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The English bass, Felix Kemp, studied privately in London; and continued his postgraduate studies at Trinity Laban, generously supported by the Kathleen Roberts Vocal Scholarship. His awards include 1st Prize at the Elisabeth Schumann Lieder Competition, 2nd Prize at the London Song Festival’s British Art Song Competition and the Audience Prize at the John Kerr Award for English Song.
In opera, Felix Kemp has sung Giove in La Calisto for Longborough Festival Opera (August 2019); Felix in Tom Coult’s Devil in The Belfry with the Britten Sinfonia as part of Jerwood Opera at Snape Maltings (April 2018); Le Brigadier in Hérold’s Le Pré aux Clercs at the Wexford Festival; Noah / George Putnam in Russell Hepplewhite’s Silver Electra and Gaoler in Tosca for English Touring Opera (March-June 2017); The Chief in Odaline de la Martinez’s Imoinda with Lontano (February-March 2019); Masetto in W.A. Mozart's Don Giovanni for British Youth Opera (September 2017); The Herald in The Travelling Companion for New Sussex Opera (November-December 2017); the title role in Eugene Onegin for Opera UpClose (May-July 2017); Marchese d’Obigny in La traviata as an Opera Holland Park Young Artist (June 2018); and Melot in Tristan und Isolde for Grange Park Opera (July 2016).
His concert engagements have included J.S. Bach's Mass in B minor BWV 232 (November 2017) and Johannes-Passion BWV 245 in Coventry Cathedral; Johannes-Passion BWV 245 in St Albans Abbey (March 2019); Matthäus-Passion BWV 244 with the New London Orchestra in Southwark Cathedral (March 2019); L.v. Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the Orion Orchestra at Cadogan Hall, London (April 2019); Howard Goodall's Eternal Light: A Requiem with the Southern Sinfonia (March 2018); Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah in Lincoln Cathedral (May 2019); John Rutter's The Reluctant Dragon for a John Lewis Partnership Concert at London’s Royal Festival Hall (Decembe 2016); and Ralph Vaughan Williams' Dona nobis pacem in Truro Cathedral.
On the recital platform, as a Britten-Pears Young Artist, Felix Kemp has performed Wolf Lieder at Snape Maltings (October 2018); has explored opera arias in master-classes with Sir Antonio Pappano as part of the Aldeburgh Festival (June 2019) and appeared in A Bernstein Celebration for the London Song Festival (October 2018).
Praised by The Guardian for his “appealing baritone,” and awarded an Audition Oracle Singers’ Preparation Scholarship, Felix Kemp was planned to make his debut with the Royal Opera, London in June-July 2019 as a Flemish Deputy in Don Carlo, but it is was postponeed due to Covid-19. At the Royal Opera House, he also gave a Crush Room Recital (January 2020), and highlights of his 2019-2020 season further include Don Fernando in L.v. Beethoven's Fidelio for Lyric Opera, Dublin (February 2020); J.S. Bach's Missa brevis in G minor BWV 235 and W.A. Mozart's Requiem on tour with the Israel Camerata Orchestra Jerusalem (October 2019); Johannes-Passion BWV 245 in Sunderland Minster (April 2020, cancelled); Richard Blackford’s Pietá with Orchestra Nova; The Creation with the New London Orchestra; George Frideric Handel's Messiah with the City of London Sinfonia in Salisbury Cathedral; Elijah in Arundel Cathedral (November 2019); Birmingham Bach Choir’s Centenary Concert in Lichfield Cathedral (November 2019); The Outsiders Fight Back for the opening concert of the 2019 London Song Festival; and the 2020 Leeds Castle Classical Open-Air Concert with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
International engagements have included J.S. Bach's Pilate in Johannes-Passion BWV 245 with Musikk i Sandefjord, Oslo; Johannes Brahms' German Requiem in Paris with Ensemble Zene; and G.F. Handel's Judas Maccabaeus with Ensemble Sagittarius in Bordeaux.
Felix Kemp’s recordings include Pierrot in Ethel Smyth's Fête Galant for Retrospect Opera and The Herald in Stanford’s The Travelling Companion for SOMM Recordings. His broadcasts include In Tune for BBC Radio 3. |
