About Seán

Irish tenor Seán Tester studied Drama, Dance and Singing at the Drogheda School of Performing Arts which iswhere he found his love for the performing arts. Seán also draws on a strong background in choral singing from his time as a dedicated member of St. Peter's Male Voice Choir, Drogheda. Seán completed the Recital Artist Diploma at the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) under the tutelage of his principal study teacher Owen Gilhooly-Miles.  In 2023, Seán was a recipient of the BVOF|RIAM John Pollard Bursary which saw him continue his studies at the RIAM with his teacher Owen and vocal coach Dearbhla Collins on the Masters in Music Performance (Vocal Studies). Seán also receives vocal tuition from legendary singer and teacher Hedwig Fassbender and regular vocal coaching from Brenda Hurley.

Seán’s primary passion, vocal strengths and stagecraft skills all align in his love of the performance of opera.  In the world of opera, Seán’s tenor falls into the lirico-leggero fach.  Seán has made his international role debut in Switzerland in an Irish National Opera co-production of Rossini’s ‘Guillaume Tell’ in the role of “Rodolphe” at Nouvel Opèra Fribourg/Neue Oper Freiburg. In a RIAM Opera production of Dominic Argento’s ‘Postcard from Morocco’, Seán played the roles of “Man with an Old Suitcase”, “Puppet No. 1” and “Operetta Singer”. Seán has also performed in a co-production of Purcell's 'The Fairy Queen' at Korčula Baroque Festival, Croatia and Sligo Baroque Festival, Ireland singing the famous aria "If love's a sweet passion" and playing the role of “Mopsa”. Seán has also been engaged by the Irish National Opera Chorus for Irish National Opera’s productions of Rossini’s ‘Guillaume Tell’, Gounod’s ‘Faust’, Puccini’s ‘La Bohème’ and Verdi’s ‘La Traviata’ and ‘Rigoletto’.  Seán covered the role of “Il Duca di Mantova” in Irish National Opera’s production of ‘Rigoletto’.

In oratorio, Seán has performed as tenor soloist in Handel’s ‘Messiah’, Carl Orff's ‘Carmina Burana’, Beethoven's ‘Choral Fantasia’, Emanuele D'Astorga's ‘Stabat Mater’, and Haydn's ‘Die sieben letzten Worte des Erlösers am Kreuze’.  Seán will make his tenor soloist debut in Bach’s “Johannes-Passion”, BWV 245 with the Dublin Bach Singers in April 2025.

Seán was awarded the Patricia Eberhart Aria Prize for his performance of ”Ah! Mes amis… Pour mon âme” from Donizetti’s ‘La Fille du Régiment’ in the 2023 Irené Sandford Award for Singers.  Seán was a quarterfinalist in the 2024 International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition in Jūrmala, Latvia.   Seán thoroughly enjoyed performing with Irish National Opera for  “Opera at the Movies” at Electric Picnic 2024 with colleagues Claudia Boyle (soprano), Seán Boylan (baritone), Maireád Hurley (piano) and Sarah Sew (violin).  In May 2024, Seán had the honour of performing as the musical guest at the State dinner hosted at Áras an Uachtaráin by H.E. Mr. Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland for H.E. Mr. Sergio Mattarella, President of Italy.

This season sees Seán become the 24/25 Series Ambassador for the Drogheda Classical Music Series - a series he is so proud to be a part of in his hometown.  Seán was thrilled to perform at the Series this year as guest tenor in a concert with Celine Byrne, soprano and David Munro, pianist.  The remainder of the 24/25 season sees Seán return to the Irish National Opera Chorus for Wagner’s ‘Der fliegender Höllander’. Seán will make his tenor soloist debut in Bach’s “Johannes-Passion”, BWV 245 in April with the Dublin Bach Singers.  Seán  is extremely exciyted to make a return to Lismore, Co. Waterford for the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival 2025 where he will play the role of “Snout” in Britten’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.  Seán will also perform on two recitals as part of the festival: ‘Arias at Villierstown’ and ‘Irish Writers’ Series: George Bernard Shaw’.