Christopher Ainslie is represented by Rayfield Allied worldwide.

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Christopher Ainslie

Countertenor

  • …His account of "Dawn, still darkness" from Jonathan Dove's "Flight" was as near to perfection as anything I have heard in the Wigmore Hall…
    Musical Pointers
  • He holds the audience spellbound both by the expressiveness of his tone and the musicality of his interpretation. A talent to watch…
    Opera Magazine
  • …counter-tenor Christopher Ainslie was movingly eloquent…
    The Birmingham Post

  • Christopher Ainslie started his singing career as a chorister in Cape Town, his home city. In 2005 he moved to London to study at the Royal College of Music, where he graduated with distinction.

    Ainslie has rapidly established himself as a leading interpreter of the countertenor repertoire, and is also active in exploring repertoire not usually associated with the voice-type.  He has appeared twice at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (Innocent 4 The Minotaur and the title role in Artaxerxes), at Glyndebourne (Ottone L’incoronazione di Poppea Eustazio Rinaldo), Opera de Lyon (Voice of Apollo Death in Venice), Drottningholm (Ottone Poppea), Göttingen Handel Festival (the title role in Tamerlano) and Central City Opera (the title role in Amadigi).  Other roles include the title role in Poro, and Alessandro Tolomeo at the London Handel Festival, Medoro Orlando with Independent Opera, Arsace Partenope at the Les Azuriales Festival, the title role in Rinaldo in Latvia and Helicon in the UK premiere of Glanert’s Caligula for English National Opera.

    Equally at home on the oratorio and recital stages, Ainslie’s recent performances include a recital at Wigmore Hall, Bach’s Magnificat and Handel’s Amadigi with the Retrospect Ensemble at Wigmore Hall, a recital with players from The English Concert, Handel’s Messiah (London Handel Festival, Detroit Symphony and Philadelphia Orchestra), Bach’s Weihnachts-Oratorium (Moscow Conservatory), Blow’s Venus & Adonis (Les Arts Florissants and B’Rock), Purcell’s Ode to St Cecilia and Handel’s Te Deum in D (B’Rock), the title role in Handel’s Solomon (London Handel Festival), Belshazzar (Dresden), Saul (St John’s, Smith Square), Judas Maccabeus (Vilnius), Jephtha, Theodora and Samson (Cape Town), Bach’s Matthäus-Passion (London Handel Festival), Bach’s Johannes-Passion (Cadogan Hall) and Vivaldi’s Gloria (Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra).

    Ainslie’s recordings include the title role in Arne’s Artaxerxes, and Zephyrus in Mozart’s Apollo et Hyacinthus, both with Linn Records and Classical Opera.

    Studying with Mark Tucker, Ainslie is an exponent of the bel canto style rather than English choral tradition, and his expressive, colourful and dramatic singing continually attracts critical acclaim.  In 2011 Ainslie won the Gianni Bergamo Countertenor Competition in Switzerland; in 2008 he was the first countertenor to win the Richard Tauber Competition at Wigmore Hall, and in 2007 he was awarded the Michael Oliver Prize in the London Handel Festival Singing Competition.

    Engagements this season and beyond include performances of Messiah with the Bournemouth and St Louis Symphony Orchestras, the title role in Cavalli’s Eliogablo with Gotham Chamber Orchestra, Oberon A Midummer Night’s Dream and Voice of Apollo Death in Venice for Opera North, Antonio The Merchant of Venice for Bregenzer Festspiele, a return to the Wigmore Hall in a concert with Classical Opera Comnpany, and performances of music by Handel and Scarlatti with Les Arts Florissants.

    Christopher Ainslie is represented worldwide by Ben Rayfield at Rayfield Allied.
    This biography is for information only and should not be reproduced.

