Christopher Steele
Artist Reviews
"A stirring performance of Mendelssohn’s richly tuneful Song of Praise - Christopher Steele proclaimed progress from darkness to enlightenment in ringing tenor tone."
"The four soloists, Jane Irwin, Sarah Jillian Cox, Christopher Steele and Alex Ashworth were individually powerful and collectively worked very well in the duets trios and quartets. The tenor's Italianate voice was beautiful and perfect for Verdi."
"Special mention must be made of tenor, Christopher Steele. He was a late replacement when the scheduled singer was obliged to withdraw at very short notice due to illness. On the Sunday morning he drove down to Wells - a distance of over 200 miles - to save the day. I doubt he would have had time for much, if any, rehearsal with Matthew Owens but he seemed to me to fit seamlessly into the performance. More than that, he sang extremely well and put the words over with conviction."
"When the prophet Obadiah (Christopher Steele – Tenor) urges the people to repent of their Baal worship, the cause of the Lord’s anger on them, Christopher’s lyrical and romantic tenor voice suited well the style of Mendelssohn’s writing and the dramatic rôle of his character."
Biography
Christopher Steele took a BSc in Geology before working in the choruses of Opera Australia and the Victorian State Opera. He went on to study at the Opera Course of the Royal College of Music as an ABRSM International Scholar and then The National Opera Studio, sponsored by ENO and the Bowerman Charitable Trust.
During his time at college he was fortunate to have worked in masterclass with many of the UK’s leading singers, including Sir Thomas Allen, Sarah Walker CBE, Richard Van Allen and many leading tenors such as Philip Langridge, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Ryland Davies, Robert Tear and Denis O’Neill
He then performed in small principal roles for companies such as The Royal Opera House, Welsh National Opera, English National Opera and Opera North, including several UK and world premiere contemporary opera performances for ROH2 and Music Theatre Wales. Christopher also sang leading roles for National and International touring companies, notably in La Boheme, The Pearl Fishers, Die Zauberflote, La Cenerentola, The Tales of Hoffman, Eugene Onegin, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Don Giovanni, The Turn of the Screw.
Major oratorio highlights have included; Handel’s Messiah in the Festival Hall and Bridgewater Hall; Haydn’s Creation in the Royal Albert Hall with Sir David Willcocks; Bach’s St John and St Matthew Passions; Mozart’s Requiem Mass, Mass in C minor and Coronation Mass; Verdi’s Requiem Mass; Finzi’s Dies Natalis and Intimations of Immortality, Britten’s St Nicolas. Christopher’s own translation of Bach’s St John Passion will be premiered by Lancaster Singers in March 2019 in which he will sing The Evangelist.
Following advanced pedagogical studies with Kenneth L Nielsen and Manny Lujan, Christopher turned his career more toward voice teaching in 2010. He continues to sing in oratorio around the UK and for this is represented by Ann Ferrier Artists. Christopher also enjoys performing song repertoire in solo recital with Peter Noke, recently performing a programme of Italian, French, German and English song for Sedbergh Festival and for Lancaster Priory.
For Oratorio and Concert repertoire please scroll down:
| Oratorio and Concert Repertoire | |
| Composer | Work |
| Bach | B Minor Mass |
| Magnificat | |
| Britten | St Nicolas |
| Beethoven | Mass in C |
| Berlioz | Grand Messe de Morts |
| Te Deum | |
| Bruckner | Mass – F minor |
| Donizetti | Miserere |
| Dvorak | Requiem |
| Stabat Mater | |
| Finzi | Dies Natalis |
| Intimations of Immortality | |
| Gounod | Mass St Cecilia (Messe solenelle de Sainte Cecile) |
| Handel | Acis and Galatea – (Damon) |
| Judas Maccabeus | |
| Messiah | |
| Ode for St Cecilia’s day | |
| Haydn | Creation |
| Mass in D | |
| Nelson Mass | |
| Paukenmess (mass in time of peace) | |
| Seasons | |
| Mendelssohn | Elijah |
| Hymn of praise (Lobgesang) | |
| Monteverdi | Vespers |
| Mozart | C minor Great mass |
| Coronation Mass | |
| Missa brevae | |
| Requiem | |
| Puccini | Missa Di Gloria |
| Rossini | Petit Messe Solenelle |
| Stabat Mater | |
| Schubert | Mass in G |
| Stainer | Crucifixion |
| Vaughan Williams | Hodie |
| Serenade to Music | |
| Verdi | Requiem |
| Solemn Vespers | |