Alexander Anderson-Hall
Alexander Anderson-Hall is an experienced, freelance operatic tenor, living and working mainly in the UK and France. After leaving the Royal College of Music in London, he immediately gained the attention of a wider public as a young artist at Scottish Opera, where he made his debut singing a number of roles including Flavio in Norma, The Peacock in Param Vir’s Broken Strings, John Millar Jnr. for the World premiere of David Horne’s A Friend of the People and Janek in The Makropoulos Case.
In 2010-2011 he was enrolled by English National Opera on the Opera Works programme where he continued to refine and hone his skills as an operatic artist. Since then, his acknowledged dramatic and vocal versatility has afforded him a career that has taken him around the world, with critically acclaimed performances in numerous roles ranging from early opera, through Mozart, Rossini, and Bel Canto to contemporary repertoire.
My Story
Lincolnshire born, Alexander completed his studies at the Royal College of Music in London. Immediately gaining the attention of a wider public as a young artist at Scottish Opera he made his debut singing a number of roles including Flavio in Norma, The Peacock in Param Vir’s Broken Strings, John Millar Jnr. for the World premiere of David Horne’s A Friend of the People and Janek in The Makropoulos Case. In 2010/11, Alexander was engaged by English National Opera on the Opera Works programme.
Working with conductors and directors such as Sir Richard Armstrong, Richard Farnes, Julian Smith, Oliver Gooch, Christopher Alden, Martin Lloyd Evans, Martin Constantine and Anthony McDonald, his career soon led to international engagements, gaining critical acclaim on tour in the USA, Africa, Europe and the UK performing Nemorino, Tamino, Ferrando, Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville, Don Ottavio (in a production for English Touring Opera by Olivia Fuchs), Don Ramiro, Nadir in The Pearl Fishers, MacDuff in Macbeth, Prince Vladimir in Prince Igor, Remendado, Ernesto in Don Pasquale, The Duke of Mantua, Don Jose, Nemorino, Rodolfo, Fenton - The merry wives of Windsor.
Further significant engagements have included Tinca – Il Tabarro, Pedro - El Retablo de Maese Pedro (Master Peter's Puppet Show), Cecco in Il mondo della luna for Opera East Productions, The King in Perelandra (Donald Swann and C.S. Lewis), Ishmael in Nabucco and Michele in the Scottish Premiere of Menotti’s The Saint of Bleeker Street for Edinburgh Grand Opera and Astromante in Der Stein der Weisen (cover) for Garsington Opera. He created the role of Daniel in the premiere of contemporary opera Manifest Destiny and in 2008 enjoyed a successful concert tour in the Far East followed by a series of gala concerts throughout Europe, including a recital at St. Jean Le Blanc, Orléans, France.
His versatility on stage has afforded further successes in musical theatre such as Tommy in Brigadoon, Tony in West Side Story, Ravinal in Showboat, the title role in Jesus Christ Superstar, Anthony in Sweeney Todd and in operettas including Marco in The Gondoliers, Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance, Nanki Poo in The Mikado, and The Defendant in Trial by Jury. He also performed a two-week run of a Sondheim Review at the Edinburgh Festival.
Highlights on the concert platform include Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, Mozart’s Requiem, The Creation by Haydn, Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, Handel’s Messiah, Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music, Puccini’s Messa di Gloria, and both the Dvorak and Rossini Stabat Mater.
As a co-founder of the independent opera company, Opera Galleria, he regularly sings with baritone James McOran-Campbell performing a selection of eclectic recital programmes which take in traditions of French mélodies, German lieder, English art songs and popular Italian canzoni. This collaboration resulted in the making of a CD recording 'The Songs of the Phoenix', which was produced and recorded at Champs Hill.
Much in demand as a recitalist, recent appearances for the Little Venice Festival include Songs of the Half Light by Lennox Berkeley, Chansons des Bois d’Amaranthe by Massenet and Schumann’s Liebeslieder. He was also invited to participate in a fund-raising gala at the Linbury, Covent Garden.
Recent performances include: Don Ramiro - La Cenerentola, Shahryar in the premiere of Danyal Dhondy's opera Shahrazad, Nemorino, Alfredo - La Traviata and Gustavo/Riccardo – A masked ball. Also Don Ottavio, Lenski – Eugene Onegin and Beau Gage in the premiere of a new Ballad Opera - The South Sea Bubble in London.
As a director he has co-produced Le Nozze di Figaro (in which he sang Don Basilio) and Cosi fan Tutte for Opera Vera.
Spring 2018 celebrated the launch of 'Islander', a further element to his talents as a folk singer/songwriter/guitarist and the release of his debut folk ballads album, 'Turning the Tide'. As part of the celebrations a successful UK tour was also launched in collaboration with James McOran-Campbell as 'Classi-Folk' for Opera Galleria. In Autumn 2022, 'My murmur laden shells', a brand new album of songs written by Islander was released, followed by tour of France and the UK. Both albums are available on CD and on the music media sites (Spotify, i-tunes etc).
