Tenor Samuel Boden replaces a cancelled Johann Sebastian Bach St Matthew Passion in Rotterdam by joining viol consort Fretwork in a Bach-free event on Good Friday with Johan Sebastiani (1622-1683) St Matthew Passion from Wigmore Hall. Available online at from 15:00 BST on April 2 for 90 days.
Tenors Guy Cutting and Bradley Smith appear in the Oxford Bach Soloists Virtual Easter Festival conducted by Tom Hammond-Davies. Filmed in stunning Oxford venues Bradley and Guy share the tenor arias in the St John Passion with Guy also singing tenor solos in the Bach Cantata Der Himmel lacht! Die Erde jubilieret BWV31. Thomas Guthrie has directed a socially-distanced but compelling and atmospheric celebration of Bach’s works. Available online from April 2 until April 30.
Against all odds tenor Samuel Boden reached Barcelona for the long-awaited Spanish première of George Benjamin’s Lessons in Love and Violence. Reprising the roles of Boy and Young King he makes his début at the Gran Teatro Liceu with performances on Feb 26, Mar 1, 4, 7, 9 & 11. Josep Pons conducts Katie Mitchell’s staging adapted for the pandemic by Dan Ayling.
Tenor Guy Cutting appears with Collegium Vocale Gent and Philippe Herreweghe on the new Belgian arts streaming platform Podium 19. The concert from De Singel, Antwerp includes Bach Cantatas 127, 138 and 161 and is available from 17:00 CET on January 31.
Tenor Andrew Irwin has been selected to receive a BBC Northern Ireland & Arts Council of Northern Ireland Young Musicians Platform Award. As well as funds towards career development projects the award includes BBC broadcast opportunities and an appearance with The Ulster Orchestra. Hear more on BBC In Tune.
Fundraising for the victims devastated by the explosion in his native Beirut last year tenor Bechara Moufarrej joins the Bayerische Staatsoper Orchestra under Toufic Maatouk to perform Salam Li Beirut – To Beirut with Peace by Fadi Kassis. The contribution from Antonine University Choir was filmed in the ruins of Beirut’s Grand Theatre and the venture was made possible with support from Schulterschluss Initiative and the Bayerische Staatsoper.
Tenor Samuel Boden sings the haute-contre role of Idamante in Campra Idomenée with Le Concert d’Astrée and Emmanuelle Haïm. The reduced version of the work, entitled Le Retour d’Idoménée, is derived from the original production concept by Àlex Ollé and is part of the L’Inattendu Festival that opens the season at Opéra de Lille on October 3.
The cast and creatives of Longborough Festival Opera’s postponed The Return of Ulysses, including director Polly Graham, conductor Robert Howarth and tenor Andrew Irwin have all contributed to this touching and magical animation. Enjoy.
Following great success as Gluck’s Orphée with the company in 2015 tenor Samuel Boden returned to sing the title role of Monteverdi L’Orfeo with the Nederlandse Reisopera in January this year. The complete performance is available on Operavision until January 2021. With his flexible tenor and athletic posture, Samuel Boden proved a perfect fit for the role of Orfeo, offering unfailingly stylish singing in the midst of the demanding choreographed moves. His honeyed timbre and the way he audibly relished the text made the plaintive lyricism of the role most moving. Bachtrack. For those with less time on their hands here is Sam singing Rosa del Ciel.
