James Bowman
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For the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons see James Langstaff Bowman
James Thomas Bowman (b. November 6, 1941) is a famous countertenor born in Oxford, England. His career spans Opera, Oratorio, Contemporary music and solo recitals.
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[edit] Education
Bowman's background is in Anglican church music. He began singing as a boy chorister at Ely Cathedral. He later went to New College, Oxford. He was a member of the New College and Christ Church choirs. Bowman currently sings regularly with the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace in London.
[edit] Opera
In 1967 he auditioned for Benjamin Britten's English Opera Group, and was cast as Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream, a part which was composed with Alfred Deller's voice in mind, but which Bowman made his own over a long series of performances. He appeared at Glyndebourne in 1970 in Francesco Cavalli's La Calisto (the first countertenor to sing there), at English National Opera in 1971 in Semele, and at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 1972 in Taverner.
Bowman no longer appears on stage as an opera singer, but he has appeared at almost every major opera house including La Scala, Milan, Amsterdam, Paris, Aix-en-Provence, Sydney, Verona, Vienna, Strasbourg, Sante Fe, Dallas, and San Francisco.
[edit] Non-Operatic Work
- Early Music
Bowman made his London debut at the opening concert of the Queen Elizabeth Hall.
In...[citation needed] Bowman met David Munrow and was invited to join the Early Music Consort of London. The ensemble flourished in the ten years 1967-1976, making numerous recordings and touring extensively. After Munrow's death in 1976, Bowman continued to work with former members of the group such as the harpsichordist and conductor Christopher Hogwood and the lutenist Robert Spencer.
- Contemporary Music
As well as the association with Britten mentioned above, he has given the world premieres of contemporary compositions by composers such as Geoffrey Burgon, Alan Ridout and Richard Rodney Bennett. In recital he now works frequently with the lutenist Dorothy Linell and the pianist Andrew Plant.
[edit] Accolades
- In 1992 the French Government honoured him with admission to "L'ordre des Arts et des Lettres" and he was also awarded the Medal of Honour of the City of Paris, in recognition of his long-standing contribution to the musical life of that city.
- Bowman is also President of the Holst Singers.
- In May 1992 Bowman received the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Music from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.
- He was made a CBE in the Queen's birthday honours list in June 1997.
- In November 1998 Bowman was made an Honorary Fellow of New College, Oxford.
[edit] Discography
Bowman has made over 180 recordings with all the major record labels and has worked with many leading conductors including Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Frans Brüggen, John Eliot Gardiner, Roger Norrington, and Gustav Leonhardt. Most of his recent recordings have been for Hyperion Records, working with the conductor Robert King prior to the latter's imprisonment in 2007. These Hyperion recordings include the complete Purcell odes, secular songs and church music and two discs of Handel arias.
