JAMES LAING counter tenor
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Wednesday 5 February 20256.30pm Doors
7.30pm Pre-concert talk with Dr Jonathan Clinch from the Herbert Howells Society 8.00pm Concert, without interval Tickets: £25 |
Join us for an enchanting evening celebrating the lyrical beauty of British art song, presented by The Herbert Howells Society.
Experience the music of Howells, Finzi, and Venables in a fresh, captivating way, with a rare counter tenor voice breathing new life into these English masterpieces.
Curated by Claire Habbershaw, this second concert in her series of British composers spotlights both beloved and lesser-known treasures, blending exquisite art song with solo piano gems. This recital will include the world premiere of a song by Ian Venables too!
Whether you’re a classical aficionado or a curious newcomer, prepare to be moved by the depth and elegance of this extraordinary recital.
Experience the music of Howells, Finzi, and Venables in a fresh, captivating way, with a rare counter tenor voice breathing new life into these English masterpieces.
Curated by Claire Habbershaw, this second concert in her series of British composers spotlights both beloved and lesser-known treasures, blending exquisite art song with solo piano gems. This recital will include the world premiere of a song by Ian Venables too!
Whether you’re a classical aficionado or a curious newcomer, prepare to be moved by the depth and elegance of this extraordinary recital.
Programme (no interval)Russell Pascoe
This England Nico Muhly Old Bones Ian Venables At the Court of the Poisoned Rose Herbert Howells Siciliana King David Gerald Finzi Lizbie Browne Herbert Howells The Chosen Tune Ian Venables Little Old Cupid (world premiere) Flying Crooked Herbert Howells Ooce at Leisure Ian Venables Love Lives Beyond the Tomb Gerald Finzi The Clock of the Years In a Churchyard Proud Songsters |
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James LaingJames Laing has sung for companies including The Royal Opera, London, Early Opera Company, English National Opera, Garsington Opera, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Grange Festival, Grange Park Opera, Scottish Opera and Welsh National Opera. His international engagements have included productions with Den Jyske Opera, Göttingen Festival, Opéra de Nice, Semperoper Dresden, Theater Aachen, Icelandic Opera and Zurich Opera.
Concert engagements have included performances with Academy of Ancient Music, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Dunedin Consort, The English Concert, the Hallé, Irish Chamber Orchestra, National Orchestra of Spain, Netherlands Bach Society, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Royal Northern Sinfonia. North American engagements have included performances with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Arion Baroque and Tafelmusik. In Summer 2023, he created Cake in Jonathan Dove’s Itch for Opera Holland Park, and his current engagements during 2024/2025 include Trinculo The Tempest for the Vienna State Opera, Oberon A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Opera North, Korea National Opera and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and The Refugee Flight for State Opera South Australia. |
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Claire HabbershawClaire 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 2025. She has also partnered world renowned counter tenor James Laing and they will première major living composer Ian Venables’s piece, “Little Old Cupid”, in 2025. 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.
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 on the faculty and often engaged as a musical director. 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. Claire has worked with renowned theatre directors, including John Haidar and Walter Meierjohann. |
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