Christopher Lowrey

Biography

Countertenor Christopher Lowrey is considered as "one of the operatic countertenors of our day, excelling dramatically and vocally, with clear, ringing and flexible tone" (Bachtrack, Sandra Bowdler). From the United States, and inflected by many years in the UK, he balances the best elements of these diverse traditions, merging directness of expression and beauty of tone with precision and agility.

Christopher appears regularly with a wide range of distinguished companies around the world, including Royal Opera House, Carnegie Hall, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonie de Paris, La Fenice, English Concert, Academy of Ancient Music, Boston Early Music Festival, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and Cappella Mediterranea. Among his many collaborators are William Christie, Vladimir Jurowski, Christophe Rousset, Laurence Cummings, Ivor Bolton, Leonardo Garcia Alarcón, Richard Egarr, Harry Bicket, Raphaël Pichon, Christian Curnyn, Erin Helyard, and David Bates.

Recent operatic roles include Handel’s Resurrezione (Cleofe) with Emmanuel Music in Boston, Vivaldi’s Farnace (title role) with Pinchgut Opera in Sydney, Handel’s Giulio Cesare (title role) performed at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris as well as in Oviedo and the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona, Brett Dean’s Hamlet (Guildenstern) in Glyndebourne and the Metropolitan Opera, Handel’s Rodelinda (Bertarido) at Göttingen Festival, and Handel’s Partenope (Armindo) at Teatro Real in Madrid. Recent concert appearances include Messiah at La Grange-au-Lac in Évian-les-Bains, an evening of Handel duets with soprano Louise Alder and Ensemble Marsyas at Wigmore Hall, Bach’s Magnificat at Chapel Royale de Versailles and a tour of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with B’Rock Orchestra led by Evgeny Sviridov.

His growing catalogue of recordings includes Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with Les Talens Lyriques for Alpha, Handel’s Arminio (title role) for Accent, Theodora (Didymus) for ABC Classics, Handel’s Susanna (Joacim) for Accent, Vivaldi’s Bajazet (Tamerlano) for ABC Classics, Handel’s Faramondo (Gernando) for Accent, Handel’s and Vivaldi’s Dixit Dominus for Harmonia Mundi, and a solo album of Handel Arias for the EMI Emerging Artists Series. Christopher also appears on the DVD of Glyndebourne Festival’s production of Dean’s Hamlet (Guildenstern) released for Opus Arte.

Christopher starts off the 22/23 season with a tour in the Netherlands of Draghi’s Il dono della vita eterna (Morte eterna) conducted with Leonardo Garcia Alcarón which will tour again in France later in the season. He will continue with Handel’s Messiah with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra conducetd by Ivars Taurins before joining Oper Frankfurt’s new production of Handel’s Orlando (Medoro) directed by Ted Huffmann. Christopher will return to Versailles to sing the title-role in Handel’s Poro, re delle Indie together with Ensemble Il Griviglio led by Marco Angioloni. Furthermore, he will make his debuts at the Bayrische Staatsoper in Munich with a revival of Brett Dean’s Hamlet.

Christopher is also in demand as a conductor of choral music. He is the founder and director of Ensemble Altera, fast becoming a leading American chamber choir dedicated to bringing thoughtful, engaging, and relevant programs of choral music to in-person and digital audiences at home and around the world. Recent projects undertaken by the group include an innovative series of digital concerts produced for viewers around the world.

(2022_23)