ROBERT MACFARLANE tenor
Robert Macfarlane studied at the Elder
Conservatorium in Adelaide and at the Hochschule
für Musik, Leipzig ‘Felix Mendelssohn-Bartoldy’,
as recipient of the prestigious Thomas Elder
Overseas Scholarship. He has also undertaken
extensive study of the Baroque repertoire with
tenor Howard Crook and with world-renowned
accompanist Malcolm Martineau. Robert was
the winner of the Adelaide Critic’s Circle award
for best individual performance in 2012 (Bach St.
John Passion), and winner of the Royal Melbourne
Philharmonic Aria competition in 2009.
Recent engagements have included St Matthew Passion (Evangelist) with Sydney
Philharmonia Choirs, Messiah with New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Tybalt (Boris
Blacher Roméo et Juliette) for Opera de Lyon, Haydn The Seasons and Handel
Israel in Egypt for Halberstädter Domfestspiele, Carmina Burana and Belshazzar
(Handel) with Adelaide Philharmonic Chorus, as well as performances with Auckland
Philharmonia Orchestra, The Song Company, Royal Melbourne Philharmonic and at
Canberra International Music Festival and Woodend Winter Arts Festival.
JAMES HARRISON baritone
James Harrison studied at the Royal College of
Music where he won the prestigious Lies Askonas
Prize, then went on to the National Opera Studio.
He has recently moved back to New Zealand and
is now in demand here as both a performer and
teacher.
James has appeared in concerts at the Royal
Albert Hall, The Barbican, The Wigmore Hall and
St John’s Smith Square. James recently sang in
Tosca and Candide for New Zealand Opera, prior
to which made his debut for English National Opera in Between Worlds, and
returned to New Zealand Opera for Carmen last year. Other roles include Conte
Alamaviva/Le Nozze di Figaro for Opera Sør/Pop-Up Opera in Norway; Escamillo/
Carmen for Opera UpClose; Bello/La Fanciulla del West for Opera Holland Park
and Hortensius La Fille du Regiment/Opera della Luna. James has also covered
roles for English National Opera, Opera North and Garsington.
James is in demand as a teacher and choral educator, working with some of
Auckland’s top school choirs and as a guest coach with the Dame Malvina Major
Foundation Emerging Artists at New Zealand Opera, and the New Zealand
Secondary Students’ Choir.
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