Andrew Ashwin - baritone, Bariton

British operatic baritone Andrew Ashwin has enjoyed success in a number of countries, including Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland and Spain, as well as in the UK.

In 2009 Andrew sang the title role in the Austrian premiere of Britten’s Owen Wingrave at the Vienna Kammeroper, to high critical acclaim. Similarly successful was his 2008 German operatic debut as Junius in a new production of The Rape of Lucretia, at the Frankfurt Opera. Other ventures into the Britten repertoire include Macheath in The Beggar’s Opera in Zurich, and Novice’s Friend and First Mate in Billy Budd at the Bilbao Opera, marking his Spanish debut.

Andrew is equally experienced in the Mozart repertoire, having sung Don Giovanni, Figaro, Conte Almaviva and Papageno earlier in his career, as well as Guglielmo in a German tour of Cosi fan tutte in 2007.

As a member of the Deutsche Oper, Berlin, highlights include Morales in a new production of Carmen, Le Mouton in the German premiere of Respighi’s Marie Victoire, and Papageno in a specially adapted children’s version of Die Zauberflöte. He also featured as soloist in the 2008 Opening Gala Concert.

Other operatic highlights include Marcello and Schaunard in La bohème, Elviro in Serse, Morales in La Tragédie de Carmen, the Forester in an adaptation of Leos Janácek's The Cunning Little Vixen and various roles in Weill’s Die Dreigroschen Oper.

In summer 2009 Andrew embarked on a concert tour of Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, as part of the Pro Music Penang organisation. He sang operatic excerpts in concerts in Penang, Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Singapore.

Two summers previously he sang arias and duets in open air gala concerts in front of German castles in Karlsruhe, Saarbrücken, Koblenz and Wiesbaden.

Andrew has sung much of the oratorio repertoire, with many choirs across the UK. Notable highlights include A Sea Symphony at the Sage Centre, Gateshead, Bach’s Magnificat at the Cadogan Hall, and Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem in Durham Cathedral and in November 2009 at Birmingham Symphony Hall.

Andrew is equally at home on the recital stage. His song repertoire is wide ranging, and he has performed many recitals of English songs, Lieder and Mélodies. In 2008 he performed Schubert’s Winterreise with acclaimed pianist and conductor Justus Frantz. In Zurich he took part in a number of Lieder Matinees, and was called upon to replace an ill Thomas Hampson on the morning of a song recital at the Zurich Opera House. He also performed in concerts in Milan and Teatro La Fenice, Venice. In October 2008 he sang Beethoven’s An die ferne Geliebte for the opening of the Bad Urach Festival in Germany, and in December of that year he took part in a gala concert at the Vlaamse Opera in Gent.

He has worked with many of the world’s finest conductors, including Bernard Haitink, Christoph von Dohnányi, Carlo Rizzi, Peter Schreier, Maurizio Barbacini, Marc Minkowski, Yves Abel and Sir David Willcocks.

A CD of Handel’s Chandos Anthems, on the Naxos label, features Andrew singing solos and duets alongside James Bowman, and a DVD of Ariadne auf Naxos from Zurich with Christoph von Dohnányi was released in 2007. He also features as a soloist on Classic FM’s Carols from Buckingham Palace CD.

Engagements during the 2009/2010 season include his Vlaamse Opera debut as Maximilian in Candide, his debut with Opera Ireland as Mercutio in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, and a new production of Cavalli’s Il Giasone (singing Oreste and Ercole) at the Vlaamse Opera, conducted by Ottavio Dantone. He will also sing Mozart’s Requiem at the Barbican Centre in London.

December 2009

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