Robert Murray, tenor
Robert Murray sang the role of Agenore in the ROH’s Il re pastore, which was (p)reviewed by Hairy McMungo and reviewed by me (Cunning Little Vixen). Robert was one of three members of the Jette Parker Young Artists’ Programme to appear in this production, which featured sheep, furniture bashing, and some very good singing.
Robert was born in Essex, and studied at the Royal College of Music. He is in his second year of the Programme. He first came to the Primi Divi’s attention singing a very sweet Albert Herring at the RCM, and I was thrilled when I learned he had been selected for the Programme in 2004. He made his debut as Gastone La traviata, complete with table dancing, and returned as the First Priest Die Zauberflote, although his time in that role was short-lived, as I believe he spent most of the run singing the leading role of Tamino – which he did beautifully. Even his playing of the magic flute looked realistic. He has also sung Borsa Rigoletto, Harry La fanciulla del West, and the sometimes-trouserless Lysander A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Other roles include: Jenk and Vasek The Bartered Bride, Sir Philip Wingrave Owen Wingrave, Don Curzio and Don Basilio Le nozze di Figaro, Tom The Rake’s Progress, Lensky Yevgeny Onegin, Don Jose Carmen, Don Ramiro La Cenerentola, and Lurcanio Ariodante.
In concert, Robert has sung Haydn’s Nelsonmesse, which was one of the highlights of the 2005 Proms. He also appeared in a gorgeous Mozart Requiem, which was on the radio. Although I’ve never heard him in recital (yet!), he does seem to be hugely promising. He has performed song cycles including Schumann’s Dichterliebe, Britten’s Winter Words, and Schubert’s Die Schone Mullerin. He also sang operatic excerpts in Classical Opera Company’s A-Z of Mozart Operas.
Future plans include: Pong Turandot, Jaquino Fidelio and Don Ottavio (ROH); Luiz The Gondoliers (ENO), and Albert Herring (Glyndebourne on Tour). He will also sing extracts from Don Giovanni and L’elisir d’amore as part of the Jette Parker Young Artists’ Annual Summer Concert.
Read Robert’s official biography on the Askonas Holt website.
Reviews of Robert:
Il re pastore - Times
A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Observer
Wigmore Hall recital - Musical Pointers
Die Zauberflote (First Priest) - Seen and Heard
La traviata - The Stage
Albert Herring - Seen and Heard
Recordings:
Robert has also recorded Die schone Mullerin with Malcolm Martineau, but it doesn’t seem to have been released yet.
Cunning Little Vixen
primi-divi at hotmail.co.uk