Christopher Purves

Last season’s highlights included Alberich in Wagner Das Rheingold in the new Ring Cycle directed by Barrie Kosky for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and for Zurich Opera House, the Forester in Janáček The Cunning Little Vixen for the Canadian Opera Company and the title role in Handel Saul for the Royal Danish Theatre. On the concert platform, Purves performed Sharpless in Puccini Madama Butterfly with the CBSO under Kazuki Yamada, Méphistophélès in Berlioz La damnation de Faust with the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest cond. Karina Canellakis and returned to the BBC Proms for Beethoven 9 with the Aurora Orchestra

Operatic highlights have included Balstrode in Peter Grimes for the Bayerische Staatsoper, Teatro alla Scala and the Teatro Real, Madrid; Alberich in Wagner Ring Cycle for Zurich Opera House, Houston Grand Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, and Canadian Opera Company, Nick Shadow Stravinsky The Rake's Progress for Teatro Colon, a return to the title role in Barrie Kosky’s production of Handel Saul at the Théâtre du Châtelet, Houston Grand Opera and the Adelaide Festival; and roles including the title role in Verdi Falstaff, Golaud in Debussy Pelléas et Mélisande, title role in Puccini Gianni Schicchi, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and the title role in Mozart Don Giovanni for houses including Glyndebourne Festival, English National Opera, Opéra National de Lyon, Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Opera North, Salzburger Festspiele and Chicago Lyric Opera.

Purves is particularly affiliated with contemporary repertoire and has created roles in a number of notable premieres, most recently singing Walt Disney in the world premiere of Phillip Glass The Perfect American at the Teatro Real, Madrid and the English National Opera, Protector in George Benjamin Written on Skin at The Royal Opera House, and for composer Sir James Macmillan, Purves has originated roles in The Sacrifice at Welsh National Opera, Ines de Castro at Scottish Opera and Parthenogenesis at the Edinburgh International Festival. Other recent contemporary highlights include two Kaija Saariaho operas, with Purves performing the roles of Father-in-Law in Innocence for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and Tsargo in a concert staging of Adriana Mater for the San Francisco Symphony.

On the concert platform, highlights include HK Gruber Frankenstein!! with the San Francisco Symphony, Haydn Die Schöpfung with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Beethoven Missa Solemnis with the Orchestra of Opéra de Rouen Normandie, Balstrode in Peter Grimes at the Enescu Festival, Protector in Written on Skin at La Biennale di Venezia, the title role in Bluebeard’s Castle with Opera North, the world premiere of The Anvil: An Elegy for Peterloo with the BBC Philharmonic, Alberich in Das Rheingold with the New York Philharmonic, Peasant in Schoenberg Gurrelieder with the London Symphony Orchestra at the BBC Proms, Acis and Galatea with La Nuova Musica, Mozart Requiem with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Bach St John Passion at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Bach St Matthew Passion with the Academy of Ancient Music, Elgar The Kingdom at the the BBC Proms and the BBC Symphony Orchestra and a European tour of Handel Messiah with Emmanuelle Haïm and Le Concert d’Astree. 

Purves recently released the solo album My Soul, What Fear You? (King’s College Recordings, 2023) in collaboration with pianist Simon Lepper. Otherwise, Purves’ extensive discography includes the title role in Mozart Le nozze di Figaro for Chandos, Handel Messiah and Saul with Harry Christophers and The Sixteen, Donizetti Maria di Rohan and Ricci La Prigione di Edimburgo for Opera Rara, Written on Skin with George Benjamin and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra; and Mozart Requiem with Stephen Cleobury and the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge. Early in 2018 Purves’ second volume of Handel’s Finest Arias for Base Voice was released on Hyperion with Arcangelo and Jonathan Cohen to great critical acclaim, following the huge success of his debut solo disc in 2012.

He started his musical life as a choral scholar at King’s College, Cambridge, and went on to become a member of experimental rock group Harvey and the Wallbangers.

2024/25 season / 799 words. Not to be altered without permission.