“This was a concert to be treasured… The Early Opera Company’s sparkling concert performance was a tonic… The company celebrates Handel’s animation to perfection”
The Observer
“Find anything exciting happening in period opera in the UK and Curnyn will be involved, whether it’s conducting at the Wanamaker or ENO, recording Handel or directing his own projects.”
The Spectator
“Christian Curnyn’s Early Opera Company brings a lovely grace to Handel’s score”
The Times
“The Handel presentation was remarkable in many respects, not least of which was the utter splendor of the (historically informed) orchestral playing. The band was the orchestra of the Early Opera Company directed by its founder, Christian Curnyn.
“[This] performance… was certainly the finest this listener has yet heard, in Europe or America, rock-solid in terms of intonation, phrasing, richness of tone, orchestral color, accuracy, articulation, and ensemble — in other words, in every conceivable technical and artistic respect.”
Musical America
Early Opera Company
Since its inception in 1995, Early Opera Company has established itself as one of the UK’s most exciting ensembles specialising in Baroque vocal works. It regularly performs at Wigmore Hall and St John’s Smith Square, and is frequently broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
EOC has cemented its reputation in the last few years with its highly successful collaborations with the Royal Opera: Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo and Il Ritorno D’Ulisse at the Roundhouse, Cavalli’s L’Ormindo and Luigi Rossi’s L’Orfeo at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, the latter nominated for an Olivier Award, and Handel’s Solomon on the ROH main stage. Further afield, EOC recently made its debut at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam with Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and Blow’s Venus and Adonis, which was also broadcast live on NPR Radio.
A frequent collaborator with Chandos Records, EOC’s recordings have won several awards, including the opera category of the BBC Music Magazine Awards for Handel’s Alceste as well as Acis and Galatea, a Diapason d’Or for Eccles’ The Judgment of Paris and the Stanley Sadie Handel Prize for Handel’s Semele. Other Chandos recordings include Handel’s Serse, Flavio and Partenope, and EOC has recorded Handel’s Il Trionfo del Tempo for Wigmore Live. In December 2021 EOC recorded Handel’s Amadigi for release in 2022.
In July 2021, EOC staged five performances of Handel’s Acis and Galatea at the Buxton International Festival. Future projects include Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and Charpentier’s Actéon at the Concertgebouw in Bruges and the Muziekgebouw Eindhoven with Dame Sarah Connolly as Dido.
Promoters: please contact info@earlyopera.com for an up to date biography before going to print.
Highlights
Use the arrows to explore a selection of our recent highlights.
Amadigi Recording
for Chandos records for release in 2022Featuring Tim Mead, Mary Bevan, Anna Dennis and Hilary Summers
Acis and Galatea
Buxton International FestivalFive semi-staged performances directed by Martin Constantine
Acis and Actéon
Southern SicilyHandel’s Acis and Galatea and Charpentier’s Actéon in Avola and Modica with Martin Randall Travel
Purcell and Blow Double-bill
Amsterdam ConcertgebouwWith Dame Sarah Connolly as Dido. Broadcast live on NPO Radio
Solomon
Main Stage, Royal Opera HouseHandel’s Solomon with the Royal Opera House Chorus
Monteverdi Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria
The RoundhouseRoyal Opera House collaboration
Monteverdi Orfeo
The RoundhouseRoyal Opera House collaboration
King Arthur
WIGMORE HALLPurcell’s masterpiece was performed alongside ‘Reimagining King Arthur’, a specially-commissioned production for families.
Cavalli's L'Ormindo
Sam Wanamaker PlayhouseRoyal Opera House collaboration, revived in 2015. Nominated for an Olivier Award
Rule Britannia!
BBC4EOC featured in the BBC series ‘Rule Britannia! Music, Mischief and Morals in the 18th Century’
Associate Artists at Spitalfields Festival
Handel’s Susanna at Christ Church, JS Bach’s Coffee Cantata in a Hoxton art gallery, Monteverdi dances with East London Dance at Village Underground
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