Anglo-Swiss baritone Richard Burkhard is a singer-actor of chameleon-like versatility and creativity. Utilising his charismatic stage presence and the beauty and technical prowess of his voice to full effect, he enjoys a reputation for bringing life and depth of character to his roles.
His repertoire encompassing roles as varied as Ford Falstaff, Bottom A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Tonio Pagliacci, Don Alfonso Così fan tutte, Harry Easter Street Scene, Papageno Die Zauberflöte, Garibaldo Rodelinda and Amfortas Parsifal, as well as roles in world premieres, Richard has regular appearances at English National Opera, Opera North, Scottish Opera, Garsington Opera and Opera Holland Park to his name as well as productions at Teatro Real Madrid, Palau de les Arts Valencia, Opéra de Monte Carlo, Opera National de Lorraine in Nancy, Bregenz Festival, Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre and New Zealand Opera.
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'Reshaping Tradition' with the London Sinfonietta
Queen Elizabeth Hall, October 2024
'At the heart of [Serenade, op. 24's] structure, and acting as a hyphen, is a striking setting of a Petrarch sonnet, which was magically sung by baritone Richard Burkhard.'
'[Schoenberg]’s war-time stand against tyranny, the Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte, is a stylised setting of Byron’s satirical barbs. Burkhard’s performance was far from being stylised, and he caught hold of the satire to make the piece his own statement against the corrupt use of power.'
Christopher Woodley, Bachtrack
'Richard Burkhard [stood out] for the elegant singing of the Petrarch sonnet in [Serenade, Op. 24's] 4th movement.
Ivan Hewett, The Telegraph
'Richard Burkhard, baritone for the Serenade, shone equally as reciter in the Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte'
Mark Berry, Seen and Heard International
Wolf-Ferrari's Il segreto di Susanna (Count Gil)
Opera Holland Park, July 2024
As the hubby, Richard Burkhard has a big voice to back up his emphatic acting
Nick Kimberley, The Standard
As Count Gil, Richard Burkhard (recently Bottom in Garsington’s Midsummer Night’s Dream) combines rich, substantial tone with pinpoint Italian diction. Clad in a dusty-pink suit, he is a subtle comic actor, simultaneously elegant and gently self-lampooning.
Opera Today
Richard Burkhard, resplendent in a crushed strawberry suit, brought the senex amator elements out of Gil, giving us a figure that was at times ludicrous but for whom we couldn’t help but feel sympathy and affection. Vocally Burkhard was on good form, showing a lightness to his higher register and keen lyricism.
Dominic Lowe, Bachtrack
Britten's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' (Bottom)
Garsington / June-July 2024
‘and particularly Richard Burkhard as Bottom, whose immaculate acting skills matched his voice – also stood out’
Simon Heffer, The Telegraph
‘above all Richard Burkhard’s big-hearted Bottom – was nicely etched. They provided a few laughs, and also (when Bottom is panic-stricken to find himself alone) some moments of genuine pathos’
Ivan Hewett, The Telegraph
‘And Richard Burkhard’s humane, good-hearted Bottom, the ass turned thespian extraordinaire, arguably becomes the hero of the whole thing.’
Neil Fisher, The Times
‘Richard Burkhard, whose Bottom is both commanding and gracefully sung’
Michael Church, iNews
‘Richard Burkhard delivers Bottom with his customary vocal artistry’
George Hall, The Stage
‘Garsington regular Richard Burkhard sang Bottom with a sonorous baritone’
Mark Pullinger, Gramophone
Verdi Falstaff (Ford)
Opera North (September 2023)
... Richard Burkhard (a brilliantly sung Ford)...
Richard Morrison, The Times ****
...Richard Burkhard’s Ford especially luxurious casting; both sang with their customary finesse and acted with the skill which so many of us have enjoyed at Garsington and other houses.
Melanie Eskenazi, Music OMH
Richard Burkhard brings a dash of Verdian panache to Ford’s mock-serious jealousy aria...
Sarah Noble, The Guardian ****
Richard Burkhard is ideal for the pompous paterfamilias Ford...
