Alex Banfield Explained

Alex Banfield
Birth Name:Alexander James Banfield
Birth Date:17 February 1990
Birth Place:Morpeth, Northumberland, England
Occupation:Opera singer (tenor)
Years Active:2015–present

Alex Banfield (born 1990) is a British opera and concert tenor.

Early life and education

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]

Career

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.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sage Gateshead. Sage Gateshead.
  2. News: . Alex takes the lead in new play. 10 August 2013. News Post Leader.
  3. News: Whetstone. David. Meet the young Morpeth tenor who is finding his feet with Opera North. 29 January 2019. Chronicle Live. 26 March 2018.
  4. Web site: Coffee Concerts Autumn 2014 . 27 September 2014 . PDF . 7 March 2019.
  5. Web site: Samling News Summer 2013 . 1 March 2013 . 7 March 2019.
  6. News: Shurttleworth. Jane. 1 August 2015. A bewitching L'Enfant et les sortilèges from Samling Academy Opera. 7 March 2019. BachTrack.
  7. Web site: Chorus of Opera North. Opera North.
  8. Web site: Alex Banfield DXP. 2020-08-30. www.theater-basel.ch. en.
  9. Web site: Street Scene. 2020-08-30. Opera North. en-US.
  10. News: Ashley. Tim. 2020-01-19. Street Scene review – full justice for murder in Manhattan. en-GB. The Guardian. 2020-08-30. 0261-3077.
  11. Web site: The Greek Passion. 2020-08-30. Opera North. en-US.
  12. Web site: The Greek Passion, Opera North - pertinence and power. 2020-08-30. theartsdesk.com.
  13. News: Hall. George. 3 December 2018. Christmas truce movingly remembered in Silent Night at Leeds Town Hall. 29 January 2019. The Financial Times.
  14. News: Christiansen. Rupert. Silent Night, Opera North/Town Hall, Leeds, review: this fresh and engaging take on war and peace wins battle with Britten. 7 March 2019. The Telegraph. 1 December 2018.
  15. News: Maddocks. Fiona. The week in classical: Silent Night; Messiah; Carmen review – anything but silent. 7 March 2019. The Guardian. 9 December 2018.
  16. News: Annable. Elaine. Review: The Merry Widow, Opera North, Leeds Grand Theatre. 7 March 2019. The Yorkshire Times. 1 October 2018.
  17. News: Wood. Aimee. Opera North flex their vocal chords at Ordsall Hall. 7 March 2019. The Lowry Blog. 18 March 2016.
  18. Web site: Manchester Opera Ensemble: Who we are. Manchester Opera Ensemble.
  19. News: Callaghan. Brigid. LIVE REVIEW: Turton Consort – Monteverdi: Madrigals book IV, St Ann's Church Manchester, 7th April. 7 March 2019. Local Sound Focus. 17 April 2016.
  20. News: Farr. Robert J. Fine Mozart Performances from St George's Singers. Soloists and Chetham's Chamber Orchestral. 7 March 2019. Seen and Heard International. 23 November 2015.
  21. Web site: Manchester Baroque: Handel's Messiah Fever. 2020-08-30. feverup.com. en.
  22. Web site: Cimarosa: l'Olimpiade . 2024-05-19 . Presto Music . en.
  23. Web site: CIMAROSA : L'OLIMPIADE - . 2024-05-19 . www.operaroyal-versailles.fr . en-GB.

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