Song Recital - Oji Hall, Ginza Tokyo
In December 2021, Alistair performed Vaughan Williams’ Blake Songs with oboist, Mizuho Yoshii and Herbert Howells’ ‘King David’ with harpist, Naoko Yoshino. The concert took place at the Oji Hall in Tokyo. Further details can be found here.
Handel’s Messiah - Handel Festival Japan
On 25th May 2021, Alistair sang the Bass solos in a performance of Handel’s Messiah taking place at Tokyo’s Hitomi Memorial Hall. It was performed by the Cannons Chamber Choir & Orchestra under the baton of Toshiki Misawa.
Vaughan Williams’ 10 Blake Songs - Oji Hall, Tokyo
Alistair recently recorded a selection of Vaughan Williams’ 10 Blake Songs at Tokyo’s Oji Hall with oboist, Mizuho Yoshii. You can listen to the recording by following the YouTube link below.
Schubert Song - ‘Spring Festival in Tokyo’. Bunka Kaikan Recital Hall
On 21st March 2020, Alistair performed a selection of Schubert song with Daisuke Suzuki (guitar) at the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Recital Hall, as part of the 'Spring Festival in Tokyo'. In keeping with the spirit of the festival, they chose to perform songs on the theme of 'Frühling'. Further details (in English) can be found here.
Twilight Concert Series - Main Foyer, SMBC Bank Headquarters, Tokyo
On 17th July 2019, Alistair sung a programme of 20th Century English and American song together with Mizuho Yoshii (oboe) and Yoshihiro Kondo (piano). The programme featured Vaughan Williams’ ‘10 Blake Songs for Voice and Oboe’ alongside songs by Britten, Quilter, Howells, Head, Haines and Barber. It took part in the foyer of the SMBC bank headquarters in Tokyo as part of the Twilight Concert Series organised by ‘Spring Festival in Tokyo’.
Impermanence - ReSonance Concert Series. Kakuon-ji Temple, Kamakura, Japan
On 15th April 2018, Alistair directed and shared the stage with Junko Wada (dancer) Makoto Takemura (shamisen) and Mizuho Yoshii (oboe) performing a multi-disciplinary programme centred around the theme of Impermanence. Western composers such as Berio, Turnage and Cage were presented alongside two ancient Japanese tales - Kisen Ho-shi and Yashima.
A Dialogue Between Islands - ReSonance Concert Series. City Hall Kamakura, Japan
On 11th April 2018, Alistair, together with mezzo-soprano Mutsumi Hatano and harpist Naoko Yoshino performed a programme celebrating the islands of Japan and Britain. Dowland, Vaughan Williams and Britten were performed alongside Narita, Yamada and Taki, among others.
The Bard and the Lady - Splendor, Amsterdam
On 19th December 2017, Alistair together with Mattijs van de Woerd (baritone), Nicola Wemyss (mezzo-soprano) and Shuann Chai (piano) performed Schubert's catalogue of Scottish songs - namely his seldom performed Ossian Lieder as well as his settings of Scott's 'Lady of the Lake' - held at the Splendor, Amsterdam.
In Terra Pax - English Arts Chorale. Reigate St Mary's Church.
On 2nd December, Alistair sang the baritone solo in Finzi's In Terra Pax for English Arts Chorale. It took place at Reigate St Mary's Church in Surrey, the very place that Alistair began singing as a chorister back in 1989! Further details can be found here.
German Song Lecture / Workshop. Tokyo, Japan
In September and October 2017, Alistair performed and discussed upon a range of songs from the German song repertoire (including a section devoted to German Song & Poetry of the British Isles) as part of a 3-day lecture / workshop series hosted by NPO Triton Arts Network and taking place at Tokyo's Harumi Triton Square.
Morning Blossoms - ODD Continent. Netherlands Tour
In October 2016, Alistair made a return to ODD Continent performing in their latest offering 'Morning Blossoms' composed by Chloé Charody. Based on the events of the tsunami that devastated Japan in 2011, Alistair's role is of school teacher, Osamu, who in the face of the raw power of nature, struggles to come to terms with his own actions. Further details can be found here.
The Day After - Jonathan Dove, Holland Opera
In July 2015, Alistair performed the role of Phoebus, father of Phaeton, in the world premiere of Jonathan Dove's opera 'The Day After' for Holland Opera. Critics have been unanimous in their high praise of the production, describing Alistair's voice as "rich" (Trouw) and "sonorous" (Theaterkrant). Bachtrack went further still, stating "Alistair Shelton-Smith made an athletic Phoebus in a swirling scarlet robe. His effortlessly projected baritone has an appealing upper range, and promises to deepen with age." A trailer of the production is available to watch here.
ReSonance Concert Series, Japan
In April 2015, Alistair took part in the launching year of the Kamakura ReSonance Concert Series, Japan. Performances included a thoughtful blend of songs from the Renaissance to the present, as well as a new commission by Japanese composer Toshihiro Fujishiro. Alistair shared the stage with guitarist Shunsuke Matsuo, pianist Yumi Uchida and oboist Mizuho Yoshii.
Homebody - ODD Continent. Netherlands Tour
In January 2015, Alistair continued his tour of the Netherlands singing the role of Afghan poet Khwaja in the world premiere of ODD Continent's 'Homebody', based on Tony Kushner's play 'Homebody / Kabul'. The premiere took place in Amsterdam's Stadsschouwburg in September 2014.
Owen Wingrave - Opera Trionfo. Netherlands Tour
In September 2014, Alistair continued his tour of the Netherlands singing the title role in Britten's Owen Wingrave for Opera Trionfo, conducted by Ed Spanjaard and directed by Floris Visser. The premiere in Amsterdam's Stadsschouwburg which took place in January of 2014 was highly praised by the critics, describing Alistair as "[...] the excellent newcomer to the cast [...]" (Trouw).
The Catfish Conundrum - Tête à Tête Festival. Kings Place, London
Alistair performed the role of environmental artist Newton Harrison in Edward Lambert's new chamber opera 'The Catfish Conundrum' as part of the Tête à Tête Festival on 9th and 10th August 2014 at Kings Place, London. Further details, including reviews and photographs are available from the Tête à Tête Festival website.
Greek - Music Theatre Wales. Linbury Studio, Royal Opera House Covent Garden
In October of 2013 Alistair stood-in at 10 hours notice to sing the role of Eddy in Mark-Anthony Turnages' 'Greek' for Music Theatre Wales, which took place at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden's Linbury Studio. It was very well received by the audience and critics. Opera Today describe his performance as follows: "Shelton-Smith's assuredly protean yet deeply felt vocal performance fully deserved the rapturous reception that it received from audience and fellow cast-members alike, and would have done so even if it had not been for the particular circumstances." Artistic Director of Music Theatre Wales, Michael McCarthy reflects on the performance in an article entitled 'Two Moments of Madness'. In it, he explains "The engagement of the audience at the end of the piece, in Eddy’s soliloquy, was palpable and electrifying and the way Alistair performed it, putting the words in my mouth and feeling into my soul was beyond description."
The Hormone Factory - An Audio Drama
In a brief departure from his singing activities, Alistair read the parts of BBC Radio Announcer and Carl Hewett in the audio drama of Saskia Goldschmidt's highly acclaimed novel 'The Hormone Factory'. It was directed by Peter te Nuyl and was released in the Autumn of 2014 by AVRO.
Giulio Cesare - The COR. Bloomsbury Festival
In October of 2013, Alistair performed the role of Curio, Cesare General for The COR in Handel's Giulio Cesare, directed by Richard Hetherington of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. It was the launching concert for The COR and took place at St Pancras Church, London.