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As a soloist Charles Humphries has worked with numerous distinguished conductors and directors including Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Richard Hickox, Paul McCreesh, Robert King, Rinaldo Allessandrini, Nicholas McGegan, James O�Donnell, Trevor Pinnock and Lars Ulrik Mortensen. He continues to perform with all the major ensembles in the UK and throughout Europe.
Upcoming engagements for Mr. Humphries' 2006-07 season and beyond include Händel's Acis and Galatea in Paris, Händel's Coronation Music in London and Vienna, "Ode's" by Händel and Purcell in Germany, Messiah in Northern Germany and Denmark, JS Bach's Passions in the UK, a return to the Lufthansa Festival of Music in 2007, and multiple appearances in London singing varied works by JS Bach and his Christmas Oratorio with the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra. In 2008, he appears as soloist in Messiah with the International Music Festival of the Seychelles where he will also perform music from his extensive Baroque repertoire in recital.
On the opera front, new roles include Oberon in Britten's Midsummer Nights Dream and the title role of Gluck's Orfeo with National Opera of Lithuania. Past operatic engagements have included the role of Delfa in Cavalli's Giasone at the Megaron in Athens and the title role of Pompeo in Pompeo Magno at the Varazdin Festival of Baroque Music in Croatia; Lichas in Hercules at the Hans-Otto Theater, Potsdam; Lucio Silla in Lucio Silla at the Händel Festival Karlsruhe; Tamerlano (Tamerlano); The Sorceress (Dido and Aeneas); Ptolomeo in Giulio Cesare with the Norwegian National Opera; and Hamor in Händel's Jephtha with the English National Opera.
Performance highlights from last season include his Slovenian début in televised performances of Händel's Judas Maccabaeus, recitals of works by Henry Purcell in Latvia and a début in Lithuania singing 1610 Vespers by Monteverdi. He also appeared as guest soloist with The Kings Consort, the Gabrieli Consort, the Ulster Orchestra, Northern Chamber Orchestra, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, St James Baroque Players and Concerto Copenhagen.
Mr. Humphries' ever expanding discography includes Jephtha and Judas Maccabaeus (K & K Verlagsanstalt), Messiah (Capriccio), Vivaldi Cantatas (ASV), Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers, as well as the Venetian reconstructions with the Gabrieli and Kings Consorts.
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Lucio Silla (G F Händel) - Karlsruhe Festspielhaus, Germany |
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Handel's Cesare/Herheim, Germany: |
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"Charles Humphries created one of the most outstanding vocal performances of the year for his portrayal of Ptolomeo in Herheim's production of Handel's Cesare." |
Opernwelt Magazine, Germany |
Recital with Concerto Copenhagen, Aarhus, Denmark: |
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"…singers on Humphries level can do something extraordinary with the sound, it mixes with and stands out through the orchestral sound in a very special way both etheral and in it's smooth, pure beauty." |
Aarhus Stiftstidende, Denmark |
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Recital with Concerto Copenhagen, Aarhus, Denmark: |
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"Charles Humphries gave us a good run for our money; fine tone and he sang with excellent sense of drama. The audience gave unreserved and warm applause." |
Dagbladet Boersen, Denmark |
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Alexander's Feast/Lufthansa Baroque Festival: |
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"All it needs is irresistible performers - such as the soprano Deborah York, floating a lovely pure line; or the countertenor Charles Humphries, eerily evoking the pathos of the defeated Darius." |
The Independent |
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Come Ye Sons of Art/Lufthansa Baroque Festival: |
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"…Humphries, one of the finest of the young generation of countertenors, delivered the opening invocation eloquently in "Come Ye Sons of Art" and duetted exhuberantly with Chance in 'Sound the Trumpet'." |
The Times |
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Kontrabande/Wigmore Hall: |
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"…Humphries is gifted with not only a natural, beautiful voice, even throughout the compass, but also has the ability and resources to put it to expressive use." |
The Times |
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Jephtha/Maulbronn Händel Festival: |
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"…although all the soloists were first class, it must be said that they were put in the shade by Charles Humphries who has a voice that justifies travelling to hear this oratorio." |
Mühlacker Tagblatt |
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Orfeo in Gluck's Orfeo | National Opera of Lithuania | May, 2007 |
SOLOIST - All Bach Program | Lufthansa Baroque Music Festival | May 22, 2007 |
J.S. Bach Christmas Oratorio | Aalborg Symphony Orchestra | Dec, 2007 |
Händel Coronation Music | London and Vienna | Dec, 2007 |
Händel Messiah | International Music Festival of the Seychelles | Dec, 2008 |
SOLO RECITAL | International Music Festival of the Seychelles | Dec, 2008 |
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Giulio Cesare (G F Händel) - Nasjonalteatret, Oslo, Norway |
Britten | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Oberon | 2 |
Cavalli | Giasone | Delfa | 1 |
| Pompeo Magna | Pompeo Magna | 1 |
Glass | Akhnaten | Akhnaten | 3 |
Händel | Giulio Cesare | Tolomeo | 1 |
| Hercules | Lichas | 1 |
| Lucio Silla | Lucio Silla | 1 |
| Semele | Athamus | 2 |
| Tamerlano | Tamerlano | 1 |
| Serse | Arsamene | 2 |
Monteverdi | L'Incornazione di Poppea | Nerone | 3 |
Purcell | Dido and Aeneas | Sorceress/Spirit | 1 |
| The Fairy Queen | The Alto | 1 |
| King Arthur | The Alto | 1 |
1 | performed |
2 | completely prepared |
3 | in preparation |
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Mr. Humphries as Lichas in Hercules |
Bach, J.S. | various Cantatas |
| B Minor Mass |
| Christmas Oratorio |
| Magnificat |
| St. John Passion |
| St. Mark Passion |
| St. Matthew Passion |
Bernstein | Chichester Psalms |
Britten | Canticles |
| other sacred pieces |
Burgon | The Fall of Lucipher |
G.F. Händel | Acis and Galatea |
| Alexander's Feast |
| Belshazzar |
| Birthday for Queen Anne |
| Deborah |
| Dixit Dominus |
| Israel in Egypt |
| Jephtha |
| Joshua |
| Judas Maccabaeus |
| Messiah |
| Saul |
| Solomon |
| Theodora |
Mendelssohn | Elijah |
Monteverdi | various arias and songs |
| 1610 Vespers |
| Beatus Vir |
Purcell | various arias and songs |
Vivaldi | various alto Cantatas |
| Gloria |
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Mr Humphries as Delfa in Cavalli's Giasone |
Visit Charles Humphries' Personal Website
Ode on the death of Henry Purcell (John Blow).mp3