Robert Beale, The Arts Desk
Alice’s husband Ford (Richard Burkhard) is admirably forceful...
Nicholas Kenyon, The Telegraph ****
Richard Burkhard delivers Ford’s ‘Jealousy’ aria in authentic Verdian style.
Geoffrey Mogridge, Ilkley Gazette
Rossini Il barbiere di Siviglia (Dr Bartolo)
Garsington Opera (June 2023)
It’s left to Richard Burkhard as an uptight Doctor Bartolo to project the fullest characterisation of the evening, not to mention excellent patter-singing in “A un dottor”.
John Allison, The Telegraph
Richard Burkhard’s Dr Bartolo was just about as likeable an old bore as you could wish for, his devoted perusal of his stamp collection and his eventual acceptance that Rosina will not be his wife both convincingly done. ‘A un dottor della mia sorte’ was... sung with exact diction and elegant style.
Melanie Eskenazi, Music OMH
...Richard Burkhard gives Bartolo a suggestion of menace amid his foolishness.
George Hall, The Stage
Anglo-Swiss baritone Richard Burkhard sings Dr Bartolo with tremendous presence and charisma, drawing in the audience’s sympathies when Almaviva finally thwarts him in his quest for Rosina.
Simon Heffer, The Telegraph
Sullivan The Pirates of Penzance (Major-General Stanley)
Opera Holland Park (August 2021)
With effortless style, Richard Burkhard pattered precisely through the Major-General’s tongue-twisters and cut a touching figure as his clockwork oomph began to unwind.
Peter Reed, Opera Magazine
If I’ve heard the ingénue lead sung this well only rarely, in the case of Richard Burkhard’s Major-General Stanley I can safely say never. This under-valued baritone, last seen as Faninal in Garsington’s Der Rosenkavalier, is one of the UK greats and should be celebrated as such. He had a giant clockwork mechanism in his back (yes, he was a toy soldier) and needed winding up at key moments to help get him through his flawless patter song. Brilliant.
Mark Valencia, Bachtrack
Strauss Der Rosenkavalier (Faninal)
Garsington Opera (June 2021)
Richard Burkhard’s nervy, robustly sung Faninal
Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times
“Richard Burkhard’s Faninal was a more sympathetic figure than usual, his aspirations more sad than contemptible, and his singing nobly rather than ingratiatingly phrased.”
Melanie Eskenazi, MusicOMH*****
Among the smaller parts, Richard Burkhard was a hilariously parvenu, resonantly sung Faninal…
Hugh Canning, Opera Magazine
CD: Eccles Semele (Juno), Academy of Ancient Music
AAM012 (January 2021)
Richard Burkhard and Helen Charlston mine some divine comic scenes as the king of the gods and his jealous wife Juno.
Richard Fairman, Financial Times****
Richard Burkhard captures Congreve’s sensual yet thoughtful Jupiter, texturing every word.
BBC Music Magazine (Recording of the Month)
…leading to a lovely duet with Jupiter (the excellent Richard Burkhard), ‘If this be Love’.
Colin Clarke, Rhinegold
Richard Burkhard, assigned the opera’s most Italianate music, sounds slightly inhibited reassuring Semele in his first aria but quickly grows in ardour.
Gramophone
Richard Burkhard brings to Jupiter the suavity of voice and silky touch of the seducer, giving the delicious “Lay thy doubts” the lightness of spirit it needs.
Opera Magazine
Weill Street Scene (Harry Easter), Opéra de Monte Carlo
(February 2020)
Harry Easter (abusive boss, Sam's rival) is unpleasantly sweet, clingy and dances to perfection thanks to Richard Burkhard.
Florence Lethurgez, Ôlyrix
Richard Burkhard proves to be excellent at Harry Easter
Emmanuel Andrieu, Opera Online
Weill Street Scene (Harry Easter), Teatro Real Madrid
BelAir Classiques DVD BAC162 (November 2019)
...the slick sophisticated economy of actor-singers such as the baritone Richard Burkhard, outstanding as Rose's predatory boss.
Christopher Webber, Opera Magazine
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