Season 2023/24 has seen Hubert (Hugh) Francis gain universal critical acclaim for his performance of Loge ‘Das Rheingold’, in Opera Australia’s new world first all digital production of Wagner’s Ring cycle, directed by Chen Shi Zheng and conducted by Phillipe Auguin. He concludes the Season at The Royal Opera House Covent Garden, singing Spoletta ‘Tosca’, celebrating 20 years since debuting the role there.
Recent highlights include a house and role debut as Graf Albert in ENO’s new production of Korngold’s ‘The Dead City’ directed by Annilese Miskimmon and conducted by Kirill Karabits, a highly acclaimed concert performance as Herodes ‘Salome’ with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra at the 75th Bergen International Festival conducted by Ed Gardner, and returning to Covent Garden for Spoletta ‘Tosca’.
Covid cancellations include the role of Klaus-Narr in Schoenberg’s ‘Gurre-Lieder” with The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel at Disney Hall, and Aegist ‘Elektra’ with Israeli Opera.
Pre-Covid, in Season 2018/19 Hugh gained critical acclaim for his portrayals of Herod ‘Salome’ with Israeli Opera under the baton of Dan Ettinger, in a new production directed by Itay Tiran, and of Hauptmann in the David McVicar production of ‘Wozzeck’ at Finnish National Opera conducted by Hannu Lintu.
“Hubert Francis negotiated Mao Tse-tung’s high tessitura with fluent ease.”
Ian Fox, Opera
NIXON IN CHINA | RTE NSO, DUBLIN
Repertoire elsewhere include Tambourmajor ‘Wozzeck’ in New York (Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Centre), Paris (Théâtre des Champs-Elysées), London (Royal Festival Hall), San Francisco (Zellerbach Hall), Los Angeles (Disney Hall), Dortmund (Konzerthaus) & with WNO; Herod ‘Salome’ with SOSA in Adelaide and with Singapore Lyric Opera; Shuisky ‘Boris Godunov’ with the Philharmonia Orchestra under the baton of Jakub Hrůša at London’s Royal Festival Hall; Hauptmann ‘Wozzeck’ at the Helsinki Festival with Karita Mattila and Florian Boesch; Chairman Mao ‘Nixon in China’ in Dublin; Shabby Peasant ‘Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk’ with Canadian Opera Company in Toronto; Vítek ‘The Makropoulos Case’ with Finnish National Opera in Helsinki; Goro ‘Madam Butterfly’, Gamekeeper ‘Rusalka’ & Thibault in Verdi’s ‘Les Vêpres Siciliennes’ at the Grand Théâtre de Genève in Geneva; Bear Leader in Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh’*, Thibault ‘Les Vêpres Siciliennes’* & 1st Croupier in Prokofiev’s ‘The Gambler’ with Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam; Terry Bond in Benedict Mason’s ‘Playing Away”, Ferdinand in Krenek’s ‘Karl V’* & Spoletta ‘Tosca’ at the Bregenz Festival; Yannakos in Martinů’s ‘The Greek Passion’ Czech Music Festival at the Janáček Theatre in Brno; and Kedril/Hlas ‘From the House of the Dead’ at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo. Further repertoire includes Aegist, Elemer, Florestan, Herman, Mime, Sellem & Zinovy.
His more than 200 performances with The Royal Opera, Covent Garden include Male Chorus ‘The Rape of Lucretia’, Spoletta ‘Tosca’ (DVD with Angela Gheorghiu, Jonas Kaufmann and Bryn Terfel with Pappano conducting), Trin ‘La fanciulla del West’ p.Faggioni c.Pappano, Herod(c),2nd/3rd Jew ‘Salome’* p.McVicar c.Nanasi, Laios ‘Oedipe’ p.La Fura del Baus’ c.Hussain, Lucas & Raoul(c) ‘The Exterminating Angel’ p.Cairns c.Ades, Hunchback Brother ‘Die Frau ohne Schatten’ p.Guth c.Bychkov, Toby Higgins ‘The Rise & Fall of the City of Mahagonny’ p.Fulljames c.Wigglesworth, Piotr Feodorovich/Retired Colonel ‘The Nose’ p.Kosky c.Metzmacher, and Luka Kuzmic(c) ‘From the House of the Dead’ p. Warlikowski c.Wigglesworth.
Further UK credits include Chekalinsky ‘The Queen of Spades’ with WNO p.Jones c,Sinaisky, Junge Diener ‘Elektra’ with Opera North c.Farnes, Marquis & 1st Croupier in Prokofiev’s ‘The Gambler’ p.Fielding c.de Ritter and Don Basilio ‘Le nozze di Figaro’ p. Langridge c. Curnyn with Grange Park Opera, and appearances with The Buxton and Covent Garden Festivals.
In concert he has appeared in both The Linbury Studio and Crush Room of the Royal Opera House performing Mahler’s ‘Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen’, Vaughan-William’s ‘Songs of Travel’ and Dvorak’s ‘Gypsy Songs’, plus broadcasts and telecasts with the BBC, Radio France, ORF, Dutch, Finnish and Swiss National Radios, and Live Cinema Relays with The Royal Opera, Covent Garden.
*available on DVD