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The English counter-tenor, Charles Humphries, studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Charles Brett, Michael Chance and James Bowman and was later awarded the role of Associate of the Royal Academy of Music. He continues his studies with Paul Farrington.
Charles Humphries appears regularly as a soloist, not only alongside the recognised baroque ensembles of Britain, but also in his own right throughout the UK and Europe. These appearances include venues such as the Barbican Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Wigmore Hall, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels as well as the cities of Copenhagen, Oslo, Prague and Warsaw. Conductors that he has worked for as a soloist include Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Richard Hickox, Robert King, Paul McCreesh, Nicholas McGegan, James O'Donnell, Trevor Pinnock, Rinaldo Alessandrini and Lars Ulrik Mortensen.
Operatic engagements have included the role of Delfa, Giasone (Cavalli) at the Megaron in Athens, the title role in Pompeo Magno (Cavalli) at the Varazdin Festival of Baroque Music in Croatia, Lichas Hercules at the Hans-Otto Theater in Potsdam, the title role in Lucio Silla at the Händel Festival in Karlsruhe, the title role in Tamerlano for the Britten-Pears School and The Sorceress for The King’s Consort. Recent solo concert highlights have included working alongside The King’s Consort, Gabrieli Consort, Ulster Orchestra, Northern Chamber Orchestra and Concerto Copenhagen. Last season (2004-2005) allowed him to make his Slovenian debut in televised performances of George Frideric Handel's Judas Maccabaeus and he performed a solo recital of Purcell's music for the Riga Domfest.
Charles Humphries recently sang the role of Tolomeo in Giulio Cesare for the Norwegian National Opera to great acclaim and performed at the English National Opera where he was covering the character Hamor in G.F. Handel's Jephtha. Future engagements include appearances on the BBC Proms series in London (May and August), guest appearances with The King’s Consort in Halle and Dresden, concerts of arias and duets in Latvia (August), several works from the Italian Baroque repertoire, Monetverdi 1610 Vespers in Vilnius (October), Solo Alto Voice in Acis and Galatea with The King’s Consort (November) Messiah in Lübeck (December).
Charles Humphries' recordings include Jephtha and Judas Maccabaeus (K & K Verlagsanstalt), Messiah (Capriccio) and Antonio Vivaldi Cantatas (ASV), and Gloria/Dixit/Dominus/Gloria for Philips with Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducting. His future recordings include Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers with The King’s Consort. Future projects include Acis and Galatea, Italian repertoire, Purcell and G.F. Handel Odes, Monteverdi Vespers recording with The King’s Consort, a concert performance of A. Vivaldi's l'Olympiad with Sancera in Latvia, recital of solo Bach Cantatas in Lithuania, Messiah throughout Northern Germany and Denmark and a tour of G.F. Handel's Heroic Arias for Farinelli productions throughout the Baltic States. |
