Matthew Brook is known for his honest and open portrayal of characters whether on the opera or concert stage. He has developed a world-wide reputation for his interpretation of the music of J.S Bach and George Frederic Handel but his musical tastes stretch far beyond this, often performing new commissions, and has appeared as a soloist throughout Europe, Australia, North and South America and the Far East.
Further concert repertoire he performs regularly include pieces such as Beethoven Ninth Symphony and Missa Solemnis, Berlioz L’Enfance du Christ, Brahms’ Requiem, Elgar Dream of Gerontius, Haydn Die Schöpfung and Die Jahreszeiten, Mendelssohn Elijah, Tippett A Child of Our Time and Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast.
This season, Matthew returns to Opera North to sing Chelsias Susanna and Claudio Agrippina at Opera de Rouen. He gives performances with the Bachakademie Stuttgart, Concergebouw-orkest Amsterdam, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Irish Baroque Orchestra, Nederlandse Bachvereniging, and George Enescu Philharmonic, to name a few.
In 2023 Matthew made his Opéra national de Paris debut performing the role of Il Re di Scozia in a new Robert Carsen production of Ariodante under Harry Bicket, and also his debut with Opera North in David Poutney’s “Masque of Might”, music by Purcell, conducted by Harry Bicket. He has performed roles at Staatstheater Stuttgart, Opera Comique, Göttingen International Handel Festival, The Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg and at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.
Matthew has an extensive discography resulting in many nominations and awards including several Gramophone awards for the music of Handel and Bach and a Grammy nomination for the Mozart Requiem.
Matthew has enjoyed long collaborations with conductors including Sir Andrew Davis, Harry Bicket, Bernhard Labadie, Christophe Rousset, John Nelson, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Philippe Herreweghe, John Butt, Harry Christophers, Paul McCreesh and the late Sir Charles Mackerras, Sir Roger Norrington and Richard Hickox. He has also collaborated with Richard Tognetti, Sir Mark Elder, Emmanuelle Haïm, Laurence Equilbey, Maxim Emelyanchev, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Laurence Cummings and Christian Curnyn.
This biography is for information only and should not be reproduced.
Mendelssohn Elijah, Three Choirs Festival
Hereford Cathedral (August 2025)
Brook was simply outstanding. It may be sixteen years since I last heard him in this role, but the years have been kind to him for two reasons; one is an evident complete understanding of this role and where the various aspects of the music sit in his voice; the other is a rock-solid technique… Brook gave a fully rounded portrayal of the prophet. He stamped his authority on the proceedings right away with a commanding delivery of the opening recitative. Thereafter, there was all the requisite power and indignation in the scene where he puts the worshippers of Baal firmly in their place. I also liked the dry wit with which he suggested that perhaps there was no response from Baal because ‘peradventure he sleepeth’. Yet immediately after seeing off the Baal worshippers there wasn’t just authority but also lyrical beauty in ‘Lord God of Abraham’. The compassionate side of the prophet was brought out in the dialogue with the Widow and in Elijah’s entreaties on behalf of the people for an end to the drought. Yes, the zealous side of Elijah was given full rein (‘Is not His word like a fire?’) but ‘It is enough’ received a marvellous, expressive performance in which Brook’s seamless legato was a decided asset. Eventually, Elijah bid us a truly dignified farewell (‘For the mountains shall depart’) and I for one was sorry to see the prophet leave the stage. Brook made Elijah a credible, fully rounded character who engaged our sympathies. I enjoyed every note he sang; this was a memorable performance.
John Quinn, Seen and Heard International
Bach St Matthew Passion (Christ), RIAS Kammerkoor
(April 2025)
…while the bass Jesus, Matthew Brook, demonstrated his majesty, artistic and vocal prowess…
Justo Romero, Beckmesser
Bass Matthew Brook portrayed Jesus with a voice of noble timbre.
Manuel Muñoz, msn.com
Bach St John Passion (Christ), Dunedin Consort
Mandel Hall Chicago (November 2024)
Brook was even finer. His Christ was commanding and yet warm. His solo arias “Betrachte, meine Seel” and “Eilt, ihr angefochtnen Seelen” were perhaps the most emotionally satisfying of the evening. The former was almost lullaby-like in its gentleness; the latter was thunderous.
John Y. Lawrence, Chicago Classical Review
Handel Orlando (Zoroastro), Academy of Ancient Music
Barbican (June 2024)
…the fine bass Matthew Brook
Nicholas Kenyon, Telegraph****
Matthew Brook was authoritative as Zoroastro… Attired here in a magus-like black, Zoroastro is given the opening aria (“Renounce love and follow glory!”) normally reserved for the titular hero. Brook was excellent… Handel kept back that display [coloratura] for Zoroastro’s final aria, where Brook was very impressive – magic indeed.
Roy Westbrook, Bachtrack****
As for Matthew Brook’s hands-off magician… [he] blossomed into the formidable bass acrobatics of pieces such as “Sorge infausta una procella”.
Boyd Tonkin, The Arts Desk****
Schumann Das Paradies Und Die Peri, Royal Northern Sinfonia
The Glasshouse (April 2024)
The top-notch team of soloists set the seal on a terrific collective effort… Matthew Brook’s mellifluous bass.
