Barry Banks

Tenor

Home
Reviews
Features
Discography

Download HD Images & Bios

“Barry Banks delivers a dazzlingly authoritative account of the title role, a capricious autocrat brilliantly characterised by continual volleys above the stave.”
(Max Loppert, BBC Music Magazine)

In 2017/18 Barry Banks performs in the opening concert of the Mozarteumorchester Salzburg’s new season under the baton of Riccardo Minasi. Other concert highlights include Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra under Lan Shui, War Requiem at Casa da Música under Baldur Brönnimann, a return to Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for performances of Messiah under Juanjo Mena, and The Golden Cockerel in concert at the Concertgebouw under Vasily Petrenko.

Barry Banks’ outstanding facility in roles by Bellini, Rossini and Donizetti has taken him to the world’s leading opera houses. He recently made his debut in Vienna as Norfolk in Theater an der Wien’s new production of Elisabetta, Regina d’Inghilterraconducted by Jean-Christophe Spinosi and this season he appears as the Duke of Mantua at Portland Opera.

Rossini: Duet from Elisabetta, Regina d’Inghliterra © Theater an der Wien

Rossini: ‘Le comte Ory’ (extract) © Seattle Opera

The Making of Mitridate conducted by Ian Page © Classical Opera

Mahler: Symphony No.8 © Utah Symphony Orchestra

Elgar: King Olaf - King Olaf's Return (excerpt) © Chandos

Mozart: Mitridate, Re di Ponto - Vado incontro © Signum Classics

Berlioz: Sanctus - Grande Messe des morts (excerpt) © LSO Live

Rossini: Bianca e Falliero (excerpt 1) © Opera Rara

Rossini: Bianca e Falliero (excerpt 2) © Opera Rara

Rossini: Count Ory (excerpt) © Chandos

“Best of all was Barry Banks, who projected the Astrologer’s pronouncements, scored in the vocal stratosphere, securely, stylishly and with lovely tone.”

(Opera Magazine, October 2017)

“The solution to the Tsar’s problem is supplied by a mysterious Astrologer. This tenor altino role has stratospheric demands that include a full-throated high E, dazzlingly sung by Barry Banks”

(Classical Voice America, August 2017)

“Barry Banks is a stylish and formidable vocal artist and ideal as the villain Norfolk.”

(News.at, March 2017)

“Served well by the lighter, clearer textures of the period Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Barry Banks’ Idreno carried beautifully through the hall, his music shaped with a striking range of colours, and his aria “La speranza più soave” was a love song of tremendous poignancy.”

(Arts Desk, September 2016)

“As Idreno, Barry Banks scaled the wilder Rossinian peaks as if out for an afternoon stroll. He displayed lovely soft tone in his Act II aria “La spreanza più soave””

(Bachtrack, September 2016)

“The ever-reliable Barry Banks gave a notable rendition of the strenuous and demanding role of Idreno, culminating in a sterling account of ‘La speranza più soave’ and its fiendishly showy finish.”

(Classical Source, September 2016)

“Sunday’s cast presented Barry Banks, a tenor with handsome tone quality and adroit comic sense, in the title role.”

(Seattle Times, August 2016)

“There are few tenors around capable of doing justice to Arturo, and Barry Banks delivers another outstanding performance with not only remarkable agilità but also a distinctively pinging plangency at the top.”

(Opera Magazine, November 2015)

“Barry Banks assaults Arturo’s stratospheric notes fearlessly, and sings throughout with an idiomatic grasp of bel canto style”

(The Times, September 2015)

“Banks [has] passionate commitment, projecting this exceptionally difficult and high-lying music with the same combination of tonal sweetness and pinging clarity that made Pavarotti famous.”

(The Telegraph, September 2015)

“as Don Narcisco the tenor Barry Banks has pinging top notes to complement his hilarious, Elvis-meets-Trotsky portrayal of an unlikely ladies’ man.”

(The Telegraph, April 2015)