John Hudson studied singing at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Laura Sarti and subsequently with Josephine Veasey.

In 1992, he spent a year with the chorus of Welsh National Opera and in 1993 was offered a principal contract with English National Opera for whom he made his acclaimed début as Macduff (Macbeth). Since then, at ENO, he has sung the roles of Rodolfo (La Bohème), Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Alfredo (La Traviata – production by Jonathan Millar), des Grieux (Manon), Leicester (Mary Stuart), Licinius (La Vestale), and Radames/Aida all in new productions, Nadir (The Pearl Fishers) to great critical acclaim, Ernesto (Don Pasquale), Steersman (The Flying Dutchman), Tamino (Magic Flute), Duke (Rigoletto), the title role in Ernani, Pinkerton (Madam Butterfly), Don José (Carmen), Turiddu (Cavalleria Rusticana) and Cavaradossi (Tosca).

He has returned to Welsh National Opera to sing Alfredo (La Traviata), Don José in a new production of Carmen, and concert performances of extracts from Madam Butterfly. In 1999 he made his debut with Scottish Opera singing Rodolfo, he has returned for Don José, Manrico (Il Trovatore), Duke, Radames (Aida), Cavaradossi and Pinkerton. He has sung Turiddu (Cavalleria Rusticana), Cavaradossi and Don José at the Royal Albert Hall for Raymond Gubbay productions, Rodolfo, Dick Johnson (La fanciulla del West) and Pollione (Norma) for Grange Park Opera and in the title role of Andrea Chénier for Opera Holland Park. Abroad he has sung Alfredo for Auckland Opera in New Zealand, the title role of Ernani and Jacapo Foscari (I due foscari) for the Nationale Reisopera in the Netherlands and Don José (Carmen) for West Australian Opera in Perth.

Concert performances have included Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in Paris and at the Barbican, Messiah in Ottawa with Trevor Pinnock, Mozart’s Requiem at the Barbican with the English Chamber Orchestra, the 50th anniversary concert for Welsh National Opera and concerts with City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, regular Classical Spectacular performances with Raymond Gubbay and Elgar’s The Kingdom with the Hallé and Sir Mark Elder. He also appeared as a guest on BBC 2’s Television programme Viva la Diva with Lesley Garrett. In the spring of 1997, he took part in filmed extracts of Donizetti for a film on the life of the composer, conducted by Sir Mark Elder, for German television.

Recent and future engagements include Don José (Carmen) for Raymond Gubbay Productions at the 02 arena, the title role in Puccini’s Edgar with New Sussex Opera, performances with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Raymond Gubbay and with the RTE in Dublin, Verdi’s Requiem at the Cadogan Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and in Halifax, as well as Keil’s Donna Branca with the Teatro Nacional de San Carlos, Lisbon.