BIOGRAPHY

With a voice described as ‘bell clear and beautiful’ (The Stage), English-Dutch countertenor Francis Gush has a burgeoning international operatic career. Francis has performed with companies such as Glyndebourne Festival Opera (Tolomeo– Giulio Cesare, cover), English Touring Opera (Cesare– Giulio Cesare), the Opéra de Lille (Athamas– Semele, cover) and the English National Opera (Engage). Francis also recently made his international debut, performing the title role Titus in Titus L’Empéreur at the Händel Festspiele in Halle (Opera Settecento) to critical acclaim. This summer, Francis will return to Glyndebourne Festival Opera, performing La Speranza in Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo (cover), as well as making his debut in the London Handel Festival, in Titus L’Empéreur. Equally comfortable with contemporary repertoire as that of the Baroque, Francis made his debut at the Buxton International Festival, singing Harold in Dommett’s, Disorderly House, as well as giving the UK Premiere of Desyatnikov’s Leaden Echo with Another Music Festival.

Equally comfortable in concert and oratorio, Francis has made his debut with the Orchestra of the Age of the Enlightenment, singing a programme of Purcell and Blow. Other notable concert work includes his performance at the Wigmore Hall with Steven Isserlis, which was described as a ‘show-stealing turn’ (The Arts Desk), and his ‘blow-away performance’ (The Stage) as Arsace in Hampstead Garden Opera’s Partenope / Handel. Francis has also covered the Spirit (Dido and Aeneas / Purcell) at the BBC Proms with La Nuova Musica.

Francis completed a season as a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, performing as the solo singer in John Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi.