Biography
Scottish baritone Christopher Nairne is a Samling Artist and graduate of the Alexander Gibson Opera School at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. In 2022 he sang Marcello La bohème (Nevill Holt Opera), Count Carl-Magnus A Little Night Music (Leeds Playhouse/Opera North), Albert Werther (Lyric Opera Productions, Dublin) and as a soloist for the Scottish Opera Highlights tour. In 2023 he covered Morales Carmen, Horemhab Akhnaten, Marchese d’Obigny La traviata and Earl Mountararat Iolanthe for English National Opera.
Roles for Opera North include: Morales Carmen, Novice’s Friend Billy Budd (at the Aldeburgh Festival at Snape Maltings), Verva Osud, Prince Yamadori Madama Butterfly, William Dale in the UK premiere of Silent Night, Schaunard La bohème and Dimitri The Greek Passion. Other roles include: Count Almaviva Le nozze di Figaro, Guglielmo Così fan tutte, the title role Owen Wingrave, Schaunard and Silvio Pagliacci.
Concert engagements include: Butterworth’s setting of A Shropshire Lad at Glasgow City Halls (BBC Radio); Handel’s Israel in Egypt (Royal Northern Sinfonia); Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 (Aberdeen Chamber Orchestra). Christopher also sang Apostle in Elgar’s The Apostles (conducted by Edward Gardner the Royal Scottish National Orchestra / Edinburgh International Festival).
As a soloist, oratorios include Bach Magnificat, Bach St John Passion, Handel Messiah, Haydn Nelson Mass, Mozart Requiem, Rossini Petite messe solenelle, Brahms Requiem and Dvorak Mass In D.
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Audio
Video
YouTube playlist includes:
- La banca di Francia, La bohème, Puccini
- Hai già vinta la causa, Le nozze di Figaro, Mozart
- Within this frail crucible of light, The Rape of Lucretia, Britten
- Elle m’aime! Elle pense à moi! Werther, Massenet
Reviews
“Equally notable is the vital Marcello of Christopher Nairne, his rock-solid baritone a huge asset.”
The Stage
“The strutting soldier Count, big fan of duels and Russian Roulette, fine baritone Christopher Nairne.”
Maturetime.co.uk
“Christopher Nairne showed a genuine comic flair to match his superb singing as Guglielmo.“
Opera Scotland
“Christopher Nairne was a dangerously beguiling Count in Le nozze di Figaro.”
Bachtrack
“Owen is the central character, and Christopher Nairne’s mature interpretation rightly dominated the evening, every word telling.”
Opera Scotland
“Christopher Nairne as Wingrave giving the performance of his career in a wounded baritone…and his soliloquy for peace was heart-breaking.”
Bachtrack
Photos
