Other notable opera roles include Iago in Rossini’s Otello at both Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and the Salzburg Festival; the role of Don Ramiro (La cenerentola) saw his debut at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Oreste (Ermione) marked his debut at the Santa Fe Festival, and he made house debuts at Opéra de Monte-Carlo and Wiener Staatsoper as Narcisco in performances of Il turco in Italia opposite Cecilia Bartoli. During a long association with English National Opera, Banks has appeared in a string of new productions including Tom Rakewell (The Rake’s Progress), Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor), Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffmann) and the Duke of Mantua (Rigoletto).
Barry Banks’ distinguished concert career has included Berlioz’s Grande Messe des Morts under Sir Colin Davis with London Symphony Orchestra and released to considerable acclaim on LSO Live, Britten’s War Requiem at the Teatro alla Scala under Xian Zhang to mark the 10th Anniversary of 9/11, The Dream of Gerontius with Münchner Philharmoniker under Sir Andrew Davis, Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Daniele Gatti, Das Lied von der Erde with players from Utah Symphony Orchestra under Thierry Fischer, and Gurrelieder with Orquesta y Coro Nacionales de España under the baton of David Afkham. Most recently he has performed Mahler’s Symphony No.8 in the closing concert of the Cincinnati Mayfest under Juanjo Mena, and Verdi’s Messa da Requiem at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus with Athens State Orchestra.
An impressive discography includes three recordings of Mahler’s Symphony No.8 — with Utah Symphony Orchestra (Fischer), London Philharmonic Orchestra (Jurowski), and, soon to be released, Minnesota Orchestra (Vänskä). He has recorded variously with Sony, EMI, Phillips, Telarc, Teldec, Harmonia Mundi, Opera Rara, Erato and Classical Opera and has had a long and fruitful association with the Chandos label with a number of releases on the Opera in English series and a featured solo album of bel canto arias.
Highlights of Barry Banks’ 2023/24 season include a return to San Francisco Opera for performances of Omar conducted by John Kennedy and Das Rheingold in staged performances with Los Angeles Philharmonic under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel.
Barry Banks joins the Peabody Conservatory as Adjunct Professor of Vocal Studies for the 2023/24 academic year.