Internationally renowned soprano Susan Bullock brings her knowledge and expertise to the singers and public during the 59th International Vocal Competition ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Don’t miss this educational and entertaining masterclass with world-class singing from the singers of the IVC Opera | Oratorio!
On Thursday, 8 October 2026 at 20:15, the soprano will work with the singers of the IVC in the Pleinzaal of the Theater aan de parade. Chosen singers from the Main Rounds of the 59th IVC who did not advance to the Grand Finale will present an aria during the masterclass.
All masterclasses are open to the public in the Pleinzaal of the Theater aan de Parade. The masterclass takes place from 20:15-22:30, including a short break.
Biography Sopraan Susan Bullock
British soprano Susan Bullock is internationally acclaimed for her fearless stagecraft, powerful vocal presence, and the profound emotional truth she brings to performance. Equally at home in the vast psychological worlds of Wagner and Strauss and in bold contemporary work, she is recognised as one of the leading dramatic sopranos of her generation.
In recent seasons she has taken on a series of striking character roles, including a “chilling” Kabanicha (Káťa Kabanová) at Grange Park Opera; Klytämnestra (Elektra) for both Canadian Opera Company and Oper Frankfurt; and Kostelnička (Jenůfa) for Den Norske Opera and La Scala Milan. Her artistic range extends beyond the traditional repertoire: she has sung Mrs Lovett (Sweeney Todd) for Houston Grand Opera and Scottish Opera; The Mother in Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Greek in Edinburgh, Glasgow and New York; and The Mother in Missy Mazzoli’s Breaking the Waves at the Opéra Comique. Her collaboration with director Daisy Evans on a radical reimagining of Bluebeard’s Castle — reframed as an exploration of dementia — has been performed in London, Atlanta and Wellington.
Recent and upcoming engagements include Lady Billows (Albert Herring) for Scottish Opera, the world premiere of Mikael Karlsson’s Fanny and Alexander at La Monnaie / De Munt, and Cosima Wagner in the critically acclaimed UK premiere of Avner Dorman’s Wahnfried for Longborough Festival Opera. She returns to Bluebeard’s Castle in Helsinki, and will create the role of Iwana — written for her by Missy Mazzoli — in the new opera The Galloping Cure for the Edinburgh International Festival and Norrlandsoperan.
A celebrated interpreter of Wagner’s Brünnhilde, Bullock made history as the first soprano to sing four consecutive Ring cycles at the Royal Opera House under Sir Antonio Pappano. Her portrayal of Strauss’s Elektra, another signature role, has taken her to major houses worldwide — including her debut at the Metropolitan Opera — and to collaborations with conductors such as Fabio Luisi, Semyon Bychkov, Seiji Ozawa, Sir Mark Elder and Edo de Waart.
On the concert platform, she has appeared with leading orchestras and conductors including Esa-Pekka Salonen and Zubin Mehta, in repertoire ranging from Schoenberg’s Erwartung and Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder to the Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde. Beyond the opera and concert stage, she has reached wide audiences with appearances at the Last Night of the BBC Proms and the Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. She also made her spoken theatre debut as Goneril in Keith Warner’s staging of King Lear at The Grange Festival.
Her discography — from Salome with the Philharmonia Orchestra under Sir Charles Mackerras, to Der Ring des Nibelungen with Oper Frankfurt, to her personal project Songs My Father Taught Me — reflects both vocal stature and artistic curiosity.
Alongside her performing career, Susan Bullock is a committed mentor. She works closely with young singers at the National Opera Studio and in masterclasses across the UK, sharing her experience with the next generation.
