The Hungarian counter-tenor and tenor, Jószef Csapó, gained first musical appearance: entertaining passengers with the song "Sárga a csikó, sárga a gyerek rajta" on a crowded coach of the Székesfehérvár-Balatonaliga railway line way back in the middle of the 1970s’. He sang the first solo alto in J.S. Bach's Magnificat (BWV 243) on the 10-year-jubilee of Bach Singers. By that time he had learnt counter-tenor voice-formation for three weeks. He graduated in 1997, from University of Pécs. Through his teacher, Gabriella Jani, he was the first to give graduation concert as counter-tenor in 1996. He has attended the master-courses of Ashley Stafford and Alastair Thompson. Since 2002 he has sung also as tenor soloist. At this time he began his studies under Éva Lax, with whom he has close work-contact.
Although the base of his repertoire are the Baroque oratoric pieces, Jószef Csapó is skilled in performing pieces from the age of Monteverdi to Arvo Pärt. His début in opera was in George Frideric Handel’s Orlando with the Budapest Chamber Opera conducted by Philip Pickett in the program of Budapest Spring Festival, 2001. As soloist and the member of the UniCum Laude he has given concerts in Germany, Italy, France, Bohemia, Belgium, Austria, Netherlands, Malta, Romania, Japan and Taiwan. Currently he works in the Hungarian National Choir.
The most significant works in Jószef Csapó’s career so far: J.S. Bach's St. John Passion (BWV 245) (Pécs Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Howard Williams), G.F. Handel’s Messiah (Pécs Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Howard Williams), G.F. Handel’s Messiah (conducted by Gábor Hollerung), Purcell’s Hail, Bright Cecilia (Valér Jobbágy), J.S. Bach's Magnificat E-flat major (BWV 243a) in (Ars Longa Chamber Orchestra, Soma Dinyés), Michael Haydn’s Cantatas (conducted by Peter Scholz/Holland), G.F. Handel’s Orlando (Budapest Chamber Orchestra, Philip Pickett), Monteverdi’s Orfeo (Budapest Chamber Orchestra, Pál Németh), Monteverdi’s Vespro (György Vashegyi), Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi (Malta Opera Company, Alan Chircop), J.S. Bach’s first volume of cantatas (Ars Longa Chamber Orchestra, Soma Dinyés), L.v. Beethoven’s 9th Symphony (National Filharmonic Society, Mátyás Antál), Levente Gyöngyösi’s Gólyakalifa (Hungarian State Opera, György Vashegyi).
His favourite composers are J.S. Bach
and C. Gesualdo; his favourite singers are James Bowman, Barbara Bonney. |