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Biography

Educated at Newcastle University and the Britten-Pears School, Christopher was a winner of the N.F.M.S. Young Concert Artists' Award, a finalist in the Richard Tauber Competition and one of the inaugural Samling Scholars, studying with Thomas Allen. 

 

An experienced concert performer throughout the UK and Europe with orchestras such as the RPO and BBC SO and conductors such as Pierre Boulez and Sir Andrew Davis, highlights have included: Pawel Lukaszewski’s Requiem (world premiere, Presteigne Festival), Mozart’s Requiem (Royal Festival Hall), Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Durham Cathedral on two occasions, a world premiere of Nicholas Smith’s Love, Friendship and Longing (in Mandarin) at Cadogan Hall and Handel’s Messiah (Concert Hall, Forbidden City, Beijing).

  
As a recitalist, he has been a particular champion of English song, appearing in diverse venues and festivals such as The Purcell Room, Banqueting House, Gregynog, Presteigne, Brittania in Bamberg in Germany and three appearances for the English Music Festival.

  
Operatic appearances have included: Mozart’s Sarastro, (Pavilion Opera and  London Festival Opera) and Leporello, (Ahmadi Music Group, Kuwait) whilst other roles have included Kawabata, Philip Glass’s Hotel of Dreams (UK premiere); Arkel in Debussy‘s Impressions de Pelléas (Opera on the Move), Traveller, Britten’s Curlew River (Nova Music Opera); Arthur, Maxwell Davies’ The Lighthouse; Friar Laurence, Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet (Riverside Opera), Raimondo, Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor (Winslow Hall Opera); roles in four operas by Edward Lambert and performances in La Bohème as Benoit and Alcindoro and Colline but not at the same time or for the same company.


Recent work includes the role of Antonio in Edward Lambert’s The Masque of Vengeance:
“…he arranged for Vacuo’s death with great satisfaction and rich vocal resonance.” 

  
Christopher studies with Gary Coward but when not singing, he enjoys photography, fine wine, the cinema and cycling, though not necessarily in that order.

 

 

“Thank you for singing the baritone soli so sensitively for us in the Brahms on Saturday.   Your  two numbers are critical to the impact of this work, and as it turned out, the musicality of your performance carried us all forward through the evening.   I was most gratified and I hope you were too.”
Denis McCaldin
Brahms Requiem

Lake District Summer Music Festival 2011

“Thanks for your fantastic performance last night.  I really enjoyed working with you and the feedback from the choir and audience has been terrific.”
Michael Summers
Mendelssohn Elijah
Durham Choral Society 2013

Britten Curlew River: Nova Music Opera 2013
“Christopher Foster’s dark-hued Traveller” 
Opera Review: Peter Reynolds