SIMON BUTTERISSBuffo
Simon Butteriss has sung with Deutsche Oper am Rhein, La Scala, Milan, Paris Chatelet, Wiener Festwochen, Bregenzer Festspiele, ENO, WNO, Almeida Opera, Garsington, Grange Park Opera, Opera Holland Park, D’Oyly Carte, the Buxton Gilbert & Sullivan Festival, Carl Rosa Opera, MTL, Opera della Luna, BBC Proms, BBC Television and German and Austrian Television . Roles he has sung include Don Basilio, Monostatos, Dr. Cajus FALSTAFF, Starveling A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, Benoit LA BOHEME, Black Minister LE GRAND MACABRE Lensky EUGENE ONEGIN, Don Ottavio, Masetto, Baron Mirko Zeta THE MERRY WIDOW, Frosch/Orlofsky DIE FLEDERMAUS, Bobinet LA VIE PARISIENNE, Lady Deborah/Jim Cocks ROBINSON CRUSOE, Menelaus LA BELLE HÉLÈNE, Pangloss CANDIDE and all the Gilbert and Sullivan patter roles. At the Aldeburgh Festival he has performed Schoenberg’s PIERROT LUNAIRE, Walton’s FAÇADE, Strauss’s ENOCH ARDEN, the title role in Busoni’s ARLECCHINO, Haushofmeister ARIADNE AUF NAXOS, Sparrow THE CRICKET RECOVERS and his own narrations to YOUNG PERSONS’ GUIDE TO THE ORCHESTRA and PETER AND THE WOLF (with CBSO). He also wrote the new play for LET’S MAKE AN OPERA (Britten Estate commission).
As an actor, Simon Butteriss’s London appearances include THE WINSLOW BOY, SWEENEY TODD, THE RELAPSE, CATS, THE WHITE GUARD, PETER PAN, AN ITALIAN STRAW HAT, CIDER WITH ROSIE, MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940 and seasons with the RSC and at the Donmar Warehouse, the Arts Theatre and Lyric Hammersmith. He has played three seasons at Chichester in VALMOUTH, GOODBYE MR CHIPS, HENRY V, FORTY YEARS ON and DIVORCE ME, DARLING! Television credits include two series of BY THE SWORD DIVIDED, STALKY & CO, GOODBYE MR CHIPS, THE SILVER BUCKLE, THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, SPITTING IMAGE, AFTER THE WAR, LONDON’S BURNING, THE LENNY HENRY SHOW, LET THEM EAT CAKE, FALSTAFF, WARLOCK and SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER and films include Mike Leigh’s Oscar-winning TOPSY-TURVY. He has recorded audio books and plays for the radio and written and presented the acclaimed television films A SALARIED WIT and A GOOSEBERRY FOOL. He has translated for numerous opera companies.
Last season’s engagements included LA BOHEME and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM for English National Opera, MY FAIR LADY for Théâtre du Châtelet and PIRATES OF PENZANCE for Raymond Gubbay. He also wrote and presented the television series GILBERT AND SULLIVAN: A MOTLEY PAIR (Sky Arts).
Engagements in 2011/12 include Major General THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE for Raymond Gubbay, Robin Oakapple / Kevin Murgatroyd GHOSTS OF RUDDIGORE for Opera della Luna, Black Minister LE GRAND MACABRE for Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona Franz/Pitichinaccio/Cochenille LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN for English National Opera and Jack Point THE YEOMEN OF THE GUARD (Philharmonia and RLPO).
