The Rake's Progress
(Igor Stravinsky)
La Bohème
(Giacomo Puccini)
La Finta Giardiniera
(Mozart)
The Cunning Little Vixen
(Leoš Janáček)
Where The Wild Things Are/
Higglety Pigglety Pop!
(Oliver Knussen)
Richard III
(Giorgio Batistelli)
Seven Angels
(Luke Bedford/Glyn Maxwell)
The Tempest
(Thomas Ades)
Rorem
(Sanctuary Classics)
The Dream of Gerontius
(Edward Elgar)
War Requiem
(Benjamin Britten)
Glagolitic Mass
(Leoš Janáček)
Tosca
(Puccini)
Triumph of Beauty & Deceit
(Gerald Barry)
The Rake's Progress
(Igor Stravinsky)
Golem
(John Casken)
The Knot Garden
(Sir Michael Tippett)
Sophie's Choice
(Nicholas Maw)
Manon Lescaut
(Puccini)
Mozart • La Finta Giardiniera
Buxton Festival Opera 2013
The slightly more sensible characters (it’s all relative) – Christopher Lemmings’ Don Anchise, Catherine Carby’s Ramiro, Andrew Kennedy’s Belfiore and Ellie Laughame’s Violante/Sandrina provided excellent counterbalance to all this frivolity with great singing, but were also allowed to let themselves go as the occasion demanded.
Opera Journal
Top-quality standards, too, are to be found among the seven principals... Christopher Lemmings, the permanently outmanoeuvred Mayor.
The Guardian
Leoš Janáček
The Cunning Little Vixen
Bergen National Opera
Christopher Lemmings made a refined and touching Schoolmaster
Yehuda Shapiro, Opera Magazine June 2013
Christopher Lemmings was equally splendid vocally as the Schoolmaster, keeping his focus whilst being required to tow a pile of books on the end of a rope
Opera Now, June 2013
Puccini • Tosca
Vlaamse Opera
Andrew Greenan, Christopher Lemmings et Matteo Peirone apportent quant à eux un soin particulier à leur personnage, respectivement Angelotti, Spoletta et Sacristain.
Puccini • Manon Lescaut
Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Christopher Lemmings' sinuous Dancing Master swoops like an elegant swallow
Mail on Sunday
Oliver Knussen
Where the Wild Things Are/
Higglety Pigglety Pop!
Aldeburgh Festival/Los Angeles Philharmonic
The performances are outstanding with (Claire) Booth and (Lucy) Schaufer tirelessly superb, and singers such as Graeme Danby, Christopher Lemmings and Graeme Broadbent doubling roles across the two operas
The Guardian
...the exemplary supporting cast included Graeme Broadbent, Christopher Lemmings and Graeme Danby
The Sunday Times
Christopher Lemmings' bright-voiced Cat-Milkman made a fine contrast with Graeme Broadbent's resonant and commanding Lion
Opera
Giorgio Batistelli • Richard III
Opéra de Genève
"The casting of the remaining male roles cannot be faulted, Urban Malmbergen as Buckingham, Bruce Rankin as Edward 1V and Christopher Lemmings as Clarence."
ClassiqueInfo
Thomas Adès • The Tempest
Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
And Caliban’s “isle is full of noises” aria (particularly well sung at this performance by Christopher Lemmings, replacing an indisposed Ian Bostridge) was a highlight
Sunday Telegraph
(Ian Bostridge) was replaced by the fresh-voiced lyric tenor Christopher Lemmings
New York Times
Opéra National du Rhin, Strasbourg
Le récit de Caliban, superbement interprété par le tenor Christopher Lemmings, est soustenu par un tapis de cordes, ponctué de longs accords qui permet à la voix de donner toute son expressivité.
Concertclassic
Caliban est campé avec une efficacité discrète par Christopher Lemmings
Les Echos
Christopher Lemmings, qui avait dejà remplacé Ian Bostridge pour certaines soirées à Londres, connaît le potentiel de sympathie qu’il y a chez le monstre Caliban.
Le Figaro
Le tenor Christopher Lemmings est un Caliban extrordinaire, prenant son envol dans la seconde scène de l’Acte II. La voix, utilisée avec art, déploie une expressivité notable.
Anaclase
De même ce sont les airs de Caliban, role écrit sur mesure pour Ian Bostridge et fort bien repris ici par Christopher Lemmings, qui s’avèrent les plus émouvants de l’opera, peut-être parce qu’ils sont magnifies par la qualité d’un soutien orchestral d’une beauté devenant subitement enivrante. Parcours inégal donc, mais investi de bout en bout, et qui remet beaucoup de prétentions à leur place, à défaut du chef d’oeuvre inattaquable attendu
ConcertoNet
Le solide Caliban de Christopher Lemmings.
