Paul Agnew

Paul Agnew was born in Glasgow and began his career as a tenor in various acclaimed vocal ensembles. At the beginning of the 1990s William Christie became his mentor. Under Christie’s direction Agnew has often appeared as a Rameau interpreter, including in such works as Hippolyte et Aricie, Platée, Les Boréades, and Les Indes galantes. Through the high tenor roles of the French Baroque, he has made a speciality of the haute-contre repertoire. Agnew has also sung works by composers from Mozart to Britten. He has concertized with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Since 2007 Agnew has been active as a conductor as well, in particular leading Les Arts Florissants, and was appointed their Associate Music Director in 2013. He has additionally conducted the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.

August 2015