In December of the 2015/2016 season, Christopher made a highly anticipated
role debut as Marcello (La bohème) for Staatsoper Hannover. Other recent
European credits include Hans Zemlinksy’s Der Traumgörge, Ottokar (Der
Freischütz), Il Conte Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), Pollux in Rameau’s Castor
et Pollux (broadcast live on NDR Niedersachsen Radio), Guglielmo (Così fan
tutte), Ping (Turandot), Delirio (L’Opera seria), Albert (Werther), Valentin
(Faust), Silvio (Pagliacci), and Demetrius (A Midsummer Night’s Dream). On the
concert stage, 2015 saw him debut with the world-renowned Lucerne Festival
as the baritone soloist in Der Tod Jesu (Graun).
Repertoire performed in Australia has in recent years included the Count
(Capriccio) and Novice’s Friend (Billy Budd) for Opera Australia’s Sydney
season, the Black Minister in the La Fura dels Baus internationally renowned
production of Le Grand Macabre (Adelaide Festival), and for Victorian Opera
the roles of Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), Belcore (L’elisir d’amore), for which he
received a Green Room Award nomination, and Chou En-Lai in the 2013 award-
winning production of Nixon in China.
Andrew Beer violin
Violinist Andrew Beer has been described as a
“virtuoso soloist” by the San Francisco Classical
Voice, as possessing a “glorious string tone”
by Strad Magazine, as a performer displaying
“accuracy and subtle charisma” by the Boston
Globe, and as a “musical gift” by the New York
Times. He has performed extensively throughout
North America, Europe, Asia and Australasia,
and his performances have been broadcast on
NHK Japan, Vietnamese television, CBC Radio-
Canada, Minnesota Public Radio, Vermont Public
Radio, WQXR New York, Radio NZ Concert FM and ABC Classic FM.
As a soloist, he has performed with leading orchestras in Vancouver, Montreal,
New York, Boston, Birmingham (UK), Catania, Auckland and Hamilton, with
conductors including Gil Rose, Joseph Silverstein, Victor Feldbrill, Eckehard
Stier and Giordano Bellincampi. As a chamber musician, he has performed
at the Banff, Orford, Domaine Forget, Tanglewood, Aspen, Music@Menlo,
Prussia Cove and Akaroa festivals, and has appeared in concert with Midori
and members of the Emerson String Quartet. Contemporary music has played
a large role in Andrew’s musical life, and he has worked closely wi th some of
the leading composers of our time on their solo and chamber works, including
Pierre Boulez, Mario Davidovsky, György Kurtág and Steve Reich.
Outside his busy performing schedule, Andrew teaches both privately and at
the University of Auckland. He frequently serves as a judge for competitions
and scholarship funds throughout New Zealand, including the selection panel
for the prestigious Michael Hill International Violin Competition.
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