Harry Bicket

Internationally renowned as an opera and concert conductor of great distinction, Harry Bicket is especially noted for his interpretation of the baroque and classical repertoire and took up the position of Artistic Director of The English Concert in September 2007. Recent seasons have included opera productions for Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, Los Angeles Opera, Glyndebourne, Santa Fe, English National Opera, Welsh National Opera, Opera North, Spoleto, Liceu Opera Barcelona and regular appearances with the Bavarian State Opera since his Munich debut in 2000. Orchestras include Seattle, San Francisco and Colorado Symphony, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, the Minnesota Orchestra, St Paul Chamber Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo, Danish Radio Sinfonietta and Scottish Chamber. He made his triumphant Metropolitan Opera debut in December 2004 conducting a new production of 'Rodelinda' with Renée Fleming and David Daniels, and he was immediately re-invited for 'Cesare' in 2006/7 and 'Clemenza di Tito' in May 2008. In 2001, his debut production for Liceu Opera, 'Giulio Cesare', won the Critics’ Prize for best conductor, and he made highly-acclaimed returns to Barcelona for 'Midummer Night's Dream' (2005) and 'Ariodante' (2006). His Covent Garden debut ('Orlando', 2003, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment) was nominated for 'Best New Opera Production' in the 2004 Laurence Olivier Awards, and his five commercial recordings with the OAE, including releases with Renée Fleming, Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson and Ian Bostridge, have all earned him glowing reviews. Last season included his debuts with The English Concert and New York Philharmonic as well as further productions for Los Angeles, the Met, Bavarian State and Lyric Operas. Plans for 2007/8 and beyond include his debut with Chicago Symphony, returns to Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic and Rotterdam Philharmonic as well as concerts, recordings and tours with the English Concert. Forthcoming opera includes 'Croesus' with Opera North and Minnesota Opera, 'Clemenza' at the Metropolitan Opera, and three further productions at the Liceu, Barcelona.