Simon Thompson, The Times*****
Bach St Matthew Passion (Christus), Dunedin Consort
The Queen’s Hall Edinburgh (March 2024)
Matthew Brook’s Jesus is an interpretation for the ages (as affirmed recently by David Nice in reviewing a superlative Dublin Matthew Passion). It’s hard to imagine the part more sympathetically or beautifully sung: he sang with agony in the garden and even a touch of heroism before Caiphas, and overall it’s an interpretation brimming with empathy and humanity. He brought all those qualities to deeply moving performances of the last two bass arias, too.
Simon Thompson, The Arts Desk*****
Bach St Matthew Passion (Christus), Irish Baroque Orchestra
(March 2024)
It was theatrically of a piece with the intensity of Matthew Brook – no haloed icon of a Christus, but an anguished human being also conveying the fullest emotional range, and ending with such tenderness, joy and compassion in “Mache dich, mein Herze, rein”. The emotional culmination of the epic came in his supremely powerful “Eli, Eli, lama Sabathani?
David Nice, The Arts Desk*****
CD Recording: Handel Messiah, The English Concert and John Nelson (Erato 5419774160)
(November 2023)
Bass Matthew Brook has great presence as always in his wide-ranging numbers
Lindsay Kemp, Gramophone
CD Recording: Purcell Dido and Aeneas, La Nuova Musica (Pentatone)
(September 2023)
The recording … with Fleur Barron as Dido and Matthew Brook as Aeneas…sizzles with energy.
Berta Joncus, BBC Music Magazine****
Matthew Brook’s Trojan prince is rightly portrayed not just with an air of importance but with chutzpah, which I found quite fitting given the events that follow.
Azusa Ueno, The Classical Review
Purcell Masque of Might (Sceptic, Samuel)
Opera North (October 2023)
…outstandingly stylish singing especially by … Matthew Brook as Samuel
Nicholas Kenyon, The Telegraph
It’s a smash hit… both Xavier Hetherington and Matthew Brook relished their various roles.
Melanie Eskenazi, MusicOMH
Both Matthew Brook and Andri Björn Róbertsson made strong baritone contributions in a variety of cameos.
Martin Dreyer, Opera Magazine
…profoundly moving prison scene with Hetherington and Brook using O, I'm sick of life leading to the chorus' striking rendition of Hear my prayer, O Lord.
Robert Hugill, Planet Hugill
Matthew Brook Concert Repertoire
| Bach | Magnificat including interpolations |
|---|---|
| JC Bach | Wie bist du den O Gott |
| Buxtehude | Jesu membra nostre |
| Beethoven | Mass in C |
| Berlioz | L’Enfance du Christ (all bass/baritone roles) |
| Blow | God spake sometime in visions |
| Blake | Benedictus |
| Brahms | Liebeslieder Waltzes |
| Britten | Cantata Misericordium |
| Burgon | The fall of Lucifer |
| Carissimi | Jephte |
| Charpentier | Caecilia Virgo |
| Dvorak | Mass in D |
| Dyson | Canterbury Pilgrims |
| Elgar | Apostles |
| Faure | Requiem |
| Finzi | In terra pax |
| Grieg | Four Psalms |
| Grier | Around the curve of the world |
| Handel | Acis and Galatea |
| Haydn | Creation |
| Howells | Requiem |
| Janacek | Glagolitic Mass |
| Joubert | The Magus |
| Kodaly | Te Deum |
| Maunder | Olivet to Calvary |
| Mendelssohn | Elijah |
| Mozart | Missa Brevis |
| Monteverdi | Vespers |
| Nielsen | Symphony No. 3 |
| Purcell | In guilty night |
| Anthony Powers | Air and Angels |
| Puccini | Messe di Gloria |
| Rameau | In convertendo |
| Rossini | Stabat Mater |
| Stainer | Crucifixion |
| Schütz | Christmas Story |
| Stravinsky | Canticum Sacrum |
| Tippett | A child of our time |
| Vaughan Williams | Benedicite |
| Walton | Belshazzar’s Feast |
Matthew Brook Opera Repertoire
| Bernstein | A Quiet Place (Young Sam) |
|---|---|
| Bizet | Carmen (Zuniga) |
| Britten | Albert Herring (Vicar) |
| Handel | Acis and Galatea (Polyphemus) |
| Janáček | Jenufa (Starek) (Mayor) |
| Menotti | Amahl and the Night Visitors (Melchior) |
| Monteverdi | L'incoronazione di Poppea (Seneca) |
| Mozart | Don Giovanni (Leporello) |
| Purcell | Dido and Aeneas (Aeneas) |
| Puccini | Tosca (Sacristan) |
| Rameau | Anacréon (Anacréon) |
| Sullivan | Trial by Jury (Counsel) |
| Tchaikovsky | Eugene Onegin (Onegin) (Zaretsky) |
| Vaughan Williams | The Pilgrim’s Progress (John Bunyan) (Lord Hategood) (Watchful)(Obstinate) and (First Shepherd) |
| Walton | Troilus and Cressida (Antenor, Calkas) |
| Weber | Der Freischütz (Kuno) |
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