Marcus Farnsworth

Marcus Farnsworth was awarded first prize in the 2009 Wigmore Hall International Song
Competition. He is currently studying with Glenville Hargreaves and Audrey Hyland on
the opera course at the Royal Academy of Music where roles have included Guglielmo
Così fan tutte; Sid Albert Herring; Oreste in Cavalli Giasone and Meredith in Peter Maxwell
Davies Kommilitonen!

Opera plans include Eddy in Mark-Anthony Turnage Greek for Music Theatre Wales;
Novice’s Friend in a new production of Britten Billy Budd for English National Opera; the
title role in Britten Owen Wingrave as part of the International Chamber Music Festival in
Nuremberg, and, in concert, Kilian Der Freischütz with the LSO and Sir Colin Davis; Sid in
Britten Albert Herring with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Steuart Bedford; Aeneas in
Purcell Dido and Aeneas for the Early Opera Company and Christian Curnyn and also a
recording of Mozart Apollo and Hyacinth with the Classical Opera Company.

Future recitals include Britten Tit for Tat song cycle with Malcolm Martineau and Canticles
with Julius Drake and Mark Padmore, both as part of Wigmore Hall Britten Festival in 2012
and an evening with Graham Johnson’s Young Songmakers concert A Night in Venice.
Other recent highlights have included recitals as part of Julius Drake’s Schumann Week
at Middle Temple, London; a recital with James Baillieu at Wigmore Hall and recitals with
Simon Lepper and Iain Burnside.

Current and future concert plans include performances of Bach Ich habe Genug and
Zelenka The Lamentations of Jeremiah with the Academy of Ancient Music throughout
the UK and at the Gerberoy Festival in France. Also with the AAM, Bach St John Passion
(arias) in Cambridge and London and Charpentier Te Deum in D at the Three Choirs
Festival and with the Gabrieli Consort and Paul McCreesh he will sing Bach St John
Passion (Christus and bass arias) in Berlin and St Matthew Passion (arias) in Lausanne.

Awards include the Sir Thomas Armstrong Prize, the 2009 Elena Gerhardt Lieder Prize,
and the 2008 Major van Someren-Godferey Prize for English Song. Marcus is generously
supported by the Josephine Baker Trust and the Countess of Munster Musical Trust.