Alexander continues his classical and operatic performances in SW France and the UK.
Ferrando in Mozart's Cosi FanTutte - Stanley Opera
Rodolfo in La Bohème - Stanley Opera
Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto - Stanley Opera
A Trailer for Rossini's Barber of Seville
Count Almaviva in Rossini's Barber of Seville
Reviews
"John Millar Jnr. Alexander Anderson-Hall was an endearing young firebrand". Opera Magazine. (A Friend of the People - Scottish Opera)
"...In this hilarious twosome, would-be suitor Count Almaviva (Alexander Anderson-Hall) was first rate and had the audience in stitches throughout the production. Alexander again proved what a wonderful voice he has and provided great humour..."
The Barber of Seville - Stanley Opera, Concordia Theatre. (Tony Parratt - Hinckley Times)
"Kennet Opera has a real ensemble approach, so there was fine support from the warm, youthful, expansive voice and stage ability of Alexander Anderson-Hall as Anthony Hope, his voice blending well with Abbie Jones..." Sweeney Todd - Kennet Opera. (Lin Wilkinson, Newbury Weekly News November 2006)
"Alexander Anderson-Hall's delightfully musical tenor and acting ability made Nadir a most believable and dramatic young lover..."
Caroline Franklin (Newbury News) The Pearl Fishers - Kennet Opera (18.11.04)
"...Alexander Anderson-Hall, a fluent-voiced seducer, his singing acquiring greater emotional depth in the third act scenes with both Mimi and Marcello"
(Rodolfo - La Boheme, Garden Opera. Opera Magazine Sept 2007)
"...Alexander Anderson-Hall sang with immense power and clarity as Prince Tamino..." The Magic flute - Bel Canto Opera. (Simon Lewis, BBC Radio Gloucestershire Theatre and Arts)
"...MacDuff was superbly performed by Alexander Anderson-Hall, whose powerful tenor voice was a pure joy to hear."
(T.P Nuneaton News, April 2013)
"Anthony (Alexander Anderson-Hall) got thoroughly under the skin of his role and his fine singing voice and pace of delivery ensured that this production never lost it's momentum". The Sondheim Review International report. (Sweeney Todd)
"...Alexander Anderson-Hall did an excellent job on "You are my heart's delight with his rich tenor voice..." Tales of Vienna - Opera Galleria. (Derek Ansell, Newbury Weekly News 2007)
Alexander Anderson-Hall's firm burnished tenor admirably negotiates the cruelly high tessitura of the romantic lead, Tamino, and achieves some moments of real heroic power..." Tim Passmore - Opera Talent - The Magic Flute - Surrey Opera (18.06.04).
"Alexander Anderson-Hall's tenor, recently heard as Tamino in Surrey Opera's The Magic Flute, is developing well, sounding especially full-blooded at moments of climax". Tim Passmore - Opera Talent - The Pearl Fishers - Kennet Opera (12.11.04)
"... engaging personalities Alexander Anderson-Hall and Will Townend are a comedy duo as Ferrando and Guglielmo, revelling in chappish charm and throwing themselves whole-heartedly into the machinations of the plot." Cosi fan tutte - Garden Opera. (Olivia Rowland, Opera Now 2007)
.Alexander Anderson-Hall’s Cecco was the other, sharply-characterised servant... he has a winning stage presence". Il Mondo della Luna - Opera East Productions. (Mark Berry, Seen and Heard International MusicWeb International's Worldwide Concert and Opera Reviews July 2009)
"Actors in opera are usually cast because they can sing, rather than because they fit the part in any other way. The four here - especially Yvonne Patrick and Alexander Anderson-Hall as Fiordiligi and Ferrando - act and sing their parts beautifully, with utter conviction. " (Cosi fan Tutte, Swansea City Opera. Evening Star, Ipswich, March 18, 2005)
"...The Surrey Opera cast emphasized youth, yet their training, both in singing and acting belied their age and appeared mature. The lovers Alexander Anderson-Hall as Tamino and Sian Jones as Pamina, both sang solo and duets strongly, while acting with convincing appeal..." John Frayn Turner (The Guide - Surrey Mirror) The Magic Flute - Surrey Opera (17.06.04)
"Newcomer Alexander Anderson-Hall and Chris Marlow, fast becoming a Stanley favourite, are in great form in this production as Ferrando and Guglielmo, the tenor and baritone voices blending well. Cosi fan tutte - Stanley Opera. (Mitch Irving, Hinckley Times, April 2009)
"...As the other half of the spirited double act, Alexander Anderson-Hall proved an accomplished actor, first as the drunken soldier then, hilariously, as Donna Alfonsa the grey-wigged, substitute singing teacher armed with her knitting and clamouring for a cup of tea and a corned beef sandwich in the updated libretto. His voice projected well and he used it expressively". The Barber of Seville - Garden Opera. (Margaret Davies, Opera Magazine November 2009)