|
Michael George, established as one of Britain’s most versatile bass-baritones, was a chorister at King's College, Cambridge under Sir David Willcocks. He studied at the Royal College of Music, where he was a major prize-winner.
Michael George has appeared with all the leading UK orchestras and ensembles, has sung throughout Britain at all the major festivals and has performed extensively abroad. He has worked under Neville Marriner, Riccardo Muti, John Eliot Gardiner, Roger Norrington, Charles Mackerras, Kent Nagano, Trevor Pinnock, Richard Hickox, Harry Christophers, Handley, Christopher Hogwood, Robert King, Jean-Claude Malgoire, Kurt Sanderling, David Zinman and Philip Pickett.
Michael George's recordings include Haydn's Creation (Decca), Edward Elgar's Dream of Gerontius (EMI Eminence), J.S. Bach's St Matthew Passion (BWV 244) (Columns Classics), George Frideric Handel’s Samson (The Sixteen/Collins) Apollo and Daphne (Chandos), Monteverdi's Orfeo (Decca), G.F. Handel's Acis and Galatea (Decca), Stainer’s Crucifixion (Chandos), Finzi's Let us Garlands Bring with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under Vernon Handley (BMG Conifer), G.F. Handel's Messiah and J.S. Bach's St John Passion (BWV 245) with The Sixteen (both for Hyperion), J.S. Bach's Mass in B Minor (BWV 232) (Collins) and L.v. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Missa Solemnis (Nimbus). He has completed a project to record all the Purcell Odes, Church Anthems and Songs for Hyperion with The King's Consort. Other recordings with The King's Consort include J.S. Bach's Mass in B Minor (BWV 232) and several G.F. Handel works including Joshua, Judas Maccabaeus, Acis and Galatea, Deborah, Ottone, Alexander Balus and The Occasional Oratorio. Recent releases (2001) include Schubert’s Mass in A Flat with John Eliot Gardiner (Philips Classics), Boyce Odes with the Hanover Band (ASV) and J.S. Bach's Cantatas and Masses with King’s College Cambridge/Stephen Cleobury (EMI).
Recent engagements include J.S. Bach's St Matthew Passion (BWV 244) with Collegium Musicum 90, Felix Mendelssohn’s St Paul in Vienna with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields under Sir Neville Marriner, E. Elgar’s Caractacus with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic/Edo de Waart in Amsterdam, L.v. Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Hallé Orchestra, Haydn’s Die Jahreszeiten in Düsseldorf, and L.v. Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Neville Marriner in Australia, a major European tour of the Messiah with The Sixteen, appearances with the Vienna Philharmonic for J.S. Bach's B Minor Mass (BWV 232) with Roger Norrington, J.S. Bach's St John Passion (BWV 232) with Gustav Leonhardt/Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and Rossini’s Stabat mater with the Brabant Orchestra (also televised). Engagements last season include W.A. Mozart's C minor Mass with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, W.A. Mozart's Requiem with the Vienna Philharmonic/Neville Marriner, Petite messe solenelle with the BBC Philharmonic/Carlo Rizzi, Messiah with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and on tour with the Academy of Ancient Music, W.A. Mozart's Coronation Mass with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, J.S. Bach's St. John Passion (BWV 245) with the London Philharmonic Orchestra/Mark Elder and for his debut with English National Opera, and the Matthew Passion (BWV 244) with The Bach Choir. Current engagements and future plans (2001) include the Creation with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields in Spain and also with the BBC Philharmonic at the Bridgewater Hall and at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Mussorgsky’s Songs and Dances of Death with the Brabants Orkest, J.S. Bach's B minor Mass (BWV 232) with the Stavanger Symfoniorkester and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, a tour of the Messiah with The Sixteen in Europe and Japan, Verdi’s Requiem with the Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland Pfalz, J.S. Bach's Magnificat (BWV 243) at the Athens Concert Hall, Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast for RTE Dublin, J.S. Bach's St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244) with the Ulster Orchestra, the Messiah, Belshazzar’s Feast and E. Elgar’s The Apostles for Gloucester Three Choirs Festival and G.F. Handel’s Alexander’s Feast with The Sixteen for The Covent Garden Festival. |