    • Cavalli’s Eliogabalo, Gotham Chamber Opera
      The Box, New York, March 2013

      …a terrific cast, headed by the impressive, sexy countertenor Christopher Ainslie. Now on his way to becoming a rock star of Baroque opera, Mr. Ainslie excels as the cross-dressing emperor and carries himself like Jonathan Rhys Meyers’s pop idol character in Velvet Goldmine.
      Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times
      Christopher Ainslie sang stylishly and committed completely and hilariously to the vileness of the title character.
      Heidi Waleson, The Wall Street Journal
      Christopher Ainslie nailed Eliogabalo’s lean and sociopathic look.
      James Jorden, The New York Post

    • Helicon, Glanert’s Caligula, English National Opera, The Coliseum
      May 2012

      The cast is consistently superb ... the way Ainslie conveys a sense of servile evil beneath immense surface charm is unforgettable.
      Tim Ashley, The Guardian
      The cast excels, too, in the huge demands placed upon them - notably ... Christopher Ainslie in his immaculately sung performance of Caligula’s slave, Helicon.
      George Hall, The Stage
      ... a star cameo part for countertenor Christopher Ainslie as his slave, Helicon.
      Hugh Canning, The Australian
      ... contrasted nicely with the purer voice of counter-tenor Christopher Ainslie, who was superbly cast as the creepy, pathetic but dangerous Helicon, Caligula’s right-hand man. His nervous interactions with Caligula, as he tries to explain to the emperor the possible logistical problems of capturing the moon for him, provided genuine edge-of-the-seat material.
      Dominic Wells, Opera Britannica
      Christopher Ainslie was perhaps the star of the show, his countertenor Helicon, Caligula’s slave, making one keen to hear him in Britten and other florid roles, ancient and modern.
      Mark Berry, Seen and Heard

    • Bach Magnificat and cantata ‘Unser Mund sei voll Lachens’ BWV 110, Retrospect Ensemble, Wigmore Hall
      December 2011

      Among the solo singing, the alto of Christopher Ainslie was notably textured and expressive.
      Paul Driver, The Sunday Times
      the audience was treated to some fine solo singing, noticeably from countertenor Christopher Ainslie...the singers shone in their solo passages...Christopher Ainslie again turning heads with his crisp and supple delivery
      John-Pierre Joyce, Music OMH

    • Amadigi (Handel’s Amadigi di Gaula), Central City Opera
      July 2011

      Ainslie was brilliant in the title role, singing with a clear tone and mellifluous heft. Looking every bit the hero as well, his two fine duets with Oriana and Melissa respectively brought a splendid melding of tones. He was wonderfully expressive also, for example, with the two recorders that graced his long cavatina in Act II as he addressed the Fountain of True Love.
      Richard B. Beams, Opera con Brio
      [Christopher Ainslie] brings dramatic weight to the title role and skilfully and expressively handles its complex vocal demands
      Kyle MacMillan, Denver Post
      Christopher Ainslee made a highly impressive US debut in the title role…He showed complete stylistic and technical mastery…a properly weighted sense of delivering Handelian recit – a key strength of Ainslee
      David Shengold, Opera

    • Artaxerxes (Artaxerxes), Arne/Page
      CD/SACD Linn Records

      Christopher Ainslie is outstanding in the title role.
      Stephen Pettitt The Sunday Times, 9th January 2011
      This recording features stunning performances from some of Britain’s top young Baroque singers, including the remarkable countertenor Christopher Ainslie in the title role.
      BBC Radio Scotland ‘Disc of the Month’
      some of the best singing comes from Christopher Ainslie in the title-role. In Act 1, Artaxerxes has a lovely solo, “Fair Semira”, which reveals how unforced is his vocalism.[...]the drop on ‘oppress’d’ is managed seamlessly by Ainslie. Ainslie, the only South African countertenor of my experience, is also agile enough in more ornate music
      John T. Hughes, International Record Review
      Christopher Ainslie is a dignified Artaxerxes
      Chris O'Reilly, prestoclassical.co.uk
      here [Artaxerxes] is presented complete and to a consistently high standard. The very fine cast enters with spirit into the text’s convoluted scenario of love and betrayal in ancient Persia and delivering the notes with assurance
      George Hall, BBC Music Magazine
      such vocal treasures as Christopher Ainslie (Artaxerxes)', 'classy, crystal clear recording
      Kenneth Walton, The Scotsman
      Christopher Ainslie as Artaxerxes woos with honeyed tone
      Richard Lawrence, Classic FM
      now [Artaxerxes] appears on this stylish, beautifully produced recording', 'countertenor Christopher Ainslie gives a muscular performance in the title role
      Geoffrey Alton, Opera Now

