Nicholas Clapton English countertenor, singing teacher and author Date of Birth: 16.09.1955 Country: Great Britain

1. Nicholas Clapton Biography
2. Early Career
3. Contribution to Opera
4. Noteworthy Career Events
5. Teaching and Writing

Nicholas Clapton Biography

Nicholas Clapton was an English countertenor, vocal teacher, and author. He was born on September 16, 1955, in Worcester, England. Clapton studied music at Magdalen College, Oxford, and received vocal training from David Mason.

Early Career

Clapton made his debut in 1984 at the Wigmore Hall, an international concert venue. The following year, he became a double laureate of the prestigious Francisco Viñas International Singing Competition in Barcelona. In 1987, Clapton won the English Song Award.

Contribution to Opera

Clapton is particularly known for his role in promoting the countertenor voice, the highest of male operatic voices in contemporary opera. He excelled in performing repertoire written for castrati in the heroic style of the 18th century and collaborated with pianist Jennifer Partridge on romantic original songs. He has performed in major opera houses and concert halls worldwide and has participated in 20 world premieres, including six operas.

Noteworthy Career Events

Among the most unusual events in Clapton's career were a concert in Siberia commemorating the 300th anniversary of English composer Henry Purcell, three different portrayals of the great castrato Farinelli, and the experience of accompanying himself on castanets in Simon Holt's work, "Six Caprices."

Teaching and Writing

After gaining experience at Trinity College of Music, London, Clapton became a vocal professor at the Royal Academy of Music. He regularly conducts masterclasses at Dartington International Summer School and shares his vocal secrets at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. Clapton has also taught in Prague, Belgrade, and the Netherlands. In 2004, his biography of Alessandro Moreschi, the most famous late 19th-century castrato whose voice was recorded on a phonograph, was selected by Tablet magazine as one of the "Books of the Year 2005." The biography was reissued in 2008 under the title "Moreschi and the Voice of the Castrato." In June 2005, Clapton received an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from the Liszt Ferenc Music University. He presented the documentary film "Castrato" for BBC Four in 2006 and curated the exhibition "Handel and the Castrati" at Handel House Museum in London. His second book, "Budapest, City of Music," was published in March 2009.