Alistair Shelton-Smith, Baritone

Welcome! Willkommen! Bienvenue! Benvenuto!

2021-01-04T12:47:00.000-08:00

Here, you can find out about my singing activities, past, present and future.

Scroll down to view a chronological diary of selected past performances and events with press reviews, video excerpts and photos where relevant.

On the right hand side you will find an audio / video link, biographies and a list of indexes.

Happy Browsing!

Die Flut - Grachten Festival, Amsterdam. August 2011

2017-01-16T08:04:00.000-08:00

Opera - Die Flut
Composer - Boris Blacher
Role - Der Fischer
Festival - Grachten Festival, Amsterdam
Director - Elsina Jansen
Language - German

'Die Flut' Press:
"De voorstelling was waanzinnig spannend. Er werd voortreffelijk in gezongen en geacteerd. Ik werd met name gecharmeerd door de bariton Alistair Shelton-Smith (visser)." (www.operamagazine.nl, Basia Jaworski. 15.08.2011)

"The show was incredibly exciting. It was superbly sung and acted. I was particularly charmed by the baritone Alistair Shelton-Smith (fisherman)."

Penthesilea Reprise - Tour of the Netherlands. May / June 2011

2017-01-16T03:45:00.000-08:00

Opera - Penthesilea
Composer - Benedict Weisser
Role - Achilles
Company - Kameroperahuis, Zwolle
Director - Lotte de Beer
Language - German

After a gap of almost one and a half years, Benedict Weisser's and Lotte de Beer's operatic adaptation of Heinrich von Kleist's tragic play has been brought back to life once again. This time, we have had the luxury of nine performances in total, spanning the length and breadth of the Netherlands.

Below is a short clip of myself rehearsing a section of Achilles' first scene.

'Penthesilea' Press (Operatagen Rotterdam):
"[…] sung with precision and charisma by Young-Hee Kim and Alistair Shelton-Smith […]” (Financial Times, Shirley Apthorp. 27.05.2011)

Magdalene Reprise - Muziektheater, Amsterdam. May 2011

2017-01-15T05:39:00.000-08:00

Ballet-Opera - Magdalene
Composer - Chloé Charody
Role - Soldier
Company - Dutch National Ballet
Choreographer - Remi Wortmeyer
Librettist / Director - Malcolm Rock

Our second performance now of the new ballet-opera Magdalene just took place, as before, on the main stage of Amsterdam's Muziektheater, and I am pleased to report that it was a resounding success!

Below, you can view a short documentary on the making of Magdalene.

Video by Mat Gremillet

Kindertotenlieder - Bellitoni Symphony Orchestra. April 2011

2017-01-14T05:47:00.000-08:00

Work - Kindertotenlieder
Composer - Gustav Mahler
Conductor - Jurjen Hempel
Orchestra - Bellitoni Symphony Orchestra

Magdalene - Muziektheater, Amsterdam. March 2011

2017-01-13T06:31:00.000-08:00

Ballet-Opera - Magdalene (World Premiere)
Composer - Chloé Charody
Role - Soldier
Company - Dutch National Ballet
Choreographer - Remi Wortmeyer
Librettist / Director - Malcolm Rock

"Ballet?" I hear you ask. Indeed, the profession has recently thrown me a curve ball. My debut on the majestic main stage of Amsterdam's Muziektheater last week was not with the Netherlands Opera as I had envisaged it might be, but rather with the Dutch National Ballet.

Photographer - Tycho Hupperets
(From left to right - Casey Herd, Nadia Yanowsky, Alistair Shelton-Smith)

"Magdalene" is an original work for two dancers and one baritone created by Malcolm Rock and Remi Wortmeyer, with music by Chloé Charody. The setting is Calvary, at the foot of the cross. A pair of soldiers compete for the affections of the grieving Mary, and tragic consequences ensue.

The piece is an intense emotional roller coaster ride - powerful, tender, gritty, and over in a flash, clocking in at just under ten minutes. It was extremely well received by the audience, and I only hope that it won't be too long before we perform it again.

Performed by Nadia Yanowsky, Alistair Shelton-Smith (Baritone) and Casey Herd. Musicians: Olga Khoziainova (Piano) and Sonja Schebeck (Violin).

Rage d'Amours - Dr Anton Phillipszaal, Den Haag. December 2010

2017-01-12T11:07:00.000-08:00

Opera - Rage d'Amours
Composer - Rob Zuidam
Roles - 3rd Monk / 1st Sailor
Company - Dag in de Branding Festival for Contemporary Music
Conductor - Otto Tausk
Orchestra - Residentie Orkest
Languages - French, Spanish, Latin

Photographer: Danijel Mihajlovic

Gianni Schicchi - Casino les Cytises, Ile d'Yeu. August 2010

2017-01-11T03:04:00.000-08:00

Opera - Gianni Schicchi
Composer - Puccini
Role - Gianni Schicchi
Company - Escales Lyriques
Director - Paul-Emile Fourny

In the absence of performance photos, I thought I'd post a couple of rehearsal ones instead and plead 'extenuating circumstances'...enjoy!

