+++
date = "2017-07-15T17:46:00-04:00"
discipline = "Conductor"
draft = true
lastmod = "2017-07-15T17:46:00-04:00"
primary_image = "https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1545409169/media/webhook-uploads/1500154961771/2017-07-16---Bicket-Richard-Haughton.jpg.jpg"
primary_image_credit = "Richard Haughton"
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slug = "harry-bicket"
title = "Harry Bicket"
+++

Internationally renowned as an opera and concert conductor of distinction, Harry Bicket is especially noted for his interpretation of baroque and classical repertoire and in 2007 became Artistic Director of The English Concert, one of the UK’s finest period orchestras. He became Chief Conductor of Santa Fe Opera in 2013 and opened the 2014 season with a critically-acclaimed *Fidelio*. Born in Liverpool, he studied at the Royal College of Music and Oxford University and is an accomplished harpsichordist.

Plans for the 2016/17 season include his first *Carmen* with Lyric Opera of Chicago and Alcina with Santa Fe Opera. Symphonic work includes visits to Cleveland Orchestra including Rameau’s *Suite from Les Boréades*, and a visit to the Cincinnati May Festival with Bach’s B Minor Mass. Plans with The English Concert include UK and international touring within Europe, United States (Handel’s *Ariodante* featuring Joyce DiDonato, including Carnegie Hall) and the Far East (Wuhan, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong).

Highlights of recent seasons include acclaimed productions in the United States and Canada for Houston Grand Opera (*Le Nozze di Figaro*, *Rusalka*), Canadian Opera Company (*Maometto II*, *Hercules*), Atlanta Opera (*Orfeo*), Santa Fe Opera (*Fidelio*, *La finta giardiniera*), Metropolitan Opera (*Rodelinda*, *La clemenza di Tito*, *Giulio Cesare*), Lyric Opera of Chicago (*Rinaldo*) and guest conducting with Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Houston Symphony, Seattle Symphony, St Paul Chamber Orchestra NACO Ottawa, Indianapolis Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra and *Messiah* with the New York Philharmonic. 

Within Europe he has conducted performances at the Liceu Barcelona (*Agrippina*, *Lucio Silla*), L’Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine (*Alcina*) and Theater an der Wien (*Iphigenie en Tauride*) and appeared with Oslo Philharmonic, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Rotterdams Philharmonisch (*St Matthew Passion*), Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo, Bayerische Rundfunk, Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. Work with The English Concert includes extensive touring including to Europe, America and the Far East, alongside appearances at the BBC Proms (*Samson*, B Minor Mass, “Being Both” with Alice Coote) and regular Wigmore Hall and Barbican projects (including with Iestyn Davies and Joyce DiDonato). Recent work outside of Europe includes his Japanese debut with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and Ian Bostridge and a visit to Israel Philharmonic.

Staged opera has also included Santa Fe Opera (*Platée*, *Radamisto*), Minnesota Opera (*Croesus*), Theater an der Wien (*Mitridate, re di Ponto*), Opera Australia (*Giulio Cesare*), Scottish Opera (Gluck’s *Orfeo*), New York City Opera (*Le Nozze di Figaro*, *Die Entführung aus dem Serail*, *Clemenza di Tito*, *Rinaldo*), Royal Danish Opera (*Orfeo*), Glimmerglass Festival (*Partenope*, *Agrippina*), New Israeli Opera (*L'incoronazione di Poppea*), Aldeburgh Festival (Purcell’s *Faerie Queen*), Edinburgh Festival (*Clemenza di Tito*), Spoleto Festival (*Giasone*, *Tamerlano*, *L’ile de Merlin*), English National Opera (*Orfeo*, *Ariodante*, *Semele*, *Xerxes*, *Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda*), Welsh National Opera (*Clemenza di Tito*), and Opera North (*Radamisto*, *Return of Ulysses*, *The Magic Flute*, *Croesus*), Los Angeles Opera (*Giulio Cesare*, *L'incoronazione di Poppea*) and Canadian Opera Company (*Rodelinda*, *Idomeneo*).

He made his Glyndebourne Festival debut in 1996 with Peter Sellars’ landmark production of *Theodora* and returned in 1999 and 2003. In 2004 his first Metropolitan Opera production (an acclaimed new production of *Rodelinda* with Renée Fleming and David Daniels) was quickly followed by *Giulio Cesare* (2006/7) and *Clemenza di Tito* (2008) and he is now a regular guest. He made his debut with the Bayerische Staatsoper in 2000 (*Rinaldo*, new production) and over the following seven years conducted many performances including *Ariodante*, *Serse*, *Orlando*, *Orfeo ed Euridice*, *Il barbiere di Siviglia*, *Die Entführung aus dem Serail* and *Die Zauberflöte*.

In 2001 his first Barcelona production, *Giulio Cesare*, earned him the Opera Critics’ Prize for best conductor. He has since returned for *A Midsummer Night’s Dream* (2005), *Ariodante* (2006), *L’Arbore di Diana* (2009) and *Agrippina* (2013). In 2003 his debut production for the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (Handel’s *Orlando*) received an Olivier Award nomination for Best New Opera Production. In the same year he conducted Lyric Opera of Chicago for the first time and has since returned regularly.

Recordings to date with The English Concert include releases for Virgin Classics, Chandos and Harmonia Mundi featuring Elizabeth Watts, David Daniels, Lucy Crowe, Sarah Connolly and Rosemary Joshua. Harry’s discography also includes five recordings with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, including a collection of Handel opera arias with Renée Fleming (Decca) and Ian Bostridge (EMI), as well as selections from Handel’s *Theodora*, *Serse*, and the cantata *La Lucrezia* with Lorraine Hunt Lieberson (Avie), which was nominated for a Grammy Award. His Gramophone Award-nominated CDs also include *Sento Amor* with David Daniels featuring arias by Gluck, Handel and Mozart (Virgin Veritas) and *Il tenero momento* with Susan Graham featuring arias by Mozart and Gluck (Erato). 
