operahouse

Lyndon Gardner gained his A.R.C.M. diploma in 1983 and studied music as a mature student at the Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. A Welshman, now living in the Midlands, he is an experienced lyric tenor soloist performing on the stage, in concerts and a wide variety of Oratorios throughout the country and more recently abroad, who has developed an enviable reputation as an intelligent tenor of genuine quality, with stage presence, musicality and an educated sense of style.

Lyndon appears regularly as an Oratorio soloist and his extensive repertoire includes works by Francisco Valls, Montiverdi, Schütz, Steffani, Purcell, Bach, Pergolesi, Handel, C.P.E. Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Rossini(inc. Stabat Mater and Petite Messe Solenelle), Dvorak, Verdi (inc. Requiem), Puccini (inc. Messa di Gloria), Elgar including The Dream of Gerontius, Finzi, Vaughan-Williams, Carl Orff, Britten, Stravinski, Tippet and Paul McCartney/Carl Davis' Liverpool Oratorio. With his excellent sight singing skills, extensive and varied repertoire, he is at home in all styles of music including the avant-garde and is a reliable and proficient late substitute performer.

On the stage, Lyndon's roles include Ormindo, Tamino, Ferrando, Don Ottavio, Count Almaviva (Barber of Seville), Florestan (Fidelio) Nemorino, Alfredo, Radamès, Ricardo (Un Ballo in Maschera), Eisenstein and Alfred (Die Fledermaus), Hoffmann, Camille (Merry Widow), Rodolfo, Cavaradossi, B.F.Pinkerton, Turiddu, Canio, Don José and Remendado (Carmen), Pang (Turandot) and Beppe (I Pagliacci), in addition to other roles in the operas of Bellini, Massenet, Weill, Menotti, Britten (incl. Albert Herring). His Gilbert and Sullivan roles include The Defendant, Ralph Rackstraw, Frederick, Nanki-Poo, Marco, Alexis, Richard Dauntless and Captain Fitzbattleaxe. He is principal tenor with 'operahouse' and the contemporary, electronic/interactive 'Solid State Opera', with which he toured the Midlands in the role of the Flight Engineer in the World Premiere of Pip Greasely's 'The Last Broadcast'.

Recent major performances include Florestan in Fidelio for operahouse, concert performances at Buxton Opera House and Derby Theatre, Carmina Burana with the Southport Bach Choir, Mozart's Requiem and Vespers with the Welsh Philharmonia Orchestra in South Wales, the role of Gerontius in the Dream of Gerontius and Paul McCartney's Liverpool Requiem with the Edwin James Festival Chorus and Orchestra in Littlehampton, and the title role in the world premiere of the contemporary opera Ivanhoe by John Middleton, and the role of Jesus in the World Première of the same composer's St John Passion. As tenor soloist with the New England Chorale, Lyndon toured Normandy at the 2014 'Caen Summer Music Festival' and in a tour of the East of England sang at Harwich, Hadleigh, Lavenham and Bury St. Edmund's Cathedral in 2015.

Future plans include Handel's Messiah, the recording of a double CD of 32 songs by Francesco Paulo Tosti and the role of Jesus in the World Première of John Middleton's 'The Word' in 2018.

Lyndon has had the privilege of participating in master-classes with Constance Shacklock, Donald Adams and Robert Williams and a study weekend with Nina Walker and Phillip Gregson of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. He studied briefly with Hervey Alan at the Royal College of Music and with Ian Partridge before more lengthy study with the Australian operatic tenor Arthur Solomon, with Brian Burrows whilst at the Welsh College, and extensively with the bel canto baritone Gwyn Griffiths a student of Alessandro Pius, and most recently with the bel canto tenor David Maxwell-Harrison, a student of Ettore Campogalliani in Mantova.

Whilst still fully involved as a performer, Lyndon is now a vocal coach himself and is enjoying the challenge of sharing the knowledge gained through his previous mentors and his wide and varied experience to a new generation of performers.