Conductor and Harpsichordist Laurence Cummings is our RA Artist in Focus this week! Laurence is best known for his intelligent and thoughtful interpretations of music from the Baroque period.
“Conductor Laurence Cummings sets about every number with almost breathless enthusiasm.”
- Richard Fairman, Financial Times
He currently holds position of Music Director of both the Academy of Ancient Music and the Orquestra Barroca Casa da Musica in Portugal as well as working internationally on the opera and concert stage.
Laurence has been Music Director of the Academy of Ancient Music since 2021. Throughout the year they perform various historically informed works throughout the UK and abroad. This season they have exciting programmes planned including a concert exploring the works of Brazilian composer Jose Mauricio Nunes Garcia, their annual Bach Passion at the Barbican Centre as well as performing Bach's The Art of Fugue as you have never heard it before through the theatrical imaginings of Bill Barclay.
Laurence has appeared in opera houses such as Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Oper Frankfurt, Opernhaus Zürich and Gothenburg Opera. This season he will make his house debut at Dutch National Opera as well as conducting a new production at Theater Oper Halle.
Laurence’s work on the concert stage has taken him around the world this season, working with Music of the Baroque in Chicago, National Symphony Orchestra in Ireland and Tonkünstler Orchestra in Grafenegg.
Tonight (7th Feb 2025), Laurence will conduct the opening night of Mozart’s Idomeneo with Dutch National Opera.
Coming up later this season, Laurence will be conducting a new production of Agrippina at Theater Oper Halle as well as appearing at the Edinburgh International Festival with Opera Australia for Orpheus and Eurydice.
