Christopher Turner - tenor
Born in Birmingham, Christopher Turner read Music at the University of Hull, furthering his studies with Barbara Robotham at the Royal Northern College of Music and at the National Opera Studio, where he was sponsored by the Scottish Endowment Trust and The Friends of Covent Garden. He now studies with Philip Doghan.
He has received many prizes, including The Michael and Joyce Kennedy Prize for Singing Strauss, The Frederic Cox Prize, the Elizabeth Harwood Prize, and, most recently, a Countess of Munster ‘Young Star’ Award and the Sybil Tutton Award from the Musicians Benevolent Fund. He was also a major scholar of the Sir Peter Moores’ Foundation.
Christopher Turner made his professional début as Dr Blind Die Fledermaus for Scottish Opera On Tour before joining the Young Singers Programme at English National Opera where roles have included Robert Wilson Doctor Atomic, First Armed Man/First Priest The Magic Flute, Beppe Pagliacci, Simpleton Boris Godunov, Spoletta Tosca, Pong Turandot and Messenger Aida. During 2010/2011, he sang Janek The Makropulos Case and Esquire Parsifal for English National Opera and Borsa Rigoletto for Scottish Opera.
At the RNCM he sung Prunier La Rondine, Don Ramiro La Cenerentola, and Sellem The Rake’s Progress. He has also sung Remendado Carmen for Longborough Festival Opera and his recordings include Aubrey Maria di Rohan and Keeper of the Tower of Siena Pia de Tolomei for Opera Rara.
He sings regularly in concert, his repertoire including J. S. Bach Christmas Oratorio, Magnificat and St Matthew Passion, Beethoven Symphony No. 9, Handel Jephtha, Judas Maccabaeus, and Messiah, Haydn Creation, Mozart Requiem and Rossini Petite Messe Solennelle. His performances have taken him throughout the UK, and also to Europe and the Far East.
Future engagements include Dr Caius Falstaff (Opera Holland Park) and Don Ottavio and Roderigo Otello (Opera North).