Joseph Cornwell

British tenor Joseph Cornwell is a specialist in Baroque operatic and oratorio repertoire. He studied at York University and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, then entered the London early music scene singing in the Consort of Musicke and the Taverner Consort. Cornwell is a frequent collaborator with conductors such as William Christie, Harry Christophers, Eric Ericson, John Eliot Gardiner, Robert King, Hervé Niquet, and Andrew Parrott. Cornwell has appeared on the opera stage in a wide range of roles, including Achille in Gluck's Iphigénie en Aulide for Opera Factory; Lurcanio in Handel's Ariodante for St. Gallen Opera; the title role in Monteverdi's Orfeo for the Boston Early Music Festival, in Rio de Janeiro, and for Oslo Summer Opera; Giove in Monteverdi's Il ritorno d'Ulisse and the title role in Purcell's King Arthur in Lisbon; Eumete in Monteverdi's Il ritorno d'Ulisse for the Académie Européenne de Musique at the Aix-en-Provence Festival; and Agenore in Mozart's Il rè pastore for Radio Television Luxembourg. Cornwell's non-operatic performances have included performances of the Bach Passions with the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Handel's Acis and Galatea and Messiah at the Bruges and Stuttgart festivals, Alexander's Feast at the Namur Festival, Handel's Solomon at the Göttingen Festival, the Monteverdi Vespers at the Edinburgh Festival, Purcell's Odes with Les Arts Florissants, Honegger's King David at the Brighton Festival, and the Mozart Requiem with the London Mozart Players. Cornwell has sung on numerous recordings, including the Evangelist in Bach's St. Matthew Passion with the Drottningholm Court Baroque Ensemble; the Campra Requiem with Le Concert Spirituel; Handel's Carmelite Vespers, Messiah, and the Monteverdi Vespers with the Taverner Consort; Handel's Acis and Galatea (a winner of the Gramophone Baroque Vocal CD of 2000), Monteverdi Vespers, and Mozart Mass in C minor with Les Arts Florissants; Mozart's Requiem with the Yorkshire Baroque Soloists; Rossini's Petite messe solennelle with Jos van Immerseel (winner of the BBC Radio 3 Building a Library Choice); Awake sweet love (a collection of 17th century lute songs); Fairest Isle with the Parley of Instruments; and various discs with the Consort of Musicke, the New London Consort, and Pro Cantione Antiqua.