Colin Lee

Introduction

Colin Lee has rapidly established himself as one of Britain’s leading young tenors.  Most recently he sang Almaviva and Tonio La Fille du Régiment with the Royal Opera, made his début at the Opéra de Paris as Léopold La Juive, (returning for Almaviva and for Rodrigo in 'La Donna del Lago'), returned to Garsington for James V in Rossini’s La donna del Lago, to WNO for Don Ramiro La Cenerentola, sang Elvino La Sonnambula for Flanders Opera, Arturo Lucia di Lammermoor in his debut with the Metropolitan Opera, Almaviva at the Vienna State Opera, Narciso Il Turco in Italia for the Deutsche Staatsoper, Berlin and Argirio Tancredi at the Theater an der Wien.

He will sing Tonio for the Royal Opera and for Hamburg Opera, Almaviva for the Deutsche Staatsoper and Rameau’s Platée for the Netherlands Opera.

This is for information only and should not be reproduced. Please contact us for a full biography and for performance details.

Biography

Press Reviews

La Donna del Lago, Paris Opera

“South African Colin Lee, who vied with Florez for the pingiest tenorissimo notes. It was a rare chance for Lee – who is used to filling in for Florez on his nights off at Convent Garden – to pit his considerable talents against the star’s. He, too, is a Rossini tenor to be reckoned with.”
Hugh Canning / Sunday Times / 4 July 2010

Juan Diego Florez’s note-perfect Giacomo V and Colin Lee’s expressive Rodrigo canter through their freakishly athletic arias.
Francis Carlin / Financial Times / 29 June 2010

As Elena’s intended husband, Rodrigo, Colin Lee has the unenviable task of going up against Mr. Flórez but brings it off brilliantly. A high point comes in an extended number in Act 2 — perhaps the opera’s finest piece — when the two tenors repeatedly trade high C’s.
George Loomis / New York Times / 29 June 2010

Il Turco in Italia – Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

Colin Lee did what he could with the underdeveloped part of Fiorilla’s cicisbeo, Narciso … with his fearless technique and a slightly dryish timbre (which reminded me of John Brecknock, ENO’s stalwart Rossini tenor of the 1970s).
Hugh Canning / Opera Magazine / June 2010

… the Don Narciso of Colin Lee, a swaggering 1960s figure, with the same kind of voice as Juan Diego Florez but one which is to me more agreeable, since it involves no yelps.
The Spectator / 17 April 2010

The vocal honours easily went to Colin Lee in the thankless role of Don Narcisco: with his one aria in Act 2, he brought the house down, simply because he has the technical equipment that this repertoire needs. He's also deeply expressive, too, and his return to the revival of La fille du regiment in May is something to anticipate.
Dominic McHugh / Musical Criticism / 6 April 2010

Colin Lee then pulls out a dazzling top D to remind us of his bel canto credentials.
Richard Morrison / The Times / 5 April 2010

Colin Lee is also new to the cast as Narciso, rising elegantly to the
role’s highest notes
Richard Fairman / Financial Times / 5 April 2010

Colin Lee shines in the toyboy Narciso’s show-off aria
Rupert Christiansen / Telegraph / 5 April 2010

Colin Lee did what he could with the underwritten part of Don Narciso.  His Act 2 aria with confident and beautifully voiced high notes was a rare moment of repose.
Sebastian Petit / Whats On Stage / 4 April 2010

Rossini Ermione, London Philharmonic Orchestra / David Parry

But it was Colin Lee as Oreste who stole the show with some brilliant pyrotechnics: I'm not sure that Juan Diego Florez could have fired them off better.
Telegraph /Rupert Christiansen/ April 2009

Colin Lee’s Oreste was the best, encompassing both force and sensitive singing up in the tenor’s stratosphere.
Financial Times /Richard Fairman/ March 2009

Colin Lee and Paul Nilon were exceptional as Oreste and Pirro respectively. Lee's dazzling staccatos and florid arpeggios created a startling portrait of a man gripped by nervous instability.
The Guardian /Tim Ashley/ March 2009