Penthesilea - Odeon Theatre, Zwolle. December 2009

2017-01-10T13:51:00.000-08:00

Penthesilea (World Premiere)
A Solo-Duo Opera in Three Scenes

Composer - Benedict Weisser
Role - Achilles
Company - Kameroperahuis, Zwolle
Director - Lotte de Beer
Language - German

'Penthesilea' Press:
"De geboren Koreaanse [Young-Hee Kim] zingt net zo toonvast en in eenzelfde onberispelijk Duits als haar Britse Achilles, bariton Alistair Shelton-Smith. Ook het samenspel tussen personages en ensemble benadert de perfectie." (De Stentor, Margaretha Coornstra. 06.12.09)

"[Young-Hee Kim] sings her role with vocal precision and flawless German, as does her Achilles, baritone Alistair Shelton-Smith. The interplay between both characters and the ensemble approaches perfection."

Photographer: Hans Hijmering

Black Feather Rising - Tour of the Netherlands. Oct / Nov 2008 & April 2009

2015-01-09T10:57:00.000-08:00

Opera - Black Feather Rising (World Premiere)

Composer - Param Vir
Role - Raven Caller
Company - Stichting Octopus
Director - Jos van Kan
Language - English

'Black Feather Rising' Press:
"Bijzonder indrukwekkend is de deels in Nederland opgeleide bariton Alistair Shelton-Smith. Met zijn flexibele stem en zijn altijd gespannen uitstraling draagt hij de vrijwel onmogelijke voorstelling." (Kasper Jansen, NRC Handelsblad)

"Especially impressive is the baritone Alistair Shelton-Smith, who was partially educated [here] in the Netherlands. With his flexible voice and his unwavering intense focus, he takes hold of this seemingly impossible show."

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"[...] kleine gebaren en een rijke, veelzijdige stem. Hij is de dragende factor in deze kleinschalige voorstelling." (Volkskrant, Lonneke Regter. 28.10.08)

"[...] small gestures and a rich, multifaceted voice. He is the strong suit in this small-scale production."

Photographer: Anna van Kooij

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The videos below are (respectively) of an interview with myself and the composer on Black Feather Rising, a trailer of the opera, as well as the first try-out of one of Raven Caller's arias with the composer at the piano.

Don Giovanni - Cum Laude Concerts, Leiden. July 2008

2015-01-08T09:17:00.000-08:00

Opera - Don Giovanni
Composer - Mozart
Role - Don Giovanni
Company - Dutch National Opera Academy

'Don Giovanni' Press:
'Shelton-Smith pakt zijn verleidersrol genuanceerd aan'. (Leidsch Dagblad, Susanne Lammers. 03.07.2008)

'Shelton-Smith packs his role as seducer full of nuances'.

Greek / La Wally - Oper im Ballhof eins / Staatstheater Hannover. May / June 2008

2015-01-07T15:40:00.000-08:00

Opera - Greek / La Wally
Composer - Turnage / Catalani
Role - Eddy / Il Pedone
Company - Staatsoper Hannover
Director (Greek) - Bernd Mottl
Language (Greek) - German

'Greek' Press:
“Glorious, gritty vision of hell […] Alistair Shelton-Smith’s Eddy is every inch the ne’er-do-well with hidden depths, able to switch from coarse monologue to mellifluous lament in the blink of an eye.”
(Financial Times, Shirley Apthorp. 20.05.2008)

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“Alistair Shelton-Smith vermittelt einen Eddy - den unbegriffen-unkontrolliert agierenden underdog - mit fantastischer Körperlichkeit und vermag die extremen stimmlichen Herausforderungen adäquat zu gestalten.”
(opernnetz.de, Franz R. Stuke. 19.05.2008)

“Alistair Shelton-Smith conveys an Eddy – the misunderstood, maverick underdog - with fantastic physicality, and is correspondingly able to perform the extreme vocal challenges.”

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“Alistair Shelton-Smith allerdings darf sich ganz auf den Eddy konzentrieren, ist Rotzlöffel und Macho, großmäuliger Gossenheld und kleinlauter Bauer auf dem Schachbrett des Schicksals. Das hat Farbe und Intensität, auch in den leiseren Stellen, wenn im Hintergrund die Trommeln in der Nacht signalisieren, dass es jetzt dunkel wird um den Helden.”
(Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung, Rainer Wagner. 17.05.2008)

[Alistair Shelton-Smith's Eddy] "is a macho cheeky brat, a big-mouthed hero from the gutters of society, and a dejected pawn on the chessboard of fate, all of which he performs with colour and intensity, even in the quietest passages, when drums in the night signal from afar that darkness now falls upon the hero."

