Robert Murray

Introduction

Robert Murray was born in Essex and studied at the Royal College of Music and the National Opera Studio. He won second prize in the Kathleen Ferrier awards 2003 and was a Jette Parker Young Artist at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. Operatic roles at the Royal Opera House include Tamino ('Die Zauberflote'), Borsa ('Rigoletto'), Gastone ('La Traviata'), Harry ('La Fanciulla del West'), Lysander (‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’), Agenore ('Il re Pastore'), Belfiore (‘La Finta Giardiniera’), Jacquino (‘Fidelio’) and Don Ottavio (‘Don Giovanni’). Other roles include the title role in ‘Albert Herring’ for Glyndebourne On Tour, Nanki-Poo, Tamino and Idamante for English National Opera and Tom Rakewell (‘The Rake’s Progress’) for Garsington Opera.

Concert work includes Haydn’s Nelson Mass with Sir John Eliot Gardiner for the BBC Proms; Handel’s ‘Solomon’ with the Norddeutscher Rundfunk in Hamburg; Mozart’s C Minor Mass both with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Sir Charles Mackerras, and with Le Concert D’Astrée; Britten’s War Requiem with Simone Young and Britten’s ‘Our Hunting Fathers’ with Thomas Adès at the Aldeburgh Festival; Strauss’s ‘Elektra’ with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Edward Gardner, Schumann’s ‘Manfred’ with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Ilan Volkov at the Edinburgh Festival and ‘Tristan und Isolde’ with the Rotterdam Philharmonic and Valery Gergiev.

In recital he has performed at the Newbury, Two Moors and Aldeburgh Festivals. He has toured ‘Die Schöne Müllerin’ extensively with Malcolm Martineau, recorded a recital of Brahms, Poulenc and Barber with Simon Lepper for Voices on BBC Radio 3, and performed ‘On Wenlock Edge’ with the Dante Quartet both at the 2006 Brighton Festival and at London’s Wigmore Hall.

This is for information only and should not be reproduced. Please contact Kate Baylis for a full, current biography.

Press Reviews

English National Opera - MOZART: Idomeneo

Idamante - tenor Robert Murray, in sweetly expressive voice
Michael Church, The Independent, 21st June 2010

Robert Murray sang Idamante with confidence and elegance
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph, 21st June 2010

It says much for...Robert Murray’s bewildered Idamante...that the evening is as gripping as it is.
Richard Morrison, The Times, 21st June 2010

English National Opera - HENZE: Elegy For Young Lovers

Toni (sung in a sweet, expressive tenor voice by Robert Murray).
George Loomis, The New Times, 4th May 2010

Robert Murray as the lover[s]...give performances of ardour and urgency.
Fiona Maddocks, 2nd May 2010, The Observer

the young man (the excellent Robert Murray)
Richard Morrison, The Times, 26th April 2010

The young lover[s] are touchingly sung by...Robert Murray.
Andrew Clark, Financial Times, 25th April 2010

...the lyric flights of...Robert Murray’s “lover[s]”
Edward Seckerson, The Independent On Sunday, 25th April 2010

The remaining performances – Robert Murray as the lover[s] – are uniformly excellent.
Simon Thomas, www.whatsonstage.com, 25th April 2010

and Rob Murray...as the lovers are equally impressive.
Andrew Clements, The Guardian, 25th April 2010

Murray’s pliant and clear tenor was a distinct asset and his portrayal developed some real depth.
Alexander Campbell, Classical Source, 25th April 2010

The Sixteen - Bach: B Minor Mass

Robert Murray was consistently impressive...his uncomplicated and stylish tenor exhibiting a steady clarity throughout and resulting in a particularly attractive ‘Benedictus’.
Ruth Elleson, www.opera-britannia.com, 15th March 2010

Opera North - 'Cosi fan Tutte'

The two aforementioned newcomers were the boys - Robert Murray lyrical, poetic and soulful as Ferrando...Both singers fit effortlessly into an ideal ensemble.
Hugh Canning, Opera, May 2010

And this new Ferrando and new Guglielmo project Albery’s insights more tellingly than ever...Robert Murray’s strong, steady and true tenor incarnates dangerously and painfully those very qualities in Ferrando’s heart.
Hilary Finch, The Times, 12th February 2010

Hampstead and Highgate Springfest - 'Curlew River'

...Robert Murray's exquisite and anguished Madwoman.
Anna Picard, The Independent on Sunday, 17 May 2009

English National Opera - 'The Magic Flute'

Robert Murray sang his first ENO Tamino at this performance, and thoroughly put his mark on the production. More than anyone else, perhaps, he exhibited a clarity of diction that helped one to focus on the words without straining to hear, while he is well suited to playing a virile prince and was vocally impressive, too.
Dominic McHugh, MusicalCriticism.com, 25 January 2009

Salzburg Festival, ‘Romeo et Juliette’

Erfreulich besonders Cora Burggraafs schlanker Mezzo (Stéphano) und Robert Murrays glänzender Tenor (Benvolio).
Florian Fuchs, Wiener Zeitung, August 4, 2008

Garsington Opera, ‘The Rake’s Progress’

A strong cast led by Sinéad Campbell and Robert Murray
Anthony Holden, The Observer, June 29, 2008

Robert Murray gave Rakewell the energy, stamina and puppy-like trust that the role demands.
Edward Seckerson, The Independent, June 24, 2008

Robert Murray’s hugely impressive Tom is much more forceful, volatile, even angry, than the duped Rake is usually played. Consequently, we are far more aware of a man racked with remorse at having turned his back on so much goodness.
Richard Morrison, The Times, June 23, 2008

Both Murray and Campbell have the right combination of youthful looks and vocal security
Andrew Clements, The Guardian, June 20, 2008

Links

Robert Murray's website

Contact

Tim Menah

Kate Baylis

Schedule

Barbican Centre, London
9 October 2010 19.30

Saturday, 9th October 2010, 19:30

BERLIOZ: Grande Messe des Morts

Crouch End Festival Chorus
London Orchestra da Camera
David Temple conductor
Robert Murray tenor

For further information, please visit the Barbican website.