Born in Hertfordshire, England, of German-Austrian parentage, Peter Bronder studied at the Royal Academy of Music, London as well as at the National Opera Studio, before undertaking his first engagements as principal tenor at Glyndebourne and Welsh National Opera. During this early phase of his career, he sang many leading roles in the Italian lyric repertoire including those in La bohème, Tosca, La traviata, Rigoletto, Lucia di Lammermoor, Maria Stuarda, Don Pasquale, I puritani, La sonnambula and Il barbiere di Siviglia; as well as Die Zauberflöte, Così fan tutte, Eugene Onegin, Die Fledermaus and Der Rosenkavalier. He has since moved into the more dramatic, predominantly German repertoire, whilst retaining the lyrical qualities necessary for the Mozartean roles of Idomeneo and Tito, which he has performed at Glyndebourne.
Notable successes include Mime Siegfried at La Scala Milan, Staatsoper Berlin, Flanders Opera, Gran Teatre del Liceu Barcelona, Teatro Massimo di Palermo and in Bergen, Herod Salome at La Scala Milan, Flanders Opera, Teatro Real Madrid, Teatro Regio Torino, Oper Frankfurt, Teatro Municipal Sao Paolo and Opera Hong Kong, Loge Das Rheingold for Scottish Opera at the Edinburgh Festival, Oper Stuttgart and Ruhrtriennale Festival, Erik Der Fliegende Hollaender in Rouen and Paris, and the title role in Zemlinsky’s Der Zwerg in Frankfurt and Seville. He made his American debut with the Cleveland Orchestra as Mime Siegfried, followed by his debut at the Metropolitan Opera, New York in Falstaff.
Significant engagements in Europe include the title role in Peter Grimes in Bielefeld, title role in Rienzi, Franz Schmidt’s Das Buch mit Sieben Siegeln and Hauptmann Wozzeck in Frankfurt. In Frankfurt and at Teatro Real Madrid he also sang Luzio Das Liebesverbot. Furthermore, Andrea Chenier at the Bregenz Festival, Valzacchi Der Rosenkavalier for La Scala Milan and Teatro Real Madrid, Narraboth Salome
and Mazal Mr. Broucek for the Bayerische Staatsoper Munich, Ernesto Don Pasquale at Netherlands Opera, Pedrillo Die Entführung aus dem Serail at La Monnaie Brussels and San Francisco Opera, Laca Jenufa
and Bajazet Tamerlano
at the Komische Oper Berlin, Shuisky Boris Godunov at Teatro Regio Turin and Dr. Caius Falstaff at the Chatelet Paris. He also sang the title role Palestrina for Oper Frankfurt and Oper Zurich.
Performances in the UK include appearances with the Royal Opera House Covent Garden - Arturo Lucia di Lammermoor, Cassio Otello, Pedrillo Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Andres Wozzeck, Selem The Rake’s Progress, First Jew Salome, Trabuco La forza del destino.
English National Opera - Vanya Katya Kabanova, Almaviva Barber of Seville, Italian tenor Der Rosenkavalier, Alfred Die Fledermaus, Jailor Il Prigioniero; Opera North - Prunier La Rondine, Hauptmann Wozzeck, Alexander Il Re Pastore; and Scottish Opera - Rodolfo La Boheme, Leicester Maria Stuarda. He has returned as a guest artist to Welsh National Opera in Iphigenie en Tauride, as well as Peter Stein’s productions of Falstaff and Peter Grimes.
He has an extensive concert repertoire, and has worked with Sir Richard Armstrong, Daniel Barenboim, Sir Andrew Davis, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Jeffrey Tate, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Rafael Fruebeck de Burgos, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Bernard Haitink, Richard Hickox, James Levine, Sir Charles Mackerras, Kent Nagano, Sir Roger Norrington, Sir Antonio Pappano, Kirill Petrenko, Ivor Bolton, Ulf Schirmer, Ingo Metzmacher and Sebastian Weigle.
He has made numerous radio broadcasts and CD recordings for Decca, DGG, EMI, Philips, Teldec and Chandos; most recently the title role in Rienzi with Oper Frankfurt. He also appears in filmed DVD productions of Siegfried, Salome, Boris Godunov and Andrea Chenier.
In recent seasons, he sang Herod with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Iaryzhkin in Barry Kosky’s new production of The Nose at the ROH, and Der Zwerg in a new production for Lisbon Opera, before making his debut with the New York Philharmonic as Mime Das Rheingold. He also returned to Covent Garden as Monostatos Die Zauberflöte, Shabby Peasant Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, joined the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra in the role of Le Lépreux Saint François d'Assise, and made his debut at the Opéra de Paris as Misail in a new production of Boris Godunov.
