David Barrell trained at London University, The Royal Academy of Music, London,and The American Opera Centre, Juilliard.

After winning first prize in the New York Oratorio Society International Soloist Competition at Carnegie Hall, he began a distinguished career, singing leading roles from Mozart to Tippett in opera houses around the world.

He has appeared with, among others, Welsh National Opera, English National Opera, Scottish Opera, The Glyndebourne Festival,The Royal Opera House at the New York Metropolitan, Teatro Regio Turin, Opera de Nice, Maggio Musicale Florence, as well as the opera houses of Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, Madrid, and at the Wexford, Spoleto and Edinburgh International Festivals.

He has appeared in concert with, among others, The London Symphony Orchestra, The Philharmonia, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The Nash Ensemble, The London Sinfonietta and The Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, and with such distinguished conductors as Sir David Wilcox, Sir Charles Mackeras, Carlo Rizzi, Neeme Jarvi and Bruno Bartoletti.

Recent roles include Gherman, Pique Dame (Edinburgh Festival Theatre); Boris, Katya Kabanova (Glyndebourne Festival); Luigi, Il Tabarro (Welsh National Opera); Peter Grimes, Title Role (Modena, Reggio Emilia, Ferarra).