Christopher Richardson

Earlier in his career, Christopher attended the Lisa Gasteen National Opera School in Brisbane (on a scholarship awarded by the Wagner Society of New South Wales), and received both the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Aria Award, and ‘The Frances MacEachron Award for Outstanding Vocal Achievement’ at The Oratorio Society of New York’s Solo Competition at Carnegie Hall.

Christopher’s engagements this year will include returns to Sydney Philharmonia Choirs as Manoah (Samson) and in Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. He will also perform songs by Williams, Finzi and Vine at the Blackheath Chamber Music Festival and Mozart’s Requiem with Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Society. He was also engaged to sing the bass arias in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion in St. David’s Cathedral, Hobart. He also participated in the ACO’s recording of the Wendy Carlos Beethoven 9 project.

Amongst his engagements last year Christopher appeared as guest artist with The Song Company in Brahms German Requiem, and in Haydn Seasons with Victoria Chorale. He also returned to Sydney Philharmonia Choirs for Haydn’s Nelson Mass, to Adelaide Symphony Orchestra for Beethoven Symphony No. 9 and to Melbourne Symphony for Messiah.

On the concert platform Christopher has most appeared with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in J.S. Bach’s Magnificat; the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem and Mozart’s Mass in C); the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in Mozart’s Requiem; the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in J.S. Bach’s St Matthew Passion; and with the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs (Handel’s Israel In Egypt and J.S. Bach’s St Matthew Passion). He has also regularly appeared with the Perth Symphonic Chorus, The Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra, FOV - Festival of Voices, the Choir of St James King Street Sydney, St Andrews Cathedral Choir Sydney, the Newcastle University Choir and Orchestra and the Allegri Ensemble Hobart, performing repertoire including Bach's St John Passion; Fauré's Requiem; Mendelssohn’s Elijah; Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem; Haydn’s Creation; Handel’s Saul; and Mozart's Solemn Vespers of the Confessor. Christopher has also appeared in various staged productions of Handel’s Oratorios, performing the role of Ptolemy in Alexander Balus, and the title role in Hercules, with the Canberra Choral Society; and the role of Zebul in ‘The Vow’ (Jephtha) with Handel in the Theatre, Canberra.

On the Opera stage, Christopher has appeared with Pinchgut Opera, as Thoas (Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride), and as Idreno in Haydn’s Armida. Also, in an initiative between Opera Queensland and DanceNorth, he sang the featured Bass role in Abandon (Handel arr. Crabb) which premiered in Townsville at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in 2013, and then featured at the Brisbane World Theatre Festival in 2014.

Christopher has premiered many new works by Australian composers, including Barry Conyngham’s, The Apology of Bony Anderson with Syzygy Ensemble at the Melbourne Recital Centre; KURSK: An Oratorio Requiem by David Chisholm with Melbourne’s Arcko Symphonic Project at the Melbourne Festival; and in the world premieres of Constantine Koukias’ Tesla - Lightning in his Hand and Christopher Bowen’s An Australian Requiem, performing the role of Kemal Atatürk.

Recent engagement highlights include his debut with Sydney Symphony in the role of Mr. Swallow (Peter Grimes), The Enchanted Island (10 Days on the Island Festival, Tasmania), Handel’s Messiah at City Recital Hall, Angel Place Sydney; The Genius of J S Bach at Melbourne Recital Centre; Beethoven Mass in C for Victoria Chorale and Llewellyn Choir, Canberra, Brahms’ Requiem for the Festival of Voices in Tasmania; and Fauré’s Requiem with Perth Symphonic Chorus. Christopher also features on a CD of Calvin Bowman art songs, “Real and Right and True” released on the Decca label, in 2018.

www.christopherrichardson.info