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Giles Davies

Baritone

Giles studied at the Purcell School of Music, and on a scholarship at the RCM with Norman Bailey. He was a prize-winner in the 1993 Overseas League, the 1994 Tillett Trust, and the 1999 AESS.

In concert he has recorded for the BBC (Schumann’s Dichterliebe at the Wigmore Hall), and as a soloist has appeared with conductors including Richard Hickox (A Sea Symphony/Dido and Aeneas) Philip Pickett (Monteverdi’s Vespers) Trevor Pinnock (Handel’s Apollo and Dafne); Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder (Ballet Rambert) and London Mozart Players.

As a young actor Giles appeared as Puck in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the ROH, and since then his operatic roles have included Figaro in Rossini’s Barber of Seville (Scottish Opera, English Pocket Opera) Dr Kolenaty in Janŕcek’s Makropoulos Case (SO), Schaunard in La Boheme (SO), the Church Parables of Britten (Opera du Rhin, Strasbourg), Pish Tush in The Mikado and Strephon in Iolanthe (Carl Rosa Opera).

In 2004 he created the title role in The Piano Tuner (Osbourne/Holden), for Music Theatre Wales, receiving critical acclaim in the national press. (“commanding”, “outstanding”, “sympathetic”, “rich and smooth toned”). Engagements for 2005-2006 included Papageno in The Magic Flute in the West End of London, (Epoc) and Love's Labyrinth (Opera Restor'd) at the Wigmore Hall. Giles also appeared onscreen as John Goss, in Anthony Britten’s new film on the life of the English songwriter Peter Warlock, and made his Italian debut in Montepulciano, in Henze’s Das Wundertheater and Kurt Weill’s Mahagonny Songspiel, broadcast live by Rai Radio.

Plans for 2007 include an album of English and German song for Divine Art Records with Steven Devine and the Goss Male Quartet, Leporello in Don Giovanni for the New English Chamber Opera, and Patience with the Carl Rosa Opera Company.

Giles' own website can be found by clicking here (this will open in a new browser window).