Dernières nouvelles d'Alsace
Chez les interprètes, de vrais tempéraments emergent, comme Toby Spence, Christopher Lemmings ou l’incroyable Cyndia Sieden
La Tribune
Luke Bedford • Seven Angels
The Opera Group/ROH Covent Garden
"Tenor Christopher Lemmings’ enunciated performance as the stroppy prince was fabulous".
Kate Molleson, The Herald, Glasgow 30.6.11
The lyric tenor, Christoper Lemmings has perhaps more of a pedigree in that he appeared in both Adès The Tempest and Maw Sophie’s Choice, both on the main stage of the Royal Opera House. His diction was superb and he imbued the character of the Prince with amazing dynamism and something of the character of a Shakespearian mechanical. It was when he was singing that I discerned a link between Bedford’s writing and that of his distinguished predecessor, Sir Harrison Birtwistle in Punch and Judy or Down by the Greenwood Side.
Miranda Jackson,Opera Britannia July 2011
As the Prince, Christopher Lemmings showed what an excellent character actor he was, the tantrum levels of this spoiled brat were just about right, highly agitated without being over the top – and a touch of the Victor Meldrew (see photo). He displayed little pleasure during ingestion, as if afflicted with a twentieth century complaint, compulsive food disorder. Becoming aware of his situation there was pathos too as the ‘supermarket’ ran dry. Inevitably the waitress broke down in tears. With his plate empty, the prince sees his own reflection in his silver platter. It was not a pleasant sight.
Geoff Read – Seen and Heard International 22/06/11
Highlights of the night included a stunning performance from soprano Rhona Mckail (1st Angel/waitress), accompanied by superb acting from Christopher Lemmings (above) as the gluttonous, difficult and demanding prince.
The Oxford Times
Gerald Barry
The Triumph of Beauty and Deceit......
Thomas Adès & Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Carnegie Hall, New York
The singers — Stephen Wallace (Pleasure), William Purefoy (Truth), Christopher Lemmings (Beauty), Roderick Williams (Deceit) and Stephen Richardson (Time) — all showed a remarkable ability to project themselves as dramatic agents amid the musical rowdiness, and they were all rock-solid musically, a tremendous accomplishment on its own.
Joshua Rosenblum Opera News
Maison Radio France with the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group • cond. Thomas Ades
Virtuose, équilibré, le quintette approche la Perfection: Christopher Lemmings (Beauty) est un ténor nuancé
Laurent Bergnach, Anaclase
Almeida • cond. Thomas Ades
Christopher Lemmings made solid work of Beauty, bringing a lyrical touch to the busy vocal line
Opera
Christopher Lemmings as Barry's Beauty sings to match (his) title
Financial Times
Stravinsky • The Rake's Progress
Opera Nantes/Angers
Christopher Lemmings est un Sellem brillant et persuasif dans la conduite échevelée de sa vente aux enchères.
François Lehel, Opera Magazine
Christopher Lemmings est irréprochable en Sellem.
Bertrand Bolognesi Anaclase
Sellem un peu folle mais joliment assumé de Christopher Lemmings.
J.-Ch.H. diapason
Christopher Lemmings nous vaut cependant une hilarante scène de vente aux enchères, assis sur une trapèze suspendu aux cintres
Vincent Deloge, ResMusica.com
John Casken • Golem
Opéra de Rennes/Nantes/Angers/Quimper
D'une équipe de haut vol, on peut distinguer Christopher Lemmings (Stoikus) Pathétique victime...
Les Echos
Christopher Lemmings fait merveille dans le personnage déjanté de Stoikus, que l'on croirait échappé d'un cartoon mais dont le discours prête pourtant si peu à rire
Vincent Deloge, ResMusica (15/11/06)
Sir Michael Tippett • The Knot Garden
Music Theatre Wales/ROH Covent Garden
Christopher Lemmings (Dov) handled the taxing vocal writing of Tippett’s work with ease
Evening Standard
Christopher Lemmings is a touchingly camp Dov, confused by his feelings for Rodney Clarke’s Mel
Guardian
Rodney Clarke and a bravely uninhibited Christopher Lemmings lend their Beckett-like charms to Mel and Dov, respectively
Independent
Christopher Lemmings and Rodney Clarke portrayed the gay lovers subtly and sang well
Sunday Telegraph
Nicholas Maw • Sophie's Choice
Royal Opera House Covent Garden
Replacing the indisposed Gordon Gietz, Christopher Lemmings worked hard to make an engrossing portrayal out of Stingo’s passive naivety, his lyric tenor making the most of the vocal writing.
