A Helpmann Award winner and Grammy nominee, Zairian-born Portuguese bass João Fernandes graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.
He was chosen by William Christie to appear in the first edition of Le Jardin des Voix and in 2002 made his stage debut under William Christie in Andrei Șerban’s production of Les Indes galantes at the Paris Opéra. He has since gained worldwide acclaim for his skills as a performer in the Baroque, Classical and bel canto repertoire.
During his career, he has performed at opera houses, concert halls and festivals such as New York City Opera and Lincoln Center in New York, the Théâtre du Châtelet, Opéra Comique, Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and Salle Gaveau in Paris, the Opéra Royal du Château de Versailles, the Opéra de Lyon, the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Wigmore Hall, the Komische Oper in Berlin, the Handel Festivals in Göttingen and Halle, the Oldenburg State Theatre, La Scala, Milan, the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos in Lisbon and La Monnaie in Brussels, working with many notable conductors and orchestras.
Recent highlights include Claudio in Laurence Dale’s production of Agrippina, the title role in Dorothee Oberlinger’s production of Polifemo in Potsdam and Bayreuth and Don Magnifico in Axel Köhler’s production of La Cenerentola.
Future plans include his first Baron Ochs (Der Rosenkavalier) at the Oldenburg State Theatre and his first solo CD on the Naxos label.
