In Brief
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Christopher Richardson is counted among Australia's finest resident bass-baritone voices, and is based in Sydney Australia.
He has received critical acclaim for his fine vocal timbre and delivery in performances of oratorio, opera, concert repertoire and Art Song. In April 2018, Christopher was a finalist in the Oratorio Society of New York's Solo Competition held at Carnegie Hall, and attained the highest ranking of any baritone or bass voice in the competition which attracts hundreds of entries from professional singers worldwide each year. His is the featured solo baritone voice on a landmark recording of Art Songs by Australian composer Calvin Bowman (entitled 'Real and Right and True'), which was released commercially worldwide under the Decca label in July 2018. Christopher is represented by Graham Pushee of Arts Management, Sydney. |
Photo by Daniel Sommer Photography
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Biography
Christopher Richardson studied piano at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music, before graduating with a Bachelor of Music majoring in Classical Vocal Performance. Earlier in his career, Christopher attended the Lisa Gasteen National Opera School in Brisbane (on a scholarship awarded by the Wagner Society of New South Wales), was the recipient of the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Aria Award, and of ‘The Frances MacEachron Award for Outstanding Vocal Achievement’ at The Oratorio Society of New York’s Solo Competition at Carnegie Hall.
On the concert platform Christopher has appeared with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in J.S. Bach’s Magnificat; the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem and Mozart’s Mass in C); the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in Mozart’s Requiem; the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in J.S. Bach’s St Matthew Passion; and with the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs (Handel’s Israel In Egypt and J.S. Bach’s St Matthew Passion). He has also regularly appeared with the Perth Symphonic Chorus, The Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra, FOV - Festival of Voices, the Choir of St James King Street Sydney, St Andrews Cathedral Choir Sydney, the Newcastle University Choir and Orchestra and the Allegri Ensemble Hobart, performing repertoire including Bach's St John Passion; Fauré's Requiem; Mendelssohn’s Elijah; Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem; Haydn’s Creation; Handel’s Saul; and Mozart's Solemn Vespers of the Confessor. Christopher has also appeared in various staged productions of Handel’s Oratorios, performing the role of Ptolemy in Alexander Balus, and the title role in Hercules, with the Canberra Choral Society; and the role of Zebul in ‘The Vow’ (Jephtha) with Handel in the Theatre, Canberra.
On the Opera stage, Christopher has appeared with Pinchgut Opera, as Thoas (Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride), and as Idreno in Haydn’s Armida. Also, in an initiative between Opera Queensland and DanceNorth, he sang the featured Bass role in Abandon (Handel arr. Crabb) which premiered in Townsville at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in 2013, and then featured at the Brisbane World Theatre Festival in 2014.
Christopher has premiered many new works by Australian composers, including Barry Conyngham’s, The Apology of Bony Anderson with Syzygy Ensemble at the Melbourne Recital Centre; KURSK: An Oratorio Requiem by David Chisholm with Melbourne’s Arcko Symphonic Project at the Melbourne Festival; and in the world premieres of Constantine Koukias’ Tesla - Lightning in his Hand and Christopher Bowen’s An Australian Requiem, performing the role of Kemal Atatürk.
Recent engagement highlights include performing the role of Swallow in Britten's Peter Grimes with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the role of Christus a performance of St Matthew Passion conducted by David Hill MBE The Enchanted Island (10 Days on the Island Festival, Tasmania), Handel’s Messiah at City Recital Hall, Angel Place Sydney; The Genius of J S Bach at Melbourne Recital Centre; Beethoven Mass in C for Victoria Chorale, Brahms’ Requiem for the Festival of Voices in Tasmania; and Fauré’s Requiem with Perth Symphonic Chorus.
Christopher also features on a CD of Calvin Bowman art songs, “Real and Right and True” released on the Decca label, in 2018.
On the concert platform Christopher has appeared with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in J.S. Bach’s Magnificat; the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem and Mozart’s Mass in C); the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in Mozart’s Requiem; the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in J.S. Bach’s St Matthew Passion; and with the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs (Handel’s Israel In Egypt and J.S. Bach’s St Matthew Passion). He has also regularly appeared with the Perth Symphonic Chorus, The Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra, FOV - Festival of Voices, the Choir of St James King Street Sydney, St Andrews Cathedral Choir Sydney, the Newcastle University Choir and Orchestra and the Allegri Ensemble Hobart, performing repertoire including Bach's St John Passion; Fauré's Requiem; Mendelssohn’s Elijah; Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem; Haydn’s Creation; Handel’s Saul; and Mozart's Solemn Vespers of the Confessor. Christopher has also appeared in various staged productions of Handel’s Oratorios, performing the role of Ptolemy in Alexander Balus, and the title role in Hercules, with the Canberra Choral Society; and the role of Zebul in ‘The Vow’ (Jephtha) with Handel in the Theatre, Canberra.
On the Opera stage, Christopher has appeared with Pinchgut Opera, as Thoas (Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride), and as Idreno in Haydn’s Armida. Also, in an initiative between Opera Queensland and DanceNorth, he sang the featured Bass role in Abandon (Handel arr. Crabb) which premiered in Townsville at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in 2013, and then featured at the Brisbane World Theatre Festival in 2014.
Christopher has premiered many new works by Australian composers, including Barry Conyngham’s, The Apology of Bony Anderson with Syzygy Ensemble at the Melbourne Recital Centre; KURSK: An Oratorio Requiem by David Chisholm with Melbourne’s Arcko Symphonic Project at the Melbourne Festival; and in the world premieres of Constantine Koukias’ Tesla - Lightning in his Hand and Christopher Bowen’s An Australian Requiem, performing the role of Kemal Atatürk.
Recent engagement highlights include performing the role of Swallow in Britten's Peter Grimes with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the role of Christus a performance of St Matthew Passion conducted by David Hill MBE The Enchanted Island (10 Days on the Island Festival, Tasmania), Handel’s Messiah at City Recital Hall, Angel Place Sydney; The Genius of J S Bach at Melbourne Recital Centre; Beethoven Mass in C for Victoria Chorale, Brahms’ Requiem for the Festival of Voices in Tasmania; and Fauré’s Requiem with Perth Symphonic Chorus.
Christopher also features on a CD of Calvin Bowman art songs, “Real and Right and True” released on the Decca label, in 2018.
Christopher Richardson is managed by Graham Pushee: graham@artsmanagement.com.au
This biography is for general information purposes only and not for publication.
Please contact Arts Management for an up-to-date biography to suit your needs.
This biography is for general information purposes only and not for publication.
Please contact Arts Management for an up-to-date biography to suit your needs.