"Orfeo is a huge role, and that Carver sang it so well and held us so spellbound is a great credit and I look forward to seeing far more of him."
Robert Hugill, Planet Hugill, November 2017

British tenor Rory Carver studied for an undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Warwick before completing a Masters in Vocal Performance at the Royal College of Music in 2018. Rory was a competitor in the 2019 Wigmore Hall/Independent Opera International Song Competition; a finalist in the 2018 Oxford Lieder Young Artist Platform; a finalist in the RCM Joan Chissell Schumann Competition; commended in both the London Song Festival and RCM Lieder competitions; and is a former Monteverdi Choir apprentice.

In 2019/20, Rory was a member of Le Jardin des Voix, the young artist programme of Les Arts Florissants, where he received direction from William Christie, Paul Agnew and Sophie Daneman, with performances as Il Podestà in Mozart’s La finta giardiniera in Europe, Asia and Australia. In 2019 Rory joined the Garsington Opera Alvarez Young Artist programme for performances of Smetana’s The Bartered Bride and Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine.

Rory has a keen interest in early baroque music; and, after performing the title role in Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo (dir: Thomas Guthrie) at the Brighton Early Music Festival in 2017, formed chamber ensemble Dramma per musica to explore early seventeenth century repertoire for voice and continuo further. Recent and future plans with the group include recitals at Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace; Lake District Summer Music; Barnes Music Festival; and St John’s Smith Square in early 2020. Rory returned to the Brighton Early Music Festival as both Ovid and Apollo in da Gagliano’s La Dafne in February 2020.

Further recent highlights include the roles of 2nd Priest/1st Augur for a recording of John Eccles’ Semele with Cambridge Handel Opera and the Academy of Ancient Music; being part of a solo octet for performances of Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment conducted by Masaaki Suzuki; tenor arias in a performance of J. S. Bach's St John Passion in Wells Cathedral with the Musical and Amicable Society conducted by Richard Laing; Henry Crawford in Dove’s Mansfield Park (dir: James Hurley) for Opera South; a performance of Debussy songs with Simon Lepper for Oxford Lieder; and joining the Brighton Early Music Festival's Early Music Live! mentoring and development scheme.

Recent and upcoming engagements include recitals of nocturne-inspired French song by Fauré, Debussy, Duparc and Hahn with pianist Diana Hinds and dancer and choreographer Joëlle Pappas in Oxfordshire; tenor soloist for performances of Mozart’s Requiem with Trondheimsymfoniorkester, conducted by Paul Agnew; and the role of Falco in a new English translation of Galuppi’s La Diavolessi with New Chamber Opera.

Rory’s studies at the Royal College of Music were supported by a full scholarship as a Douglas and Hilda Simmonds scholar. His roles for the RCM International Opera School included Monsieur Lacouf in Poulenc's Les mamelles de Tirésias (dir: Stephen Unwin) and Damone in the 1732 version of Handel's Acis and Galatea (dir: Lawrence Zazzo). He has recently received generous support from the Exuberant Trust.