James Bowman

Countertenor James Bowman CBE was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England on November 6, 1941. One of opera’s most celebrated countertenors, he was most associated with the role of Oberon in Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. James Bowman’s forte may have been in opera, but he also performed contemporary and early music later in his career. His musical journey began as a choir boy at Ely Cathedral. Promoted to head chorister, he had to take a sabbatical when his voice changed. He later returned as a bass but made his countertenor debut in 1959 at a school congregation. In college, he became a member of both the New College and Christ Church choirs. After an audition for Benjamin Britten’s English Opera Group in 1967, he earned the role of Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which he performed many times throughout his career. In 1970, he was the first countertenor to perform at the Glyndesbourne Opera Festival. His opera career led to him performing at some of the world’s most prestigious venues including the Sydney Opera House, the San Francisco Opera, La Scala (Milan, Italy), the Vienna State Opera, the Santa Fe Opera, and many others. With a keen interest in early music, James Bowman began performing with the Early Music consort of London in 1965, which led to a decade-long long association with the ensemble until their dissolution after the death of their leader, David Munrow, in 1976. James Bowman would continue to perform with former members of the Early Music Consort after Munrow’s death. He also performed with the Westminster Abbey choir and early music choral group Pro Contione Antiqua. James Bowman’s association with contemporary music led to him premiering the works of Richard Rodney Bennett, Geoffrey Burgon, Alan Ridout, and others. In 1992, he was honored with the l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French Government as well as receiving the Medal of Honor of the City of Paris. In 1997, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) during the Queen’s Birthday Honours. As a recording artist, James Bowman has appeared on over 180 recordings including Bach: Matthäus-Passion (1970), The King Shall Rejoice & Other Chapel Royal Anthems (1977), Vivaldi - Pergolesi: Salve Regina (1988), James Bowman Sings Handel Heroic Arias (1991), Songs for Ariel (2005), Allegri: Miserere - Renaissance Polyphony & Consort Songs (2010), and Music from the Courts of Europe – London (2019). James Bowman retired from concert performances in 2011 but would still perform recitals on occasion. He died on March 27, 2023, at the age of 81.

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