Classicalsource
Ned Rorem • Rorem
(Sanctuary Classics • Black Box) • BBM 1104
The performance from Christopher Lemmings, widely admired in so many modern operas, has total authority and conviction.
Peter Dickinson Gramophone November 2006
It is the later set of seven Auden Songs, finished in 1989, that seems the more coherent achievement here, containing a couple of settings of deep, searching intensity; to which tenor Christopher lemmings gives full weight.
Andrew Clements The Guardian March 31st 2006
(The cycle) for solo voice and piano trio, by composer Ned Rorem display a sensitive response to words and thrilling vocal lines which mesh perfectly with the inner meaning of the poetry. The seven songs are given impassioned treatment by tenor Christopher Lemmings.
Gavin Engelbrecht The Northern Echo May 11th 2006
Christopher Lemmings' voice is light and clear, with superb diction
Anthony Burton BBC Music Magazine
These are extremely fine performances of genuine commitment and respect: Rorem could hardly have cause for complaint. Christopher Lemmings in particular has plenty of chances to soar in the testing Auden songs - all the way to a top C in 'Yes we are going to suffer. ...this is music or genuine interest and considerable potential appeal in performances which are unlikely to be bettered on record for some time.'
Carl Rosman International Record Review
Edward Elgar The Dream of Gerontius
Lewisham Choral Society with the Derbyshire Singers at the Blackheath Concert Halls, London. Cond. Stefan Reid
My ideal Gerontius needs a full, rich tone but above all the intelligence to respond minutely to the text. In this performance I found him. Christopher Lemmings has beauty of tone, power and the theatrical response needed for the text.
Martin Passande (London Branch Chairman of the Elgar Society 1992-2008)
Newcastle Choral Soc - Cond. Len Young - The Sage, Gateshead
Tenor Christopher Lemmings created a convincing character, growing broader in expression and negotiating some perilously high passages with admirable stamina.
Newcastle Journal 3-7-07
Oxford Harmonic Soc. - Cond. Robert Secret - Oxford Sheldonian
Christopher lemmings was also suffering from a bug, but nonetheless he displayed a masterly technique as he phrased and delivered the verse. Sometimes he was truly chilling too: in "I go before my Judge..." for instance.
Oxford Times 5-4-07
Benjamin Britten • War Requiem
Konzertchor Darmstadt
Christopher Lemmings sang the poetic texts with a voice both tender and bitter that really touched the heart
Tönender Schrecken
Oxford Harmonic • cond. Robert Secret
Against the big set pieces, Owen's words project their painful home truths on an intimate, person to person basis. Soloists Christopher Lemmings and Erik Sohn understood this exactly, and the fact that one is British, the other German, gave added depth to lines like: "I am the enemy you killed, my friend"
Giles Woodforde - Oxford Times
Einen ausgezeichneten Eindruck hinterließen die Solisten. Erik Sohns geschmeidiger Bariton und der leicht anspringende Tenor seines Partners Christopher Lemmings ergänzten sich ganz wunderbar. Beiden gelangen hingebungsvolle Ausdeutungen der Dichtungen von Wilfred Owen, die Britten mit dem Text der lateinischen Totenmesse kombiniert hat.
Mathias Nofze - Bonn General-Anzeiger
Leoš Janáček Glagolitic Mass
Glagolitic Mass - Brighton Festival with Brighton Festival Chorus, conducted by Thierry Fischer
Christopher Lemmings animated (his) lines with operatic fervour. Lemmings’s timbre in the upper reaches of the register even lent an authentically Slav flavour to the music, matching the typically citrus colouring of Janácek’s orchestration.
Daily Telegraph
Glagolitic Mass - Highgate Choral Society - Cond. Ronald Corp
with fiery contributions from tenor Christopher Lemmings and a last-minute replacement soprano, Mary Bevan
Michael White, Ham & High
Igor Stravinsky • The Rake's Progress
L'Opéra de Rennes/ Théâtre Graslin, Nantes • 2022
Particulièrement réussie, la scène de la vente aux enchères est dominée par la prestation de Christopher Lemmings, Sellem de haut vol (Particularly successful, the auction scene is dominated by the performance of Christopher Lemmings, high-flying Sellem)
Julia le Brun/Diapason 7 March 2022
Le commissaire-priseur Sellem de Christopher Lemmings est d’une belle présence plus démoniaque que notre diable du jour (Auctioneer Sellem by Christopher Lemmings is a beautiful presence more demonic than our devil of the day)
Romaric Hubert/Première Loge 5th March 2022
la diction anglaise précise de Christopher Lemmings pour le commissaire-priseur Sellem (the precise English diction of Christopher Lemmings for the auctioneer Sellem)
Vincent Guillemin/ResMusica 7th March 2022
En Sellem aux allures de vampire, Christopher Lemmings réussit une composition mi-amusante, mi-inquiétante. (In vampire-like Sellem, Christopher Lemmings manages a half-amusing, half-disturbing composition.)
