Alex Banfield | |
---|---|
Born | Alexander James Banfield 17 February 1990
Morpeth, Northumberland, England |
Occupation | Opera singer (tenor) |
Years active | 2015–present |
Website |
alexbanfield |
Alex Banfield (born 1990) is a British opera and concert tenor.
Banfield grew up in Morpeth, Northumberland, and performed in local choral [1] and operatic [2] productions in Northern England in his early twenties, while obtaining a degree in Sociology from Leeds University. He then trained at the Royal Northern College of Music [3] in Manchester, receiving a Master of Music (Voice). While a student in Manchester, he was a lay clerk at Manchester Cathedral. [4] In 2013, he was a scholar with the Samling Institute (Samling Academy Opera), and made his debut with the title role in Britten's Albert Herring. [5] He returned to Samling for their 2015 production of Ravel's L'enfant et les sortilèges to sing the Teacup and the Frog. [6]
He performed full time with Opera North [7] in Leeds until August 2020, when he joined the ensemble at Theatre Basel, [8] Switzerland as a young artist on their OperAvenir 20/21 program. For Opera North he sang Sam Kaplan in Street Scene, [9] [10] Nikolio in Greek Passion by Martinů [11] [12] (directed by Christopher Alden), Jonathan Dale in the UK premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Silent Night by Kevin Puts (directed by Tim Albery), [13] [14] [15] St. Brioche in The Merry Widow, [16] Hrazda in Osud (Janáček), and Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore for their Whistle Stop tour. [17] He performed regularly in Manchester, including with the Manchester Opera Ensemble, [18] Turton Consort, [19] Chetham Chamber Orchestra [20] and Manchester Baroque. [21] In 2024, for Les Talens Lyriques he performed in a recording for the label Château de Versailles Spectacles in a little known piece, L'Olimpiade by Cimarosa, [22] which culminated in a performance at the Royal Opera of Versailles. [23] He has also performed with the Vienna Tonkünstler Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Northern Sinfonia, [1] and was regular soloist for the Liverpool Bach Collective.
Alex Banfield | |
---|---|
Born | Alexander James Banfield 17 February 1990
Morpeth, Northumberland, England |
Occupation | Opera singer (tenor) |
Years active | 2015–present |
Website |
alexbanfield |
Alex Banfield (born 1990) is a British opera and concert tenor.
Banfield grew up in Morpeth, Northumberland, and performed in local choral [1] and operatic [2] productions in Northern England in his early twenties, while obtaining a degree in Sociology from Leeds University. He then trained at the Royal Northern College of Music [3] in Manchester, receiving a Master of Music (Voice). While a student in Manchester, he was a lay clerk at Manchester Cathedral. [4] In 2013, he was a scholar with the Samling Institute (Samling Academy Opera), and made his debut with the title role in Britten's Albert Herring. [5] He returned to Samling for their 2015 production of Ravel's L'enfant et les sortilèges to sing the Teacup and the Frog. [6]
He performed full time with Opera North [7] in Leeds until August 2020, when he joined the ensemble at Theatre Basel, [8] Switzerland as a young artist on their OperAvenir 20/21 program. For Opera North he sang Sam Kaplan in Street Scene, [9] [10] Nikolio in Greek Passion by Martinů [11] [12] (directed by Christopher Alden), Jonathan Dale in the UK premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Silent Night by Kevin Puts (directed by Tim Albery), [13] [14] [15] St. Brioche in The Merry Widow, [16] Hrazda in Osud (Janáček), and Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore for their Whistle Stop tour. [17] He performed regularly in Manchester, including with the Manchester Opera Ensemble, [18] Turton Consort, [19] Chetham Chamber Orchestra [20] and Manchester Baroque. [21] In 2024, for Les Talens Lyriques he performed in a recording for the label Château de Versailles Spectacles in a little known piece, L'Olimpiade by Cimarosa, [22] which culminated in a performance at the Royal Opera of Versailles. [23] He has also performed with the Vienna Tonkünstler Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Northern Sinfonia, [1] and was regular soloist for the Liverpool Bach Collective.