James Hall
countertenor
Praised for his “outstanding” (The Guardian), “flawless” and “stand-out” (TheArtsDesk) performances on opera, concert and theatre stages around the world, countertenor James Hall is a fast rising star of baroque and contemporary music, and regularly appears with the world's leading ensembles and opera companies.
“James Hall, one of our foremost falsetto exponents, assumed the title role with immense distinction. Thanks to a mellifluous voice and commanding stagecraft he was an Emperor to his fingertips.”
Renowned for his mellifluous singing and masterful interpretations of Bach, Purcell, and Handel, he works with such leading conductors as Phillipe Herreweghe, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, John Butt, Harry Bicket, Lars Ulrik Mortensen, Peter Whelan, Kristian Bezuidenhout, Laurence Cummings, Christian Curnyn, Ottavio Dantone, Richard Egarr, Sir Donald Runnicles and Masaaki Suzuki. He has been invited to perform in some of the world’s most prestigious opera and concert halls, including Glyndebourne Opera House, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bayerische Staatsoper, Wigmore Hall, the Philharmonie de Paris, Wiener Konzerthaus, the Palau de la Música Catalana, Tonhalle Zürich, and Carnegie Hall.
“un talent à suivre...James Hall, révélation d’un impeccable nouveau haute-contre anglais”
“James Hall ist der Lichas, ein Counter Tenor erster Güte, und er singt mit edlem Timbre sehr virtuos.”
Recent operatic highlights include Lichas Hercules for Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe, a return to Deutsche Oper Berlin as Oberon A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Jan Mattijsz/Bisschop in The Apocalypse based on works by JS Bach with Opera2day, Goffredo Rinaldo and Guildenstern Hamlet for Glyndebourne on Tour, The Boy Written on Skin at the Venice Biennale, Pisandro Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria with Robert Carsen for the Maggio Musicale, Tamerlano Tamerlano for Oper Bielefeld, Mago Rinaldo for Glyndebourne, Narciso Agrippina for Grange Festival, and the role of Farinelli alongside Oscar-winning actor Mark Rylance in the Olivier and Tony Award nominated play Farinelli and the King at the Belasco Theater on Broadway, New York City.
On the concert platform, recent highlights include joining The Monteverdi Choir to perform the alto solos in Handel’s Israel in Egypt on their European Tour, The English Concert and Dunedin Consort at Wigmore Hall for Bach Cantatas and Purcell Odes, as well as EC’s performance of Rinaldo at Carnegie Hall, where he made his debut in L’Orfeo with Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Bach’s B Minor Mass at the Bayerische Staatsoper München, Adalberto Ottone with George Petrou and Il Pomo d’Oro at Festival de Beaune, soloist in Unsuk Chin’s Cantatrix Sopranica for Silbersee and Asko|Schönberg, Zephyrus Apollo et Hyacinthus with Classical Opera, Sir George Benjamin’s The Dream of the Song conducted by the composer at the Royal Festival Hall, Mozart Requiem with Masaaki Suzuki and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Bach St John Passion with Harry Bicket and the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Bach Weihnachts-Oratorium with Concerto Copenhagen, and Bach St Matthew Passion with Collegium Vocale Gent in a tour across Europe, as well as recitals with Scottish guitarist Sean Shibe, and lautten compagney BERLIN.
A passionate performer of contemporary music, James has created the roles of Leon in Laurence Osborn’s The Mother with director Frederic Wake-Walker and Mahogany Opera Group, Nathaniel in Na’ama Zisser’s Black Sand for Tete-a-Tete and Grimeborn Festivals, and Johan in the world premiere of David Bruce’s Nothing for Glyndebourne.
James was appointed Council Member of the Independent Society of Musicians (the ISM) in April 2024.
A graduate of the Royal School of Music, he has recorded for Hyperion, Phi, and Vivat, with whom his debut solo recording Elegy with fellow countertenor Iestyn Davies was nominated for a 2020 Gramophone Award.
“Il vocalise à souhait et son expressivité ainsi que la clarté de sa diction font des merveilles..” - baroque news.com
“King Oberon was magnificently sung by the countertenor James Hall…" - OperaWire
"un talent à suivre...James Hall, révélation d’un impeccable nouveau haute-contre anglais" - resmusica.com
“Il vocalise à souhait et son expressivité ainsi que la clarté de sa diction font des merveilles..” - baroque news.com “King Oberon was magnificently sung by the countertenor James Hall…" - OperaWire "un talent à suivre...James Hall, révélation d’un impeccable nouveau haute-contre anglais" - resmusica.com
“What music, what musicianship, what performances! This Vivat disc leaves one spellbound and enthralled.” - classicalmusicdaily.com
"Worthy successors to James Bowman and Michael Chance..." - The Observer
"the countertenor James Hall, flawless..." - theartsdesk.com
“What music, what musicianship, what performances! This Vivat disc leaves one spellbound and enthralled.” - classicalmusicdaily.com "Worthy successors to James Bowman and Michael Chance..." - The Observer "the countertenor James Hall, flawless..." - theartsdesk.com
