“It was uplifting to hear this masterpiece given with such evident belief and commitment – not least from the admirable baritone Christopher Cull, who was wholly exceptional.” – Robert Matthew-Walker, Classical Source
Biography
An alumnus of the National Opera Studio London, Guildhall School of Music, The Royal Irish Academy of Music, and Queen’s University Belfast, Christopher’s Roles include Marcello La bohème (Opera Holland Park); Masetto Don Giovanni (NI Opera); Tarquinius The Rape of Lucretia (GSMD); Don Carissimo La Dirindina (NI Opera); Zaretsky Eugene Onegin (Buxton Opera); Pan Daphnis et Chloé (NI Opera); Donner Das Rheingold (Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra); Lelio Le donne curiose (GSMD); Valentin Faust (Clonter Opera); Bank Account Billy The Rise and the Fall of the City of Mahagonny (Opera Theatre Company); Le Geôlier / Javelinot Dialogues des Carmélites (Grange Park Opera); Lane/Merriman The Importance of Being Earnest (NI Opera /Wide Open Opera); Assassin/Apparition Macbeth (NI Opera); and Collatinus The Rape of Lucretia (Irish Youth Opera).
A long standing collaborator with the Belfast Ensemble and Composer Conor Mitchell, he has created roles in the Headless Soldier and Abomination (Lyric Theatre/Outburst, Abbey Theatre, Queen Elizabeth Hall), and MASS (The Telegraph Building/Outburst)
Previous concert engagements include Johannes-Passion (RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra), Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast (Barbican), Elijah (Barbican & Truro Cathedral), Monteverdi Vespers 1610 (Sheffield Oratorio Chorus), Ein deutsches Requiem (The Angmering Chorale), Messiah (Knock Basilica).
Christopher is an Arts Council of Northern Ireland Young Musicians’ Platform Winner, and a former Young Artist with Opera Theatre Company. Christopher has been generously supported by The Girdlers’ Company, The Countess of Munster Musical Trust, The Simon Fletcher Charitable Trust, The Arts Council of Northern Ireland and The Arts Council of Ireland.
Future engagements include Theseus in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Blackwater Valley Opera.
Reviews
“From baritone-soloist Christopher Cull’s very first vocal utterance, it was clear that he had the vocal prowess to bring the role to life. Richness in tone quality, surety in production, clarity of diction and of pitch—these were just some of his musical strengths, which never failed him throughout his long and significantly demanding contribution.” – Philip R Buttall, Seen and Heard International
“Aoife Miskelly’s clearly pregnant Zerlina is sung with impeccable definition, well matched by Christopher Cull’s volatile Masetto” – George Hall, The Guardian