Countertenor

James Laing

Biography

Cambridge-born James Laing studied at London’s Royal College of Music. Career highlights have included Endimione in Cavalli’s La Calisto (Theater Aachen), Giuliano in Cavalli’s Eliogabalo (Grange Park Opera), Apollo in Britten’s Death in Venice (Landestheater Linz, Opéra de Nice, Opera North), Oberon in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Zelim in Vivaldi’s La verità in cimento (Garsington Opera), Nerillo Cavalli’s L’Ormindo and Demetrio in Handel’s Berenice (Royal Opera, London), Armindo in Handel’s Partenope (English National Opera), The Refugee in Jonathan Dove’s Flight (Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Opera Holland Park, Scottish Opera), Daniel in Handel’s Belshazzar (The Grange Festival, Zurich Opera), Nireno in Handel’s Giulio Cesare (Semperoper Dresden), Tolomeo in Giulio Cesare and Nerone in Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea (Opera North), Tirinto in Handel’s Imeneo (Göttingen Festival), Medoro in Handel’s Orlando (Welsh National Opera) and the title role in Mozart’s Ascanio in Alba (The Mozartists). Role creations include Peter in Daniel Bjarnason’s Brødre (Den Jyske Opera), The Fox/The Coachman in Jonathan Dove’s The Adventures of Pinocchio (Opera North) and Terry in Nico Muhly’s Marnie (English National Opera). He has appeared in concert throughout the UK, Europe and in North America with orchestras including the Academy of Ancient Music, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Britten Sinfonia, the Dunedin Consort, The English Concert, the Hallé, the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Arion Baroque Orchestra, Tafelmusik, Les Agrémens, Les Arts Florissants, the Netherlands Bach Society, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra, the Spanish National Orchestra and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. This is his debut with Irish National Opera.

January 2022