    • Ottone (L’incoronazione di Poppea), Glyndebourne
      October 2010

      Christopher Ainslie is a compelling Ottone.
      Martin Kettle, The Guardian
      Christopher Ainslie’s portrayal of Ottone was stunning, his lean, even countertenor seemingly having gained in power and nobility.
      Peter Reed, Opera Magazine

    • Tamerlano (Tamerlano), International Handel –Festspiele Göttingen
      May 2010

      Singing and acting honours went to Christopher Ainslie, the young South African countertenor in the title role… Ainslie’s Tamerlano was a youthful yet malevolent presence rather than an obvious tyrant. He has one of the better voices of its kind, rich, evenly produced and well projected with no covering; his ‘Dammi pace’ was both musical and menacing without being grotesque
      Sandra Bowdler, Opera Magazine
      In the title role, alto countertenor Christopher Ainslie displayed fiendish agility and acted with vicious intensity throughout.
      Carlo Vitali, Misicalamerica.com
      The Alto Christopher Ainslie sings his part with a steely timbre and, particularly in his rage aria, fantastically confident coloratura
      Werner Fritsch, HNA.de
      Christopher Ainslie exudes charisma and has an excellent technique
      Joachim Lange, Kultiversum
      In the title role of the Mongolian ruler, Christopher Ainslie is not only an incredibly virtuosic alto with a beautiful voice, but also a performer with many facets. His transformation from friendly ruler who forgives his enemies to jealous and unpredictable tyrant is totally believable.
      Michael Schäfer, Göttinger Tageblatt
      Christopher Ainslie's light alto is capable of considerable menace as Tamerlano. Rarely has the word 'Amigo' been sung with such a chill, and his trills and runs ooze threats. His slender body belies the character's strength, illustrated not least by arm-wrestling his ally Andronico.
      Catriona Graham, The Opera Critic

  • Christopher Ainslie’s Opera Repertoire

    Birtwistle
    • The Minotaur (4th Innocent)
    Britten
    • Midsummer Night’s Dream (Oberon)
    • Death in Venice (Voice of Apollo)
    Dove
    • Flight (Refugee)
    Handel
    • Tamerlano (title role)
    • Poro (title role)
    • Amadigi (title role)
    • Rinaldo (Goffredo, Eustazio)
    • Partenope (Arsace)
    • Orlando (Medoro)
    • Tolomeo (Alessandro)
    • Serse (Arsamene)
    Monteverdi
    • L’incoronazione di Poppea (Ottone)
    Mozart
    • Apollo & Hyacinthus (Apollo)
    • Mitridate (Farnace)
    Arne
    • Artaxerxes (title role)
    Purcell
    • Dido & Aeneas (the Spirit)

    Christopher Ainslie’s Concert Repertoire

    Bach
    • Solo alto cantatas (BWV 170, 35)
    • Matthäus-Passion
    • Johannes-Passion
    • Weihnachts-Oratorium
    • Oster-Oratorium
    • B Minor Mass
    • Alto arias in numerous cantatas
    • Magnificat
    Bernstein
    • Chichester Psalms
    Blow
    • Venus & Adonis (Cupid)
    Handel
    • Solomon (title role)
    • Theodora (Didymus)
    • Jephtha (Hamor)
    • Messiah
    • Judas Maccabeaus
    • Saul (David)
    • Belshazzar (Cyrus)
    Purcell
    • Ode to St Cecilia
    • Come, Ye Sons of Art
    Vivaldi
    • Gloria (alto & 2nd soprano)
    • Stabat Mater
    • Nisi Dominus

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