This season, Peter returns to Opéra national de Paris to perform the role of Hauk-Sendorf in Janáček’s L’Affaire Makropoulos.
This biography is for information only and should not be reproduced.
Antonio / Die Banditen
Oper Frankfurt, January 2024
Peter Bronder creates a masterpiece in bringing out the randiness in the treasurer, who openly, honestly and obscenely makes it clear, that the robbers are not only in the woods.
Bernd Zegowitz, Die Deutsche Bühne
The other guest is Peter Bronder who, as Mantua's treasurer, later explains with a striking Mime-like tenor that he is the biggest bandit. Bronder, who is highly acclaimed, performs a scene like Frosch from Die Fledermaus, a showpiece in its own right.
Judith von Sternburg, Frankfurter Rundschau
The Makropulos Case (Hauk-Sendorf)
Opéra de Paris, October 2023
But perhaps even more enjoyable are the truculent supporting roles, notably . . . Peter Bronder's irresistible libidinous old man. All of which adds up to a theatrical vitality that is particularly sustained around the heroine.
Florent Coudeyrat, ClassiqueNews
Another important protagonist is Hauk-Sendorf, which was sung with the touching presence of English tenor Peter Bronder who, with a stunning vocal expressiveness, gave us the most authentic duet with Emilia Marty highlighting the childlike features especially important for this role.
Peter Michael Peters, IOCO
Peter Bronder, a specialist in character roles, is an altogether moving Hauk-Šendorf, and his performance is striking both for its simplicity . . . and for the accuracy of its tone . . . he is a key character, the only one to have had direct contact with Emilia's other life, an encounter whose tenderness and mystery he manages to render in a magnificent embodiment.
Guy Cherqui, Wanderer
Andrea Chénier (Abbé / Incredibile), Chelsea Opera Group
Queen Elizabeth Hall, May 2022
"...Peter Bronder (as the Abbé and L’Incredible, a spy) played their [his] fine parts in the sum total of the glorious musical evening."
Claire Seymour, Opera Today
"Wonderful to see tenor Peter Bronder there in the cast, again in a double role as The Abbé (a poet) and L’Incredibile (a spy), excelling in both roles, particularly the latter. Bronder has previously impressed at Covent Garden..."
Colin Clarke, Seen and Heard International
Die Zauberflöte (Monostatos)
Royal Opera House, 2017
"(...) Monostatos, (...), is a gift of a part for Peter Bronder."
Richard Lawrence, Gramophone
CD Recording: Wozzeck (Hauptmann)
Oper Frankfurt, OC 974 (July 2018)
Peter Bronder has all the expressivity needed for the Captain (Hauptmann)
Göran Forsling, MusicWeb International
Strong support from Peter Bronder’s grotesque Captain
Michael Quinn, Classical Ear
Peter Bronder and Alfred Reiter are real comedian singers
Avant Scène Opéra
The glaring, jarring captain of good-natured Peter Bronder
Rolf Fath, Opera Lounge
When Peter Bronder as the Captain really gets going, all metaphorical handbrakes are released. He plays his role as if there’s no tomorrow. His articulation is razor sharp, intoned with the certainty of a somnambulist and it’s so wonderfully close to bordering on hysteria that suddenly you understand the tormented Wozzeck, which rarely happens.
Benjamin Künzel, Klassic.com
Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (Shabby Peasant)
Royal Opera House (April 2018)
Some notable cameos … Wojtek Gierlach as the Priest and Peter Bronder as the Shabby Peasant … offer highlights among the large cast.
Richard Fairman, Financial Times****
Peter Bronder’s sharply etched Shabby Peasant
Roger Parker, Opera Magazine
Peter Bronder makes a vivid Shabby Peasant
Yehuda Shapiro, The Stage****
There are strong cameos … from Peter Bronder as the Shabby Peasant
Peter Reed, Classical Source*****
CD Recording: Salome (Herod)
Frankfurt Radio Symphony (November 2017)
Peter Bronder and Michaele Schuster are a vivid pair as Herod and Herodias
Hugo Shirley, Gramophone
This Frankfurt Radio recording preserves a gripping live concert performance of the opera … one that needs fear no comparisons with classic versions of the past… Peter Bronder’s neurotic Herod completes the cast of principals
Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times
Peter Bronder’s Herod is a brilliant character-tenor assumption, comprehensively excellent
George Hall, Opera Magazine
Peter Bronder delivers an impressive character study of Herod, and is in full possession of his vocal power, which is not always evident among Herod's performers.
