DEANDRE SIMMONS bass baritone
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Wednesday 12 November 20256.30pm Doors/Bar
7.30pm Concert (approx. 60 mins, no interval) Tickets: £20 |
Due to unexpected travel complications, this event has been postponed. All existing tickets will automatically transfer to the new date, which will be announced soon.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding and support.
World renowned American bass baritone DeAndre Simmons joins British pianist Claire Habbershaw in a recital exploring touching Lieder and well-loved musical theatre/American songs arranged by Aaron Copland.
Photo by Dario Acosta
Programme (60 mins, no interval)Johannes Brahms
Vier ernste Gesänge Op.121 Aaron Copland Selections from “Old American Songs” The Dodger Long Time Ago Simple Gifts The Golden Willow Tree At The River Rodgers/Hammerstein Lonely Room from Oklahoma! Lerner/Lowe If Ever I Would Leave You from Camelot Weill/Anderson Lost In The Stars from Lost In The Stars Sondheim Hello, Little Girl from Into The Woods My Friends from Sweeney Todd Everybody Says Don’t from Anyone can Whistle |
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DeAndre Simmons |
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Photo by Dario Acosta
Called a "class act" by the Los Angeles Times, American bass DeAndre Simmons is consistently recognised for his velvety voice, incisive musicianship, and captivating stage presence. He has appeared on musical theatre, operatic, symphonic, and recital stages in all 50 USA states and across four continents. Career highlights include performing Mozart's Requiem in the presence of Pope John Paul II, being one of only 10 musicians invited to participate in a concert for Nelson Mandela, and singing for seven US Presidents — from Richard Nixon to Barack Obama.
Simmons is frequently immersed in the operas of Handel, Mozart, Puccini, Rossini, and Verdi. Career engagements include performances with Opera Philadelphia, San Diego Opera, Opera Panama, and Pacific Opera Victoria, and the premieres of several new works — including the West Coast premiere of William Bolcom's A Wedding, the Canadian premiere of Marc Blitzstein's Regina, and the East Coast premiere of Richard Danielpour and Toni Morrison's Margaret Garner. He also sang the role of Detective Watts in the workshop of Stephen Schwartz's Séance on a Wet Afternoon. On the orchestral stage, Simmons has performed with major ensembles across the US, UK, and Europe, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, LA Phil, Kansas City Symphony, London Philharmonic Orchestra, and Italy's RAI National Symphony Orchestra.
Simmons is a veteran of musical theatre, having recently performed as Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Kerchak in Tarzan, Boatman in Sunday in the Park with George, and Ken in Ain't Misbehavin'. Additional credits include Steven in She Loves Me, the Wolf in Into the Woods, Curtis in Dreamgirls, the voice of Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors, and Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha. He frequently performs music from the Great American Songbook in recital, concert, and cabaret settings — including his cabaret tribute to Stephen Sondheim, Just Me and Stephen: The Songs of Stephen Sondheim, which he toured across the US.
2025/26 engagements include playing SETI in the West Coast premiere of the Stephen Schwartz’ Prince of Egypt with The Moonlight in California, a recital of classical and contemporary literature with the brilliant pianist, Claire Habbershaw in London, Balthazar in Amahl and the night visitors in San Juan Capistrano, CA, Zuniga in Carmen with the San Diego Opera and Porgy in Porgy and Bess with the Greenville Symphony.
Simmons is frequently immersed in the operas of Handel, Mozart, Puccini, Rossini, and Verdi. Career engagements include performances with Opera Philadelphia, San Diego Opera, Opera Panama, and Pacific Opera Victoria, and the premieres of several new works — including the West Coast premiere of William Bolcom's A Wedding, the Canadian premiere of Marc Blitzstein's Regina, and the East Coast premiere of Richard Danielpour and Toni Morrison's Margaret Garner. He also sang the role of Detective Watts in the workshop of Stephen Schwartz's Séance on a Wet Afternoon. On the orchestral stage, Simmons has performed with major ensembles across the US, UK, and Europe, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, LA Phil, Kansas City Symphony, London Philharmonic Orchestra, and Italy's RAI National Symphony Orchestra.
Simmons is a veteran of musical theatre, having recently performed as Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Kerchak in Tarzan, Boatman in Sunday in the Park with George, and Ken in Ain't Misbehavin'. Additional credits include Steven in She Loves Me, the Wolf in Into the Woods, Curtis in Dreamgirls, the voice of Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors, and Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha. He frequently performs music from the Great American Songbook in recital, concert, and cabaret settings — including his cabaret tribute to Stephen Sondheim, Just Me and Stephen: The Songs of Stephen Sondheim, which he toured across the US.
2025/26 engagements include playing SETI in the West Coast premiere of the Stephen Schwartz’ Prince of Egypt with The Moonlight in California, a recital of classical and contemporary literature with the brilliant pianist, Claire Habbershaw in London, Balthazar in Amahl and the night visitors in San Juan Capistrano, CA, Zuniga in Carmen with the San Diego Opera and Porgy in Porgy and Bess with the Greenville Symphony.
Claire Habbershaw |
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Claire Habbershaw is an award-winning British pianist and musical director, who specialises in art song, opera and musical theatre repertoire. She is an international recitalist, concert curator and recording artist.
Claire is the regular pianist for world renowned tenor Charles Castronovo and has partnered him in numerous recitals abroad and in the UK. She has recorded art songs from the Belle Époque period alongside Castronovo for their debut album, which will be released in early 2026 with Naxos/Orfeo. She regularly partners world renowned counter tenor James Laing and they premièred major living composer Ian Venables’s piece, Little Old Cupid, in 2025. Claire is passionate about promoting British Art Songs and she frequently collaborates with Ian Venables on projects and concerts. Claire has performed Out of Winter in the presence of the composer, Jonathan Dove, as part of his 60th birthday celebrations and gave the live performance première of major composer Ivor Gurney's solo piano piece Autumn. She has performed in major music festivals and concert halls, both abroad and throughout the UK. Her other regular duo partners with whom she performs a variety of song programmes are British singers, soprano Susanna MacRae and mezzo soprano Rachel Roper, and is beginning a new collaboration with American bass baritone DeAndre Simmons. Claire completed her Artist Masters in piano accompaniment with distinction at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she was a Guildhall Scholar. Claire was the Junior Fellow in Piano Accompaniment at Guildhall, where she is now a staff pianist and often engaged as a musical director for a variety of different projects and performances, as well as a tutor on their short courses. She previously studied as a Trinity London Scholar at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, where she won every duo Song prize available and was furthermore awarded the Founders Prize for Piano Accompaniment and the Raymond Russell Prize for Harpsichord. |
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