Christopher Lowrey

Countertenor

Countertenor Christopher Lowrey is considered “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, the Metropolitan Opera and the Bayrische Staatsoper Munich, Handel’s Rodelinda (Bertarido) at Göttingen Festival, Handel’s Partenope (Armindo) at Teatro Real in Madrid, and Handel’s Orlando (Medoro) at Oper Frankfurt staged by Ted Huffman. Recent concert appearances include Messiah at La Grange-au-Lac in Évian-les-Bains as well as at the Koerner Hall in Toronto, Bach’s Magnificat at Chapel Royal de Versailles and a tour of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with B’Rock Orchestra led by Evgeny Sviridov. Furthermore, he toured Draghi’s Il dono della vita eterna (Morte eterna) conducted by Leonardo García Alarcón, and a concert version of Handel’s Poro, re delle Indie (title role) alongside the Ensemble Il Griviglio led by Marco Angioloni.

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 23/24 season with the Bach cantata Tilge Höchster alongside the Nederlandse Bach Vereniging under Laurence Cummings. Next, he will be part of a new production of Handel’s Theodora (Didymus) at Theater an der Wien, directed by Stefan Herheim and under the musical direction of Bejun Mehta. Later, he will revive Handel’s masterpiece in Sydney for concerts with Pinchgut Opera conducted by Erin Helyard. At the Grange Festival he will perform the role of Ottone in Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea, in a new production staged by Wally Sutcliffe and conducted by David Bates. Finally, Christopher will conclude the season by returning to Sydney to the role of Guildenstern in Dean Brett’s Hamlet (Opera Australia).

In concert, he will join Cappella Mediterranea led by Leonardo García Alarcón, for performances of I sette peccati capitali in Berlin and Buenos Aires. In Washington, Christopher will sing Handel’s Messiah at the Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Laurence Equilbey. He will also tour Britten’s Canticles with tenor Allan Clayton through Germany, UK, and France.

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.