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“Überhaupt Eddy. Das ist der moderne Ödipus, gesungen und mit der nötigen Power hinreißend gespielt von Alistair Shelton-Smith.”
(Neue Presse, Henning Queren. 17.05.2008)

“Above all Eddy. The modern Oedipus, sung and with the necessary power fabulously acted by Alistair Shelton-Smith."

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‘La Wally’ Press:
“[…] Alistair Shelton-Smith ein draufgängerischer Bauer […]”
(Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung, Rainer Wagner. 10.06.2008)

“[…] Alistair Shelton-Smith, a ballsy farmer […]”

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'Greek' Photos:

Photographer: Christian Brachwitz

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'Greek' Trailer:

Also appearing in the above video: Katja Beer (Mum), Okka von der Damerau (Wife), Richard Salter (Dad)

70th Birthday Celebration Concert for Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands - Koninklijk Theater Carré, Amsterdam. February 2008

2015-01-06T09:23:00.000-08:00

Opera - Le nozze di Figaro (Act IV Finale)
Composer - Mozart
Role - Il Conte di Almaviva
Company - Dutch National Opera Academy

Below is a video excerpt of the TV broadcast for Dutch television network, NOS.

Dialogues des Carmélites - KvB-zaal, The Hague. December 2007

2014-01-04T12:53:00.000-08:00

Opera - Dialogues des Carmélites
Composer - Poulenc
Role - Marquis de La Force
Company - Dutch National Opera Academy
Conductor - Henrik Schaefer

2007 has been for me, to my delight, mostly one of 20th century/contemporary opera, and Dialogues des Carmélites is therefore a fitting end to what seems to have become this years theme.

My role of Marquis de La Force has been a joy to perform, following the twists and turns of his erratic, yet ultimately sympathetic character, and helping to set the mood at the beginning of the opera for the events to come.

I am now equally looking forward to continuing the modern theme into 2008 with a reprise in the role of Eddy (Greek), this time as guest at the Staatsoper Hannover, in May and June.

Mastercourse with Margreet Honig - Ins, Switzerland. July 2007

2013-01-04T12:54:00.000-08:00

Magreet took a handful of her singers under her wing for a week of intensive work combined with good food and wine in the beautiful setting of Ins, all of which could only be conducive to a healthy mind and a healthy set of vocal chords. I feel mentally and physically tanked up for my next project (Marquis de La Force, Dialogues des Carmélites) coming up soon in The Hague.

Träumer - Kammertheater Stuttgart. June/July 2007

2012-01-04T12:55:00.000-08:00

Opera - Träumer (World Premiere)
Composer - Matthias Heep
Role - Ivo
Company - Staatsoper Stuttgart (Junge Oper)
Language - German

After my recent success' in Turnage's Greek, it is perhaps apt that one modern piece addressing the issues of class discrimination and its repercussions has followed another, albeit in a very different context. Träumer, commissioned by Staatsoper Stuttgart (Junge Oper), explores the theme from the point of view of a border guard by the name of Ivo, who dreams for a better future in a city divided by the middle and working classes (Blocks A and B). A romance blossoms along the way (of course!). Ivo risks his authority to convince the city's children of a change to the current cycle of violence and oppression. The ideals of the children triumph over the parents, and the two blocks unite.

Tomorrow will be the last of eighteen performances, and after three months of working together I shall be sad to see the end of it. But in the immortal words of Träumer.........'Es muss doch weiter gehen'.

Greek - Theater Zwembad de Regentes, The Hague. March 2007

2011-01-04T12:56:00.000-08:00

Opera - Greek

Composer - Turnage
Role - Eddy
Company - Dutch National Opera Academy
Conductor - Hans Leenders

Cheeeeeeeesecake!!!!!!!!!!!

I must put this production on a pedestal as being one of the most enjoyable opera productions I have been involved in so far, not to mention some hilarious rehearsal moments.

Director, Javier López Piñón managed to create a wonderful minimalist staging with no set although an abundance of props. Conductor, Hans Leenders was a dream to work with as were my on-stage colleagues; Karel Ludvik (Dad), Eloise Routledge (Mum) and Rea Feuter (Wife). We were also very fortunate to have coaching from Fiona Kimm for whom the role of Wife was created.

I would dearly love to do some more performances in the future. For now, I hope this short video extract will give you some idea of what I am talking about.

'Greek' Press:
"De jonge bariton Alistair Shelton-Smith maakte grote indruk als Eddy, de hoofdpersoon die met zwaar cockneyaccent het publiek voor zich wint, ondanks zijn immorele levensloop."

(NRC Handelsblad, Jochem Valkenburg. 19.03.2007)

"Young baritone Alistair Shelton-Smith made a big impression in the lead role of Eddy, who with a heavy Cockney accent, won the audience over in spite of his immoral character."

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"Alistair Shelton-Smith blinkt uit als een even tegendraadse als sympathieke Eddy." (AD.nl, Winand van de Kamp. 19.03.2007)

"Alistair Shelton-Smith excels in equal measures as both a recalcitrant and a sympathetic Eddy."