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The American tenor, Jeffrey Thompson, studied at Greece Olympia High School in Rochester, New York. He completed his Music - Vocal Performance studies at the Cincinnati Conservatory under William McGraw. Soon after he was awarded first prize in the Chimay International Baroque Singing Competition in Belgium by a jury led by William Christie.
In 2002, Jeffrey Thompson was selected to participate in the first edition of Jardin des Voix with William Christie's group Les Arts Florissants, in a tour of Baroque works in Europe's most prestigious theatres. This resulted in a series of concerts with Les Arts Florissants, including George Frideric Handel's Acis and Galatea and Hercules, motets of Étienne Moulinée at the Palace of Versailles, and the role of La Pythonisse in Charpentier's David et Jonathas; and La Messe des Morts, recorded for Virgin Classics. He is also featured as the tenor soloist in the ensemble’s DVD recording of Rameau's motet In Convertendo.
Other highlights of Jeffrey Thompson's international career have included the roles of Zotico in Cavalli's Eliogabalo, under the direction of René Jacobs; Atys in Les Paladins; Aldobrandin in Grétry's Le Magnifique, recorded for the Naxos label; and Lurewel in Monsigny's Le Roi et le Fermier; and performances of Purcell's The Fairy Queen, Philidor's Sancho Pança; G.F. Handel's Judas Maccabaeus and Theodora. Recordings include an album of motets and cantatas by Sébastien de Brossard, and a solo disc dedicated to the English composer, Henry Lawes, both with the French ensemble La Rêveuse, on the Mirare label. In 2012, he appeared as Castor in Castor & Pollux for Pinchgut Opera.
Upcoming engagements include the title roles in Rameau's Hippolyte et Aricie and Leclair's Scylla et Glaucus, Acamas in Royer's Pyrrhus, recorded for Alpha; a recording of Charpentier and Lully with Vincent Dumestre and his ensemble Le Poème Harmonique, The Evangelist in J.S. Bach's St John’s Passion (BWV 245), Monsieur Riss in Philidor's Les Femmes Vengées, Gianguir in Johann Christian Bach's Zanaida, and a recording of early forgotten Italian music with ensemble La Faenza. He is also an avid recitalist. Jeffrey Thompson currently resides in Paris, France. |
