Christopher Robson

Countertenor

It is not only the choral singing that puts this new Messiah up with the very best. The soloists too each bring something unique and individual to their roles. Christopher Robson has recently been electrifying audiences with his performances, and when he opens his mouth on this recording he may as well be plugging us all into the mains. For his performance of “But who may abide” alone I would go out and buy this Messiah even if the rest were trash.

CD Review Magazine (Handel’s “Messiah”, Chandos Records CD)

Christopher Robson is the remaining member of the solo line-up. His clear voice, sure intonation and ability to achieve light and shade make for rewarding listening.

Gramophone Magazine (Handel’s “Messiah”, Chandos Records CD)

I would suggest that any young opera singer looking for inspiration in how to work on a stage should view his performance here – it’s a triumph. The perennial “little man”, despised by most, but dogged and even brave in defending what he knows to be right, Robson’s Unulfo must be one of the most affecting Handel performances I’ve seen. I have to admit to a lump in the throat as he staggers bloodied to the floor after a beating and sings of his loyalty to his King and his conviction that these storms in life will pass, in the lovely aria “Fra tempeste”.

Opera Today (Handel’s “Rodelinda”, Farao Classics Dvd)

Christopher Robson, one of the few countertenors to possess the combination of staying power, strength of voice and genuine acting abilities, all vital in the opera house, sings the role of the Refugee quite beautifully, summoning a whole range of emotions and conveying a convincing sense of desperation and resignation.

The Sunday Times (Jonathan Dove’s “Flight”, Glyndebourne Festival)

Christopher Robson is exceptional as the Refugee, the clarion power of his countertenor voice commanding the evening.

The Sunday Telegraph (Jonathan Dove’s “Flight”, Glyndebourne Festival)

Christopher Robson sings superbly as the refugee, consistently strong and firm.

The Guardian (Jonathan Dove’s “Flight”, Glyndebourne Festival)

Christopher Robson, as the Refugee, looks like a psychedelic tramp: marry this image with an ethereal countertenor tone, and you get a dramatic presence which is impossible to categorise.

Sunday Business (Jonathan Dove “Flight”, Glyndebourne Festival)

But what will remain longest in my ears is James Bowman and Christopher Robson in “Sound the trumpet” (Come ye Sons of Art) – a piece that has often been brilliantly recorded but has rarely sounded as exciting as it does here.

Gramophone magazine (Henry Purcell “Come ye Sons of Art”, Virgin Classics CD)

The second reason (to buy this set) resides in Christopher Robson’s impersonation of the villainous Polinesso. He is an excellent stylist, and his characterisation is full of subtlety and intelligence. Listen to his management of the recitative, to his artful, suggestive timing in “Spero per voi”, or the expressive undertones in his Act II aria; and the technical difficulties in “Dover, giustizia” are brilliantly dealt with.

Gramophone Magazine (Handel “Ariodante”, Farao Classics CD)

Christopher Robson was in vivid voice as Polinesso, and gives us one of his creepiest villains.

Opera Magazine (Handel “Ariodante”, English National Opera)

Christopher Robson’s tattered and then vengeful Edgar bears the mark of utter control about it both vocally and dramatically.

The Times (Reimann’s “Lear”, English National Opera)

Christopher Robson’s skilfully stretched countertenor (as Arsamenes) and Jean Rigby’s luscious contralto Amastris were the only survivors of the original cast. Robson cuts a powerful figure, winning and popular with the audience.

The Guardian (Handel “Xerxes”, English National Opera)

The most dramatically charged performance is given by countertenor Christopher Robson as Prince Cyrus.

BBC Music magazine (Handel “Belshazzar”, MDG Records CD)

Das Ensemble beeindruckt durch Spielfreude und souveräne Beherrschung der sängerischen Herausforderungen - ganz besonders hervorzuheben der exzellente Sopranist Christopher Robson, phänomenal in der Darstellung des Leidenden mit bezwingender Emotionalität in der Stimmgebung!

Opernnetz.de

Christopher Robson ... als fieser, machtgeiler und intriganter Polinesso war er gleichwohl eine Idealbesetzung.

Süddeutsche Zeitung (G.F. Handel "Ariodante", Munich 2006)

Den glänzend eingesungenen Counter-tenor Christopher Robson (Arsamenes) jedoch störte Bickets forsche Gangart keineswegs, er brillierte als Anti-Held, tuntig, traurig, triumphierend. Von Robson wünscht man sich eigentlich nur noch den Frank N’ Furter in der "Rocky Horror Show".

Süddeutsche Zeitung (G.F. Händel "Xerxes", Munich 2006)

Christopher Robson's nasty Polinesso: unafraid of either the music or of making unappealing sounds, countertenor Robson is a super-villain in the best moustache-twirling tradition

Classics Today (Handel’s “Ariodante” – Farao Records/Bavarian State Opera)

Ihr zur Seite steht in der Rolle des Königsbruders Arsamenes das Countertenor-Urgestein Christopher Robson - seine Stimme ist strahlend wie eh und je und in den zahlreichen Lamenti, die die Partie bietet, kann er zu gewohnter Höchstform auflaufen: das Publikum stets so gebannt, dass man die berühmte Stecknadel fallen hören könnte.

Online Music Magazine (Handel’s “Serse” – Bavarian State Opera)