Alistair Sutherland

Biography

Alistair Sutherland is an operatic baritone, music educator, and workshop leader, with a versatile career spanning performance, teaching, and community outreach. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, he was selected as an 2012 Opera Holland Park Young Artist and was a finalist in the prestigious Mastersingers Wagner Award.

Alistair has performed with a range of acclaimed companies, including OperaUpClose, where he originated several notable roles, such as Schaunard in their Olivier Award-winning La Bohème, Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro, and Dulcamara in L'elisir d'amore. His broad operatic repertoire also includes Dandini in La Cenerentola, Smirnov in The Bear, Michele in Il Tabarro, and Bluebeard in Bluebeard’s Castle. Alistair is a familiar face at London’s fringe venues, regularly performing at places such as The Arcola Theatre and The King’s Head Theatre. He has also toured extensively across the UK, gracing stages at St David's Hall, The Severn Theatre, and The Belgrade Theatre.

In addition to his solo work, Alistair has been an active chorister with prestigious groups including the Philharmonia Chorus and Opera Rara, performing in major venues such as the Royal Festival Hall and Cadogan Hall, under the baton of renowned conductors like Vladimir Jurowski and Sir Mark Elder.

Alistair’s passion for music extends beyond the stage. He is deeply committed to the therapeutic potential of music, regularly collaborating with organisations such as OHP Inspire, The Music Mind Spirit Trust, and Songbird. He leads a variety of community music workshops, working with a diverse range of groups and individuals, including patients at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and King’s College Hospital. Alistair also runs a folk music ensemble in South London and facilitates dementia-friendly singing groups in care homes across the city.

A dedicated educator, Alistair is particularly drawn to the power of music to support well-being and mental health. Whether leading vocal workshops for healthcare settings or nurturing the next generation of musicians, he is passionate about the transformative impact of music on individuals and communities alike.

Reviews

it is ideal that, playing him with real malevolence, Alistair Sutherland steals the show. [His] wonderfully motored, powerfully dark sound is compelling David Benedict: The Stage

Sutherland’s [voice] bloomed in the space, viscerally powerful yet retaining a majestic quality that avoided harshness - Edward Bhesania: The Stage

In this gift of a role Alistair Sutherland uses his expressive face to the full to give an hilarious turn and solid vocal performance - Jonathan Lennie: Time Out

...a real stand-out for his trusty compendium of comic gestures - combining a pinch each of Niles Crane and Mr Bean - and he can sing too. - Edward Bhesania: The Stage

Alistair Sutherland was exceptionally well cast as Marullo, impressing us with a nonchalant nastiness which was every inch the bored and bitter courtier. - Charlotte Valori: bachtrack.com

Pitch-perfect Alistair Sutherland gives Figaro a boyish innocence, finding gleeful delight in manipulating his master. Blink and you miss his brilliantly witty facial expressions. - Francesca Wickers fringeopera.com

Alistair Sutherland as the escaped political prisoner, Angelotti, provides another outstandingly fine voice and he is also a superb comedian - Theresa Roche: remotegoat.com

Baritone Alistair Sutherland as Colas is eye-wateringly funny - Francesca Wickers: fringeopera.com