Charley Blandy
Supports: 350.org, Boston Cyclists Union, Union of Concerned Scientists (climate change)
Charles Blandy has been praised as “unfailingly, tirelessly lyrical” (Boston Globe); “a versatile tenor with agility, endless breath, and vigorous high notes” (Goldberg Early Music Magazine); and for his “clear, focused, gorgeous tenor voice” (Worcester Telegram and Gazette).
In 2017 he sang the Evangelist in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, with Emmanuel Music. He is a regular part of their ongoing Bach Cantata series. He appeared with Orchestra Iowa in Bach’s Mass in B minor; and appeared with Music of the Baroque in Mozart’s “Great” C minor Mass; and the B minor Mass with the Apollo Chorus of Chicago.
Recent performances include Handel’s Messiah with Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra; the role of Belmonte in Mozart’s Abduction from the Seraglio with Emmanuel Music; Monteverdi’s Il Ritorno d’Ulisse, Vespers of 1610, L’Orfeo, and works from the 8th book of madrigals with Boston Early Music Festival; Mozart’s Requiem with True Concord at Lincoln Center in New York; Bach’s B minor Mass with the American Classical Orchestra (NYC), also at Lincoln Center; and St. Matthew Passion with the American Bach Soloists (SF, CA). He has also appeared with the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, Handel and Haydn Society, Boston Baroque, Charlotte Symphony, Berkshire Choral Festival, and Pittsburgh Bach and Baroque.
He appears on three new CD releases: Virgil Thomson’s Four Saints in Three Acts with Boston Modern Orchestra Project; J.C.F Fischer’s Vespers of 1701 with Exsultemus and Newton Baroque; and sacred music of Ross Lee Finney with the Harvard University Choir.
In opera he was recently heard in John Harbison’s The Great Gatsby; as Tom Rakewell in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress; Tamino in Mozart’s Magic Flute; Lurcanio in Handel’s Ariodante; and Almaviva in Rossini’s Barber of Seville.
In contemporary music, he premiered Rodney Lister’s chamber song cycle Friendly Fire with Collage New Music; appears on Boston Modern Orchestra Project’s new CD of Virgil Thomson’s Four Saints in Three Acts, and gave the US premiere of Rautavaara’s song cycle Die Liebenden.
In recital, he has performed Schubert at the Token Creek Chamber Music Festival (WI); Schubert and Brahms with Boston Chamber Music Society; Janacek and Finzi at Monadnock Music (NH); and his recital of Rachmaninoff, Liszt, and Szymanowski was called “one of the most engrossing concerts in ages”. He gave recitals of modern American music in New York, Boston, London and Manchester UK, with pianist/composer Rodney Lister.
He is the product of a strong public school arts program in Troy, NY; and graduated from Oberlin College with a BA in religion. He received his Master’s Degree from Indiana University. Further training was at Tanglewood, where he was awarded the Grace B. Jackson prize for excellence; and at the Britten-Pears School in Aldeburgh UK.