Charles Humphries (Counter-tenor)

Born: England

The English counter-tenor, Charles Humphries, studied at the Royal Academy of Music with Charles Brett, Michael Chance and James Bowman and was later awarded the role of Associate of the Royal Academy of Music. He continues his studies with Paul Farrington.

Charles Humphries appears regularly as a soloist, not only alongside the recognised baroque ensembles of Britain, but also in his own right throughout the UK and Europe. These appearances include venues such as the Barbican Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Wigmore Hall, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels as well as the cities of Copenhagen, Oslo, Prague and Warsaw. Conductors that he has worked for as a soloist include Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Richard Hickox, Robert King, Paul McCreesh, Nicholas McGegan, James O'Donnell, Trevor Pinnock, Rinaldo Alessandrini and Lars Ulrik Mortensen.

Operatic engagements have included the role of Delfa, Giasone (Cavalli) at the Megaron in Athens, the title role in Pompeo Magno (Cavalli) at the Varazdin Festival of Baroque Music in Croatia, Lichas Hercules at the Hans-Otto Theater in Potsdam, the title role in Lucio Silla at the Händel Festival in Karlsruhe, the title role in Tamerlano for the Britten-Pears School and The Sorceress for The King’s Consort. Recent solo concert highlights have included working alongside The King’s Consort, Gabrieli Consort, Ulster Orchestra, Northern Chamber Orchestra and Concerto Copenhagen. Last season (2004-2005) allowed him to make his Slovenian debut in televised performances of George Frideric Handel's Judas Maccabaeus and he performed a solo recital of Purcell's music for the Riga Domfest.

Charles Humphries recently sang the role of Tolomeo in Giulio Cesare for the Norwegian National Opera to great acclaim and performed at the English National Opera where he was covering the character Hamor in G.F. Handel's Jephtha. Future engagements include appearances on the BBC Proms series in London (May and August), guest appearances with The King’s Consort in Halle and Dresden, concerts of arias and duets in Latvia (August), several works from the Italian Baroque repertoire, Monetverdi 1610 Vespers in Vilnius (October), Solo Alto Voice in Acis and Galatea with The King’s Consort (November) Messiah in Lübeck (December).

Charles Humphries' recordings include Jephtha and Judas Maccabaeus (K & K Verlagsanstalt), Messiah (Capriccio) and Antonio Vivaldi Cantatas (ASV), and Gloria/Dixit/Dominus/Gloria for Philips with Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducting. His future recordings include Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers with The King’s Consort. Future projects include Acis and Galatea, Italian repertoire, Purcell and G.F. Handel Odes, Monteverdi Vespers recording with The King’s Consort, a concert performance of A. Vivaldi's l'Olympiad with Sancera in Latvia, recital of solo J.S. Bach's Cantatas in Lithuania, Messiah throughout Northern Germany and Denmark and a tour of G.F. Handel's Heroic Arias for Farinelli productions throughout the Baltic States.

Source: Charles Humphries Website
Contributed by Aryeh Oron (August 2006)

Charles Humphries: Short Biography | Kontrabande | Recordings of Vocal Works

Recordings of Bach Cantatas & Other Vocal Works

Conductor

As

Works

Rolf Beck

Alto

BWV 245 [Video]

Michael Brewer

Alto

BWV 244 [sung in English]

John Eliot Gardiner

Alto

BCP: BWV 41, BWV 16, BWV 114, BWV 171

John Eliot Gardiner

Alto

Member of Monteverdi Choir:
C-5 (1998); BWV 16, BWV 98 , BWV 139
C-10 (1998); BWV 133
BCP Vol. 2: BWV 2, BWV 10, BWV 76; BWV 21, BWV 135
BCP Vol. 3: BWV 24, BWV 185, BWV 177
BCP Vol. 5: CD-2: BWV 46, BWV 101, BWV 102
BCP Vol. 8: CD-2: BWV 161, BWV 27, BWV 8, BWV 95
BCP Vol. 9: CD-1: BWV 148, BWV 114, BWV 47, BWV 226; CD-2: BWV 96, BWV 169, BWV 116
BCP Vol. 12: CD-2: BWV 139, BWV 163, BWV 52, BWV 140
BCP Vol. 17: CD-1: BWV 143, BWV 41, BWV 16, BWV 171; CD-2: BWV 153, BWV 58
BCP Vol. 18: CD-1: BWV 63, BWV 191, BWV 65, BWV 123
BCP Vol. 19: CD-2: BWV 26, BWV 81, BWV 14, BWV 227
BCP Vol. 20: CD-2: BWV 18, BWV 181, BWV 126
BCP Vol. 21: CD-1: BWV 22, BWV 23, BWV 127, BWV 159
BCP Vol. 24: CD-1: BWV 12, BWV 103, BWV 146; CD-2: BWV 166, BWV 108, BWV 117
BCP Vol. 25: CD-1: BWV 86, BWV 87, BWV 97; CD-2: BWV 44, BWV 150, BWV 183, J.C. Bach: Fürchte dich nicht
BCP Vol. 26: CD-1: BWV 172, BWV 59, BWV 74, BWV 34; CD-2: BWV 173, BWV 68, BWV 174
BCP Vol. 27: CD-1: BWV 184, BWV 175; CD-2: BWV 194, BWV 176, BWV 165, BWV 129
BCP Trinity I: BWV 94, BWV 105, BWV 168

Paul Goodwin

Alto

BWV 244 [Choir Member]

Paul McCreesh

Alto

Member of Gabrieli Consort:
Epiphany Mass: BWV 65, BWV 180, BWV 233, BWV 238

Paul Weber

Alto

[C-1] (2018, Video): BWV 54, BWV 182

Links to other Sites

Charles Humphries - Countertenor (Official Website)
Charles Humphries (Nova Artists)