Andrew Radley

Countertenor

• Biography
• Reviews
• Repertoire
• Photos
• Web site

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  British countertenor Andrew Radley specialises in the great opera roles written for the alto castrato voice by Handel and other leading composers of the 17th and 18th Centuries.

  Notable engagements include Refugee in Jonathan Dove’s Flight conducted by Nicholas Cleobury, Orindo in Handel’s Admeto at the Göttingen Handel Festival and the Edinburgh Festival conducted by Nicholas McGegan, Didymus Theodora with Laurence Cummings at the London Handel Festival and in Oslo, Medoro Orlando with Christian Curnyn at the Buxton Festival and for Scottish Opera with Paul Goodwin, Nireno in Tim Albery’s new production of Giulio Cesare for Opera North, and his debuts at the Royal Danish Opera and Welsh National Opera singing Hamor in Katie Mitchell’s production of Handel’s Jephtha .  In 2013 he will make his Danish National Opera debut singing the title role in the world premiere of Dorian Gray by Thomas Agerfeldt Olesen.

  Andrew Radley is represented Worldwide by Ben Rayfield at Rayfield Allied.
  This biography is for information only and should not be reproduced.

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  • Handel Messiah, English Chamber Orchestra, Leeds Town Hall
    (December 2011)

    The outstanding performance of the evening…was delivered by countertenor Andrew Radley. Even if you're not a fan of the countertenor voice, it would be hard to listen to Radley's beautiful, pure tone and not be impressed. Hearing his “But who may abide the day of his coming” was a bit like being transported to the 17th-century heyday of the castrati. As Messiah progressed, I found myself anticipating the alto arias and duets the most keenly. Radley and Hulett's voices blended particularly well on “O death, where is thy sting?”, creating a wonderfully harmonious baroque sound

    Laura Kate Wilson, Bachtrack

  • Conversazioni I (Cantatas by Handel, Caldara, Albinoni, Allesandro and Domenico Scarlatti)
    Sounds Baroque/Julian Perkins, CD Avie AV 2197 (September 2011)

    There’s a seductive tonal warmth to [Radley’s] voice. The countertenor does let loose the cutting edge necessary to project the dramatic angst of Handel’s Mi palpita il cor. He also interacts as a fully engaged chamber musician with Sounds Baroque [...] It’s heartening to discover yet another group of young musicians, fuelled by intellectual curiosity and a corporate commitment to excellence, with enterprise and genuine flair. Roll on Conversazioni II.

    Andrew Stewart, Classic FM

    Radley’s warm, nimble countertenor invariably crafts a shapely vocal line

    Paul Riley, BBC Music Magazine

    Andrew Radley demonstrates tender story-telling skills during the soft ‘Camminando lei pian piano’…In gentle arias Radley’s singing has affectionate intimacy and delicacy…I look forward to Volume 2.

    David Vickers, Gramophone

    Countertenor Andrew Radley is both swoonsome and stately

    Andy Gill, The Independent

    Counter-tenor Andrew Radley, for whom this is also a first recording, is superb. While the cantatas on this disc tend to wallow in love-sickness, Radley finds a myriad of different colours and vocal moods, playing swooning and discarded as well as he does springing and agitated.

    Adrian Horsewood, Early Music Today

  • Medoro (Orlando), Scottish Opera, Theatre Royal Glasgow
    February 2011

    [the] new Scottish Opera production of Orlando is a little triumph […] Andrew Radley lends strong support as Medoro

    Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph

    brilliant new production […] dramatically, it is spot on. But musically it is stunning, with fantastic singing from Sally Silver (Angelica) countertenors Tim Mead and Andrew Radley (Orlando and Medoro).

    Michael Tumelty, Herald Scotland

    a thing of real beauty, [Angelica’s] natural vulnerability worked particularly well in duets with Andrew Radley, playing Medoro

    Carla Whalen, The Scotsman

    undeniably gifted Radley

    Derval Tannam, The Journal

    Radley sings with fervour

    Catriona Graham, The Opera Critic

  • Xerxes, Iford Arts,
    (July 2010)

    Andrew Radley is (…) impressive as the king’s brother Arsemene.

