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The New Zealander tenor, John Murray, studied voice at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester following which he enjoyed a successful career as a freelance soloist before returining to New Zealand in 1995. with his family.
John Murray made his debut with the New Zealand Opera in 2003 as Acis in George Frideric Handel's Acis and Galatea. His operatic stage roles include Alfredo in La Traviata, Cavaradossi in Tosca, Rodolfo in La bohème, Faust in both Charles Gounod's Faust and Arrigo Boito's Mefistofele, Ferrando in W.A. Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, Don Ottavio in W.A. Mozart's Don Giovanni, Tamino in W.A. Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, Macduff in Macbeth, Male Chorus in Benjamin Britten's Rape of Lucretia, Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Tom Rakewell in Igor Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress, Laca in Jenůfa and Pang in Turandot. He has also performed rare early works, including the earliest known complete opera - Cavalieri's La Rappresentazione di anima e di corpo (Intelletto) - and Luigi Boccherini's La Clementina.
On the concert platform, John Murray has performed throughout Britain and Europe as well as the Middle East and Singapore. His interest in contemporary music has led to him performing a large number of new works here and abroad, including operas by New Zealand composer David Griffiths in both 2005 (A Great Day) and 2006 (The White Lady). As a member of London's Artsong Collective, he has also showcased the works of many neglected 20th century song composers.
Recent New Zealand performances have included Messiah, both with modern and Baroque instruments, the Evangelist in G.F. Handel's St John Passion and J.S. Bach's St John Passion (BWV 245), St Matthew Passion (BWV 244), St Luke Passion (BWV 246) and Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248), B. Britten's St Nicolas cantata, Felix Mendelssohn’s Elijah, G.F. Handel's Solomon, L.v. Beethoven's Christus am Ölberge, Andrew Lloyd-Webber's Requiem, Haydn's The Seasons and The Creation, Arthur Honegger's Le Roi David, I. travinsky's Svadebka, Orff's Carmina Burana and Catulli Carmina. |