Laurent Bury/Concert Classic 5th March 2022
le commissaire priseur de Christopher Lemmings, formidable en artiste de cabaret expressionniste (the auctioneer of Christopher Lemmings, formidable as an expressionist cabaret artist)
Christophe Candoni/sceneweb
Christopher Lemmings en Sellem sont au diapason. Ce dernier crée, avec une émission d'un grand naturel, une improbable silhouette de Nosferatu-commissaire-priseur puisque désormais tout est à vendre, même les âmes. (Christopher Lemmings in Sellem are in tune. The latter creates, with a program of great naturalness, an improbable silhouette of Nosferatu-commissioner-auctioneer since now everything is for sale, even souls.)
Tania Bracq/forumopera 7th March 2022
l’avidité mordante du Sellem de Christopher Lemmings (the biting greed of the Sellem by Christopher Lemmings)
Gilles Charlassier/La Terrasse
Giacomo Puccini • La Bohème
Glyndebourne Festival Opera • 2022
Death is not in Puccini’s cast list. But in Visser’s production, which plays on any number of film references from The Seventh Seal to Meet Joe Black, he is on stage so much that it’s almost a surprise that he doesn’t get the final curtain call. Can the others see him? Mimì can, once she accepts her illness; Rodolfo can’t, yet he glances over his shoulder as if he senses something is there. The opera becomes something other than – arguably more than – a story of youth and doomed love. And Visser’s gamble pays off: it is riveting.It helps that Christopher Lemmings is such a magnificently magnetic presence, silent except for when he assumes the brief role of Parpignol, the toy-seller whose half-dozen notes usually go almost unnoticed; here he is doling out red balloons that you suspect might have strings infused with cholera. Those balloons are a rare spot of colour against the black and grey of Jon Morrell’s costumes and Dieuweke Van Reij’s set, a blank-walled street stretching back into dark nothingness.
.Erica Jeal/The Guardian 12th June 2022
It’s rare to encounter a staging that presents the world’s most popular opera in a radically different way… I was transfixed by Floris Visser’s production! And not just by the bold unifying idea of Mimì being silently stalked by the figure of Death from start to finish, but also by the superb stagecraft deployed to ensure that this sour-faced, overcoated figure (superbly mimed by Christopher Lemmings) was subtly sinister rather than a naff, horror-film ghoul.
Richard Morrison/The Times 13th June 2022
Visser has added a character into the mix, the black-clad Death, visible only to Mimi, who silently stalks her throughout the piece. Played by tenor Christopher Lemmings, the role of the toy seller Parpignol is incorporated into his character, and the red balloons he hands out to the members of the children’s chorus are a stark contrast to the mostly monochrome design, and a haunting reminder that death will, eventually, come to us all. Another clever use of colour, and a particularly macabre moment, comes in the final bars of Act 2. Rodolfo and Mimi have pledged to stay together throughout the winter and part in spring, when the flowers return. As death retreats over the cobbles, Lemmings slowly pulls a dust sheet off the stacks of chairs, revealing them to be adorned with beautiful bright pink flowers. What should be a symbol of life and rebirth is eerily transformed into a haunting omen of the opera’s ensuing tragedy.
Miranda Heggie/The Arts Desk 13th June 2022
The stalking figure is played by Christopher Lemmings, who also takes the small role of Parpignol, the toyseller at the Café Momus. That’s no coincidence: one of the most moving moments is when Mimì looks longingly at Parpignol handing out toys to the children, as if to plead for the gift of life.
Barry Millington/Evening Standard 13th June 2022
It’s a monochrome world disrupted only by Mimi’s pink beret. the red balloons of the toy seller Parpignol, sung with a virtuosic intensity by lyric tenor by Christopher Lemmings, and the pink flowers that presage Mimi’s inevitable fate. Death is also played by the emistable Christopher Lemmings, this time in a non-singing role seemingly channelling horror maestro Peter Cushing, Mimi is stalked by this sombre figure throughout the whole piece, eventually walking off with him to the back of the stage as she dies unnoticed whilst her friends manage their grief.
Adrian York/London Unattached 12th June 2022