UK-based New Zealand baritone Phillip Rhodes is a former Emerging Artist with New Zealand Opera and has since appeared regularly with the company in principal roles, most recently as the title role of Macbeth.

Last season, he returned to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden as Don Fernando Fidelio, sings Count Monterone Rigoletto at Irish National Opera, Giorgio Germont La traviata in concert with the Auckland Philharmonia, opera arias concerts with Welsh National Opera, and he returns to Opera Australia for Escamillo Carmen. Further ahead, Phillip returns to New Zealand Opera and Wellington Opera.

Recent highlights include Giorgio Germont La traviata (Opera Australia, Scottish Opera), Escamillo Carmen (Royal Opera House, Opera North, Welsh National Opera, The Grange Festival, Scottish Opera), his role debut as Figaro The Marriage of Figaro (Opera North), Monterone Rigoletto (Royal Opera House), Scarpia Tosca (Nederlandse Reisopera), Father Hansel and Gretel and Ford Falstaff (Scottish Opera), Speaker The Magic Flute (Welsh National Opera), Jud Fry Oklahoma! (Grange Park Opera), and King Le Cid (Dorset Opera).

In his native New Zealand, he has recently appeared as Don Pizarro Fidelio in concert with Auckland Philharmonia and as Giorgio Germont La traviata and Enrico Lucia di Lammermoor for Wellington Opera.

Rhodes was born in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, where he graduated in 2004 with a Diploma in Arts and Voice. In 2008, he was awarded a scholarship to attend the Cardiff International Academy of Voice under the tutelage of Dennis O'Neill, where he remained for three seasons. In 2005 he won the Lexus Song Quest, bringing him to the attention of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, who still maintains her interest in his career. Phillip acknowledges the support of the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation. He was the winner of the 2005 New Zealand Aria Competition and was awarded second place at the International Montserrat Caballe Competition in 2008.