Thomas Lang, das Orchester
Peter Bronder is a fine Herod, his insightful voice dripping with lust
Clive Paget, Limelight
Die Zauberflöte (Monostatos)
Royal Opera House (September 2017)
Peter Bronder’s creepy Monostatos played up the comedy well, blustering well, accompanied by his twinkle-toed periwigged entourage
Mark Pullinger, Bachtrack ****
Peter Bronder is outstanding, both vocally and dramatically, as Monastatos
Sam Smith, MusicOMH
Peter Bronder’s vile Monostatos … would be hard to better.
George Hall, The Stage
Peter Bronder brought a delicious sense of malevolence to Monostatos.
Colin Clarke, Seen and Heard International
Add Mika Kares’s booming bass in the role of Sarastro and Peter Bronder’s particularly vile protrayal of the evil Monostatos and it all adds up to a glorious night’s entertainment.
William Hartston, Express
Das Rheingold (Mime)
New York Philharmonic (June 2017)
So nothing stands in the way of an extraordinary — indeed, flawless — young Anglo-American cast. … In fact, Wagner’s characters all feel human here. … Even the pathetic dwarf Mime (Peter Bronder) is credible.
Zachary Woolfe, New York Times
In his brief apparition as Mime in this Vorspiel to Der Ring des Nibelungen, British tenor Peter Bronder sang with dignity, avoiding the distorted vocal utterances sometimes associated with the character.
Edward Sava-Segal, Bachtrack *****
Peter Bronder was an unusually sympathetic Mime, achieving a real pathos in his wincing pleas.
Eric C. Simpson, New York Classical Review
Peter Bronder as Mime, Alberich’s subjugated brother, came off as a great character actor who happens to have a blazing tenor voice.
Joshua Rosenblum, ZEAL NYC
Meanwhile, Peter Bronder’s Mime was the comic character. The ugliness of the character came as Bronder used his voice never trying to make a beautiful sound but instead using the timbre to create an uncomfortable quality that created a comic element.
Francisco Salazar, OperaWire
Finally, the best actor Oscar goes to the Mime of Peter Bronder, a put-upon victim of abuse and derision.
Fred Kirshnit, ConcertoNet
Peter Bronder was effective as Mime.
John Yohalem, Parterre Box
Der Zwerg
Teatro Nacional de São Carlos Lisbon (April 2017)
Intense, touching, moving. That’s how Zemlinsky’s “Der Zwerg”, staged for the first time both at São Carlos and in our country, turned out to be. From the moment he comes on stage, is it the Dwarf who dominates the opera – a Heldentenor of Wagnerian levels – and Peter Bronder, more than dominating, was completely overwhelming in this role. ... Only the orchestra and the music itself could come close to the stellar level of Peter Bronder's dwarf.
Bernardo Mariano, Diário de Notícias
Two exceptional singers did an admirable job (Peter Bronder and Sarah-Jane Brandon).
Pedro Boléo, Público, 3.5 stars
Peter Bronder’s Concert Repertoire
| BACH | Magnificat |
|---|---|
| BEETHOVEN | Symphony No. 9 |
| BIRTWISTLE | Love Cries |
| BRITTEN | War Requiem |
| DVORAK | Stabat Mater |
| ELGAR | Dream of Gerontius |
| HANDEL | Messiah |
| MAHLER | Das Lied von der Erde |
| ORFF | Carmina Burana |
| SCHMIDT | Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln (Johannes) |
| VERDI | Requiem |
Peter Bronder’s Opera Repertoire
| BEETHOVEN | Fidelio (Florestan) |
|---|---|
| BERG | Wozzeck (Hauptmann) |
| BRITTEN | Peter Grimes (Grimes, Bob Boles) |
| DALLAPICCOLA | Il Prigioniero (Jailor/Grand Inquisitor) |
| JANACEK | Jenufa (Laca-in German) |
| MESSIAEN | Saint François d'Assise (Lepréux)* |
| MOZART | Die Zauberflöte (Monostatos) |
| MUSSORGSKY | Boris Godunov (Shuisky) |
| PFITZNER | Palestrina (Palestrina) |
| SCHREKER | Der Schatzgraeber (Narr) |
| SHOSTAKOVITCH | Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (Peasant) |
| R.STRAUSS | Salome (Herodes) |
| STRAVINSKY | The Rake’s Progress (Sellem) |
| TCHAIKOVSKY | Queen of Spades (Herman) |
| WAGNER | Das Rheingold (Loge, Mime) |
| WEBER | Oberon (Huon) |
| ZEMLINSKY | Der Zwerg (Der Zwerg) |
| * | Denotes role in preparation |
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