Wynne Evans

James Wynne Evans BEM was born on January 27, 1972, in Carmarthen, Wales. He pursued his musical education at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the National Opera Studio, laying the foundation for a distinguished career in opera. Evans became known for his operatic tenor voice, leading to significant roles with major opera companies. His early career saw him appear with Welsh National Opera, performing roles such as Nemorino in ‘L’elisir d’amore’ and Rodolfo in ‘La bohème’.

Evans began his association with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 2009, singing Vakula in ‘Cherevichki’. He later appeared there in 2011 as the Mayor of Mexia in Mark-Anthony Turnage’s ‘Anna Nicole’. His talent extended to numerous other opera houses, including Opera de Lyon, English National Opera, Opera North, Scottish Opera, and Grange Park Opera, where he tackled a diverse repertoire including roles in ‘La Traviata’, ‘Tosca’, and ‘Die Zauberflöte’. A significant milestone in his operatic career was being cast as Ubaldo Piangi in the 25th-anniversary production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall’ in 2011.

Beyond the opera stage, Evans gained widespread recognition as Gio Compario in the Go.Compare advertising campaign, which he began in August 2009. This role propelled him into the public eye and showcased his unique blend of operatic talent and charismatic presence. He further diversified his career by hosting radio programs on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio 2. His vocal talent is also featured on several CD volumes, ‘Here Come the Classics’, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2010, he secured a six-album deal with Warner Music, with his debut album ‘A Song in My Heart’ reaching number one on the UK Classical Charts in 2011. In 2023, he demonstrated his culinary skills by winning the eighteenth series of ‘Celebrity MasterChef’ on BBC One. In 2024, Evans participated in the twenty-second series of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’.