on Charles Farncombe’s vintage recording), and she’s a vivid singing actress, spitting poison in the virtuosic ‘De miei scherni’ and absolutely riveting in the Act Three dungeon-scene where she and Rodelinda fear their plan to spring Bertarido from the nick has fatally backfired.”
Katherine Cooper, Presto Classical
London Early Opera - Handel Caio Fabbricio
“Jess Dandy impresses with her control of the virtuoso elements as well as her wonderfully rich contralto lower register.”
Robert Hugill, Planet Hugill
Ariosti with La Serenissima from Caio Marzio Coriolano
Wigmore Hall 2021
Askonas Holt Interview
‘What inspires you as a performing artist?’
“I spent lockdown with my parents in my childhood home in Cumbria, and I regressed in a way – I enjoyed being a musical hermit for a while, following my nose, leafing through scores almost at random. Equally, I was very fortunate to have a lot of contact with various musicians online, and we started to explore the possibilities of virtual music-making…”