Lawrence Zazzo


Lawrence Zazzo is an American countertenor who has performed at major opera houses in Europe and the US. His repertoire includes Baroque opera and oratorios as well as works of the 20th century.

Education and background

Born in Philadelphia, Zazzo took part in school drama productions and choirs, including the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale, and also performed as the magician "The Great Zazzini" for smaller children in the neighbourhood. After his voice had broken, he noticed that he had kept his alto voice in the falsetto register and began to develop it. He sang in numerous barbershop ensembles, high school madrigal and a cappella choirs. This led to his decision to study English and Music at Yale University and at King's College, Cambridge, England,.
Zazzo envisaged a career as a conductor, a concert singer or as an academic. While he was completing his vocal studies at the Royal College of Music in London, he made his debut as Oberon in Britten's A [Midsummer Night's Dream (opera)|A Midsummer Night's Dream]. The same year he sang the title role in Handel's Arminio at the London Handel Festival.
In 2017, Zazzo joined Newcastle University as Head of Performance and Lecturer in Music.

Performance

Zazzo has worked with numerous conductors including René Jacobs, William Christie, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Ivor Bolton, Christopher Hogwood, Trevor Pinnock, Christophe Rousset, Harry Bicket, Emmanuelle Haïm, Harry Christophers, Paul Goodwin, Péter Eötvös, Rinaldo Alessandrini, Hervé Niquet, Jean-Claude Malgoire, Jordi Savall, James Conlon and others for many opera houses and concert halls.
His major operatic roles include Giulio Cesare in Handel's Giulio Cesare, Orfeo in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice, Radamisto in Handel's Radamisto, and Gualtiero in Scarlatti's Griselda. He performed the title roles in Sosarme, in Alessandro, in Orlando and in Solomon.
He also appeared as Ottone in Handel's Agrippina, as Ottone in Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea, as Goffredo in Handel's Rinaldo, as Farnace in Mozart's Mitridate, re di Ponto, and as Ruggerio in Vivaldi's Orlando furioso. He was Cardenio in Francesco Bartolomeo Conti's Don Chisciotte in Sierra Morena. He sang the alto part in Purcell's semi-opera The Fairy-Queen and the role of Arsace in Partenope. In the German premiere of Francesco Cavalli's Veremonda, he appeared as Delio. He performed the role of Arsamene in Handel's Serse Unulfo in Handel's Rodelinda and Bertarido in Rodelinda Opéra National de Lyon. He sang the title role in Giustino and Tamerlano.
His repertoire includes numerous oratorios by Georg Friedrich Händel, for example Messiah, Semele, Theodora, Jephtha, Acis and Galatea, Samson, Saul – He performed the alto parts in Bach's St Matthew Passion and St John Passion. Further the role Disinganno in Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno at the Salzburg Whitsun Festival.
He has also appeared in several roles in contemporary works, among others as Oberon in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream, as Trinculo in The Tempest, as the Refugee in Flight and as Masha in Tri sestry . He sang the role of Odysseus in the world premiere of Rolf Riehm's Sirenen. Furthermore he sang in the world premiere performance of Riehm's The Deaths of Orpheus and of Geoff Page's monodrama Paradise Lost based on John Milton's Paradise Lost.

Discography

  • 1995 Celebration of the Spirit, incl. Leonard Bernsteins "Chichester Psalms", DVD an CD
  • 1995 Gloria
  • 1996 Arianna, live-recording
  • 1996 Stabat Mater, CD and DVD
  • 2001 Deborah, live recording
  • 2003 Griselda
  • 2003 Rinaldo
  • 2004 Lotario, live recording
  • 2004 Serse
  • 2005 Partenope
  • 2005 Saul
  • 2006 Messiah
  • 2007 Byrdland with the Paragon Saxophon Quartett
  • 2007 Fernando
  • 2008 Duetti amorosi with Nuria Rial
  • 2008 Riccardo Primo
  • 2010 Athalia
  • 2011 Lunarcy with Shizuku Noiri
  • 2012 Alessandro, live-recording
  • 2012 Apollo et Hyacinthus
  • 2012 Giulio Cesare, live-DVD
  • 2012 Mozart In-Between
  • 2014: Mitridate, re di Ponto
  • 2014: A Royal Trio
  • 2014: Messiah
  • 2018: Xerxes, Live-blu-ray
  • 2019: The Orchestral Music of Jonathan Dove
  • 2019: Gender Stories
  • 2019: Handel uncaged
  • 2020: Samson, live recording
  • 2021: Proud Songsters - English Solo Song King's College, Cambridge
  • 2021: Semele, live recording
  • 2022: Ihr, meine und eines ruchlosen Vaters Kinder - Die Tode des Orpheus
  • 2024: ''Weeping Philosophers''