I loved Colin Lee's high-flying ardour as Oreste: we felt every tremor as Ermione's rejected, besotted old flame stumbled into yet another emotional vortex.
The Times /Geoff Brown/ 1 April 2009

All Lee's arias were a showcase for his virtuoso abilities: Lee performed them faultlessly, demonstrating himself to be a great interpreter even in the most difficult passages, most of which included very high tessitura.
Musical Criticism /Marina Romani/ March 2009

Berlioz Te Deum, London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Colin Davis

Colin Lee's tenor, tremulous with a Gallic sweetness, pleaded for mercy in a "Terrgo quaesumus" of seemingly infinite melismas of hope.
The Times / Hilary Finch/ February 2009

Colin Lee's solo was handsomely sung
The Guardian / George Hall/ February 2009

Lucia di Lammermoor, Metropolitan Opera

As Arturo, Lucia's hapless husband, tenor Colin Lee made a promising debut, singing his few phrases with fresh and ardent tone and all but stealing the scene with his memorably self-satisfied demeanor.
Associated Press / Mike Silverman / January 2009

…Lucia’s companion Alisa, and Colin Lee, a tenor in his Met debut as Arturo, who marries Lucia, were also strong.
New York Times / Anthony Tommasini / January 2009

Le Comte Ory, Greek National Opera

Musically the production revolved around the South African tenor Colin Lee in the title role, an excellent Rossini singer with a radiant, Italianate voice and satisfying stage presence. Tasteful, accurately articulated and with sound stylistic understanding, his singing offered endless pleasure.
Opera / John Svolos / May 2008

La Cenerentola / Welsh National Opera

Colin Lee, a sunny Ramiro, can give Juan Diego Florez a run for his money in the matter of tenorial pyrotechnics.
The Telegraph / Rupert Christiansen

Vocally, the show belongs to the Ramiro of Colin Lee, who is maturing into a fine lyric tenor; for lively stage presence, amid a bewildering array of distractions.
The Observer / Anthony Holden

Colin Lee is her thrilling, if suitably gauche, Ramiro.
The Guardian / Tim Ashley

Colin Lee's excellent Don Ramiro - hampered by his ridiculously effete get-up, but singing with thrillingly muscular agility.
The Times / Neil Fisher

La Donna del Lago, Garsington Opera

Colin Lee imposed himself upon the role with an eminently positive stage persona and unimpeachably strong high notes that took him right to the top of any plausible tenor register..... he becomes a more and more credible exponent of this repertoire with every appearance.
George Hall / Opera News

Colin Lee is an increasingly valuable tenor, here unfazed by the mercilessly high tessitura of Uberto / Giacomo and impressive in his ease with the fioriture.
Rodney Milnes / Opera Magazine

There was some accomplished virtuoso singing from Colin Lee as the King.
Rupert Christiansen / The Telegraph

A strong cast led by the increasingly impressive bel canto tenor Colin Lee.
David Mellor / The Mail on Sunday

Tising star South-African born tenor Colin Lee hit the high notes in a manner reminiscent of Juan Diego Flores.
Clare Colvin / Sunday Express

The tenor Colin Lee, as the king, produced music of poignant sweetness.
Michael Church, The Independent, June 2007

We need to hear more of this singer, whose sincerity and sense of style are finely attuned to Giacomo.
Andrew Clark / The Financial Times, June 2007

The central roles of Elena and Giacomo are hugely taxing bel canto parts, but Carmen Giannattasio and Colin Lee sing them wonderfully, taking the fusillades of coloratura in their strides.
Andrew Clements / The Guardian, July 2007

Rossini Stabat Mater/Academy of Santa Cecilia/Pappano - BBC Proms

Joyce DiDonato and Colin Lee in particular have impressive Rossini credentials and did not disappoint. Lee delivered the 'Cujus animam'in lovely lyrical style, not over-singing and never treating it like a barnstorming 'can-belto' Neapolitan song. Lee's voice has a light vibrato that fives it a warm and varied texture and it blended well with the other soloists.
www.classicalsource.com / Alexander Campbell

