James Bowman

About

English countertenor widely recognized as the most important countertenor of the 20th century. He rose to fame with his portrayal of Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream, which he performed at multiple world premieres. He has performed at notorious opera houses around the globe including the Sydney Opera House, La Scala in Milan, and Opéra de Strasbourg. Throughout his career, he also performed for over 180 individual albums and other recordings for Hyperion Records and other major labels. 

Before Fame

His introduction to musical training primarily revolved around the Anglican church genre. He attended King's Ely and performed as a chorister at Ely Cathedral as a child. He later became a choral scholar while attending New College, Oxford, and performed with the Christ Church choir.

Trivia

His countless accolades include admission to L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and the Medal of Honour of the City of Paris, both of which were awarded to him by the French government in 1992. In 1997, he was also named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire at the Queen's Birthday Honours. During his life, he served as vice-president of The Bach Choir and president of the Holst Singers.

Family Life

He passed away at the age of 81 on March 27, 2023, in Redhill, England.

Associated With

He became the first countertenor to ever sing at Glyndenbourne when he performed in "La Calisto" alongside renowned mezzo-soprano Janet Baker in 1970. Throughout his life, he was well known for his many performances in the operatic productions of English composer Benjamin Britten.