James Bowman (Countertenor)

James Thomas Bowman ( born November 6, 1941 in Oxford, England ) is an English countertenor. His repertoire includes operas, oratorios and contemporary music.

Biography

After appearances as a boy in the choir of Ely Cathedral and studying at New College at Oxford University Bowman began his stage career in 1967 with a performance as Oberon in the opera A Midsummer Night 's Dream by Benjamin Britten. In 1970 he joined Glyndebourne in Francesco Cavalli's opera La Calisto and 1971 at London's English National Opera in Handel's Semele on, and in 1973 he appeared in the premiere of Britten's last opera Death in Venice with.

Bowman has occurred at many major opera houses around the world, including London ( English National Opera and Royal Opera House), Vienna, Milan, Verona, Amsterdam, Paris, Strasbourg, Aix -en- Provence, San Francisco and Sydney, but focused today on concert performances. In addition to working with Britten, he has participated in premieres of works by other contemporary composers such as Geoffrey Burgon, Alan Ridout, Richard Rodney Bennett and Michael Nyman. He has recorded over 180 records and it worked with leading conductors such as Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Frans Brüggen, Christopher Hogwood, John Eliot Gardiner, Roger Norrington and Gustav Leonhardt.

James Bowman has received numerous awards. Among other things, he was admitted to the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1992 and received an honorary medal of the city of Paris. In the same year he was appointed an honorary doctorate from the University of Newcastle for the music, and in June 1997 he was Commander of the Order of the British Empire.