Christopher Ainslie Countertenor Christopher Ainslie started his singing career as a Passion in the London Handel Festival, where he chorister at St Geo Cape Town, also sang the title roles Solomon, and his home city. While qualifying as a Chartered Hercules Messiah with leading orchestras around Accountant, Christopher studied singing part time the world including the Philadelphia Orchestra, with Sarita Stern at the University of Cape Town and the National Symphony Orchestra in the College of Music, and viola with Jürgen Kennedy Centre, and Classical Opera at the Schwietering. After moving to London in 2005, he Wigmore Hall, Cyrus Belshazzar s Feast in the completed his postgraduate studies at the Royal Dresden Frauenkirche, David Saul in St John's College of Music with distinction, and is now Smith Square, London, Judas Maccabeaus in performing at leading venues around the world. Vilnius, various works with B'Rock, and Bach's St He continues to study privately with Mark Tucker, John Passion and Vivaldi Gloria with the Neil Semer, and Audrey Hyland. Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Christopher was the first counter-tenor to win the He also enjoys giving recitals, and has performed Richard Tauber Prize at the Wigmore Hall (2008) at the Wigmore Hall (including works ranging and won the Michael Oliver Prize in the 2007 from Dowland to Schubert and Mahler), as well as Handel Singing Competition. He was a 2010 in concert with Classical Opera, in the London Classical Opera Company Associate Artist, and is Handel Festival, with Laurence Cummings and the grateful for the support of Independent Opera in Croatian Baroque Ensemble, with Harry Bicket the formative years of his career. In September and players from The English Concert, and with 2011 he was the winner of the Gianni Bergamo Les Arts Florissants in performances of music by Classic Music Award for Countertenors. Handel and Scarlatti. Christopher has established himself as a leading Recent engagements include debuts at Dresden s “...he holds the audience interpreter of repertoire within and outside the Semperoper as Prince Go-Go in Le Grand spellbound both by the traditional confines of the countertenor voice- Macabre, Théâtre du Châtelet as David in type. His performance in the title role of Handel's Saul, and at the National Opera of Chile expressiveness of his tone and Poro under Laurence Cummings at the London as Unulfo, Orfeo Orfeo ed Euridice for Opéra de the musicality of his Handel Festival was highly acclaimed. Other Lyon and for Opéra National de Lorraine, Ottone opera roles include his US opera debut in the title Agrippina for the Göttingen Handel Festival and interpretation, A talent to role in Handel's Amadigi at Central City Opera the Grange Festival where he also performed with Matthew Halls, Ottone Poppea for Cyrus Belshazzar, Giulio Cesare for English watch....” Glyndebourne on Tour, with Opera North, and in Touring Opera, David Saul for Glyndebourne, Opera Magazine Drottningholms Slottsteater, Sweden, Antonio The Oberon at English National Opera, Unulfo Merchant of Venice for Bregenzer Festspiele, Rodelinda for the Teatro Real in Madrid with Ivor Innocent 4 in the world premiere of Birtwistle's Bolton and with Opéra de Lyon, Athamas Semele The Minotaur at the Royal Opera House, Covent at Garsington with Jonathan Cohen, the title role Garden (directed by Stephen Langridge, conducted Joseph And His Brethren at the London Handel by Antonio Pappano), the title role in Tamerlano Festival, the title role in Orfeo ed Euridice at Opéra in the Göttingen Handel Festival (conducted by de Massy with Les Musiciens du Louvre, Bach s B Nicholas McGegan), the title role in Arne's Minor Mass with at the Oregon Bach Festival, Artaxerxes at the Royal Opera House, Medoro Magnificat and the Orlando with Independent Opera at Sadler's Wells, world pre A European Arsace Partenope at the Les Azuriales Festival, Requiem Messiah with the Ulster France, Oberon and Orchestra, and notable performances with the Voice of Apollo Death in Venice for Opera North Choir and Orchestra of Radio France and the Hallé (the latter also with Opéra de Lyon), the title role Orchestra. in Cava Eliogablo with Gotham Chamber Orchestra, the title role in Rinaldo in Sigulda, Engagements that could sadly not take place last Latvia, Alessandro Tolomeo in the London season include returns to the Göttingen Handel Handel Festival, Arsamenes Xerxes at the Festival for Arsamene in Xerxes, Le Concert Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and Unulfo Rodelinda, Lorraine for Handel s Brockes Passion, and the Messenger Thebans, and Helicon in the UK Oregon Bach Festival. This season and beyond he Caligula, all for English returns to Malmö Opera as Oberon, as well Les National Opera. He has created roles in several Musiciens du Louvre, and performs the role of world premieres. Ruggiero Alcina with the National Theatre Brno.. Oratorio performances include Bach's Weihnachtsoratorium in Moscow (with Vladimir Jurowski) and with Les Musiciens du Louvre Valid for use until 1 February 2021 (conducted by Marc Minkowski), St Matthew For updated versions please contact [email protected] Rayfield Allied Member of the International Artist 9-12 The Stableyard Broomgrove Road London SW9 9TL Rayfield Allied acts as agent only and can www.rayfieldallied.com accept no responsibility as principal E-mail [email protected] Telephone +44 (0) 20 3176 5500 Facsimile +44 (0) 700 602 4143 .