IN OPERA
The performance from Christopher Lemmings, widely admired in so many modern operas, has total authority and conviction
Gramophone
With notable appearances in many of the world’s most celebrated opera houses and concert halls, the British/Irish tenor Christopher Lemmings has secured his reputation as a leading interpreter in his repertoire. With a particular leaning towards the genres of twentieth and twenty first century, he has worked with some of the leading composers of our day including Thomas Adès, Nicholas Maw, Pascal Dusapin, Philippe Manoury, Michael Berkeley, Luke Bedford, Unsuk Chin, Philippe Fenelon, Giorgio Batistelli and Harrison Birtwistle, and in many instances creating roles that were written for him. A quick witted and versatile performer, acclaimed for his powerful stage presence, Christopher’s ability to characterise both physically and musically in the most diverse way is widely recognised.
Christopher Lemmings’ voice is light and clear, with superb diction
BBC Music Magazine
Christopher made his Covent Garden debut stepping into performances (and live radio relay) of Trevor Nunn’s production of Nicholas Maw’s Sophie’s Choice, under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle, and then went on to take over the role of Caliban in Thomas Adès’ The Tempest to critical acclaim, this time also on a television broadcast, and has gone on sing the role many times since. Other appearances of note include David Poutney’s production of Bernd Alois Zimmermann’s Die Soldaten with the Bochum Ruhrtriennale and at the Lincoln Centre Festival New York, Molqi in Tony Palmer’s production of The Death of Klinghoffer in Helsinki, and Bob Boles in David Alden’s award winning Peter Grimes for Vlaamse Opera.
His diction was superb and he imbued the character of the Prince with amazing dynamism and something of the character of a Shakespearian mechanical.
Opera Britannia
A regular guest at the Rome Opera, Christopher has performed Jack O’Brien in Graham Vick’s Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny, Der Prinz and Der Marquis in William Kentridge’s production of Alban Berg’s Lulu, Red Whiskers in Deborah Warner’s production of Billy Budd, Cerevin in Krzysztof Warlikowski’s production of From the House of the Dead, and the Second Jew in Barrie Kosky’s production of Salome, conducted by Marc Albrecht. Christopher played the roles of Mouse and Dormouse in Netia Jones’ production of Unsuk Chin’s Alice in Wonderland, both at the Barbican Hall, London, and also at the Disney Hall, Los Angeles, where he also played Moyshe/Wild Thing with Beard in Oliver Knussen’s Where the Wild Things Are, also directed by Netia Jones, and conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. For Teatro La Fenice, Venice, Christopher recently reprised his roles of Clarence and Tyrrel in Giorgio Batistelli’s Richard III, and has since returned there, both to perform Barber’s Hand of Bridge, and subsequently the role of Habinnas in Bruno Maderna’s Satyricon in a production to mark the 50th anniversary of both the opera and of the composer’s death.
And Caliban’s “isle is full of noises” aria, particularly well sung at this performance by Christopher Lemmings, was a highlight
Sunday Telegraph
Widely respected for his powerful stage presence, Christopher has worked with many of the world’s leading directors, including Robert Carsen, Christoph Waltz, Barrie Kosky, Deborah Warner, Christof Loy, Krzysztof Warlikowski, Richard Jones, Graham Vick and David Poutney.
Christopher Lemmings showed what an excellent character actor he was
Seen and Heard International
IN CONCERT
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
On the concert platform Christopher’s repertoire ranges from Bach Evangelist through to Gerontius, and the works of Janacek, Britten and beyond, He has performed in many leading concert halls worldwide with many celebrated orchestras and conductors.
Tenor Christopher Lemmings created a convincing character, growing broader in expression and negotiating some perilously high passages with admirable stamina.
Newcastle Journal
Several appearances at the Zaterdag Matinee at the Concertgebouw include the Hotel Porter Death in Venice alongside Anthony Rolfe Johnson, conducted by Kenneth Montgommery, Molqi in John Adam’s Death of Klinghoffer under Edo de Waart and Lechmere Owen Wingrave under Lawrence Rennes. For the Spoleto Festival Christopher sang the role of Porcus in Honegger’s Jeanne d’Arc au Bûcher alongside Marion Cotillard as Jeanne.
Christopher Lemmings sang the poetic texts with a voice both tender and bitter that really touched the heart
Tönender Schrecken
Other notable performances include Janacek’s Glagolitic Mass in the Brighton Festival under Thierry Fischer, Britten’s War Requiem with the Darmstadt Konzertchor, The Dream of Gerontius at the Sage, Newcastle, Finzi’s Intimations of Immortality with the Liverpool Philharmonic, Stravinsky’s Pulcinella with the Northern Sinfonia, Rossini’s Stabat Mater with the RTE concert orchestra Dublin, Haydn’s Stabat Mater with the Norwegian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Handel’s Messiah with the English Chamber Orchestra, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Serbian Vojvodina Symphony Orchestra, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana at the Royal Festival Hall, conducted by Ronald Corp, and Gerald Barry’s The Triumph of Beauty and Deceit conducted by Thomas Adès, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Disney Hall, Los Angeles, and with the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group at Maison Radio France, Paris, and at the Carnegie Hall, New York.