    Andrew Clements, The Guardian

    the expressive warm-toned countertenor of Andrew Radley (Arsemene)

    Sue Loder, Opera Today

    Andrew Radley brought real passion to the role of Arsamene.

    Ashutosh Khandekar, Opera Now

  • Messiah, Bachchor Mainz
    (December 2009)

    The British Andrew Radley has made a name for himself as an interpreter of Baroque and Handelian roles. His voice is very flexible with soaring high notes.

    Rebecca Hack, Allgemeine Zeitung Mainz

    …the wonderful aria He was despised, which Andrew Radley expands to breaking point and fills with tension

    Matthias Mader, Mainzer Rhein Zeitung

  • Cupid (Venus and Adonis), Transition Opera/Christian Curnyn
    (February 2009)

    …there was impressive singing from the countertenor Andrew Radley…

    The Times, Richard Morrison

    …a quirky Cupid... Andrew Radley’s Cupid was lively and enjoyable throughout, with a strong vocal performance that carried well…

    MusicalCriticism.com

• Andrew Radley’s Opera Repertoire

  Britten

  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oberon)

  Cavalli

  • La Calisto (Endimione)

  Donizetti

  • Lucrezia Borgia (Orsini)

  Dove

  • Flight (Refugee

  Handel

  • Admeto (title role)
  • Agrippina (Ottone)
  • Alcina (Ruggiero)
  • Belshazzar (Daniel and Cyrus)
  • Flavio (Guido, Flavio)
  • Giulio Cesare (title role, Tolomeo, Nireno)
  • Jephtha (Hamor)
  • Orlando (title role, Medoro)
  • Poro (Gandarte)
  • Radamisto (title role)
  • Rinaldo (title role)
  • Rodelinda (Bertarido)
  • Susanna(Joachim)
  • Tamerlano (Andronico, Tamerlano)
  • Tolomeo (title role)

  Gluck

  • Orfeo ed Euridice (Orfeo)

  Keiser

  • Croesus (Halimacus

  Mozart

  • Mitridate, Re di Ponto (Farnace)
  • Ascanio in Alba (Ascanio)

  Rossini

  • Tancredi (Tancredi)
  • La Donna del Lago (Malcolm)
  • La Gazza Ladra
  • Semiramide (Arsace)

  Andrew Radley’s Concert Repertoire

  Bach

  • B Minor Mass
  • G Minor Lutheran Mass
  • F Major Lutheran Mass
  • St Matthew Passion
  • St John Passion
  • Christmas Oratorio
  • Easter Oratorio
  • Magnificat
  • Cantata BWV 8 Liebster Gott, wann werd ich sterben
  • Cantata BWV 9 Es ist das Heil uns kommen her
  • Cantata BWV 12 Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen
  • Cantata BWV 76 Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes
  • Cantata BWV 120 Gott, man lobet dich in der Stille
  • Cantata BWV 146 Wir müssen durch viel Trübsal
  • Cantata BWV 161 Komm, du süße Todesstunde
  • Cantata BWV 170 Vergnügte Ruh

  Caldara

  • Cantata a 3 dalla notte di Natale

  Handel

  • Athalia (Joad)
  • Belshazzar (Daniel and Cyrus)
  • Dixit Dominus
  • The Choice of Hercules (Hercules)
  • Israel in Egypt
  • Jephtha (Hamor)
  • Poro (Gandarte)
  • Samson (Micah)
  • Solomon (Solomon)
  • Susanna (Joachim)
  • Theodora (Didymus)
  • Il Trionfo del Tempo e Disinganno (Disinganno)

  Gluck

  • Orfeo & Euridice

  Haydn

  • Mass in the time of war
  • Nelson Mass

  Orff

  • Carmina Burana

  Monteverdi

  • Vespers of the BVM

  Pergolesi

  • Stabat Mater

  Schubert

  • Mass in A Flat

  Vivaldi

  • Gloria
  • Magnificat
  • Nisi Dominus
  • Stabat Mater

• Photos

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    photographer credit: Benjamin Harte

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  • 
    photographer credit: Benjamin Harte

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  • 
    photographer credit: Benjamin Harte

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  • 
    photographer credit: Benjamin Harte

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  • 
    photographer credit: Benjamin Harte

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