The tenor Colin Lee saved his best shot for the end of the celebrated Cujus animam, pulling out a top D flat that shook the flying saucers.
Richard Morrison / The Times

The tenor Colin Lee confirming his Rossinian credentials with stylish and secure singing...
John Allison / The Sunday Telegraph, July 2007

Tenor Colin Lee was electrifying...
Tim Ashley / The Guardian, July 2007

La Fille du Régiment - Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

“En ce 27 janvier, le hasard du calendrier me donnait l’occasion, rare, de découvrir un ténor. En effet, pour une seule représentation, Juan Diego Florez avait laissé sa place au jeune ténor sud africain Colin Lee qui, pour l’occasion, prenait le rôle de Tonio. Doué d’une technique sans faille, cet interprète déploie une quinte aigue stupéfiante de facilité et parfaitement timbrée. A ce titre, son air du premier acte, se clôturant sur les célèbres 9 contre ut, lui valut une ovation justement méritée. Mais le talent de cet artiste ne s’arrête pas là. Musicien d’une subtile sensibilité, maître d’un contrôle du souffle étonnant, Colin Lee sait aussi phraser le meurtrier deuxième acte (Pour me rapprocher de Marie) avec une délicatesse qui force l’admiration. Un nom à suivre, indiscutablement.”
Robert Pénavayre, Classic Toulouse

“If Juan Diego Florez hadn't anything to do with the Royal Opera's new Fille du regiment and Colin Lee had sung the complete run of Tonio rather than this single performance, I can't imagine anyone would have felt remotely short-changed. Lee doesn't quite have Florez' amazing projection, but in other respects - warmth, lyricism and refinement - he is a formidable and personable tenore di grazia. His fluid phrasing and subtle attack give Donizetti's music, already saturated with charm, extra shadings of delight. Add unforced acting, and Lee's gawky, innocent Tonio became irresistibly touching and humorous. He sailed into "Ah! Mes Amis" with a sweet, rather puppyish swagger, and the bullseye top Cs were all the more effective for their elegant, seemingly effortless delivery.

It was a winning performance, one that connected perfectly with the contained broad humour of the production as a whole, and he worked well with the extraordinary tomboy creation of Natalie Dessay's Marie ...
Peter Reed, Opera Magazine, April 2007

Repertoire

BELLINI
La Sonnambula: Elvino
Il Puritani: Arturo*

BERLIOZ
Les Troyens: Hylas / Iopas

BIZET
Les pecheurs de perles: Nadir

DONIZETTI
Don Pasquale: Ernesto
Il diluvio universale: Cadmo
La fille du Regiment: Tonio
L'elisir d'amore: Nemorino
Lucia di Lammermoor: Edgardo / Arturo

HALEVY
La Juive: Leopold

HEROLD
Zampa: Alphonse

MERCADANTE
Emma d'Antiochia: Aladino
Maria Stuart: Ormondo
Zaira: Corasmino

MEYERBEER
Margherita D'Anjou: Bellapunta

RICCI
La prigione di Edimburgo: Patrizio

ROSSINI
Il barbiere di Siviglia: Almaviva
Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra: Guglielmo
L'equivoco stravagante: Ermanno
L'italiana in Algeri: Lindoro
Le Comte Ory:Comte Ory
La Cenetrentola:Ramiro
La donna del Lago: Giacomo V/ Rodrigo
Tancredi: Argirio
Ermione: Oreste
Il Turco in Italia: Narciso

STRAUSS
Der Rosenkavalier: Italian Tenor

*In preparation

Links

Contact

Peter Bloor

Phillippa Cole

Worldwide Management: Askonas Holt

Interviews

Schedule

Deutsche Staatsoper, Berlin
19 October 2010

Deutsche Staatsoper, Berlin
22 October 2010

Deutsche Staatsoper, Berlin
6 November 2010

Deutsche Staatsoper, Berlin
10 November 2010

Deutsche Staatsoper, Berlin
12 November 2010