Biography
Raphael Hudson is a young Australian tenor, presently studying with Gioacchino Li Vigni. Raphael previously studied in Australia with Max Speed, Megan Evans OAM, James Christiansen OAM, and John Bolton Wood AM. In his youth in Brisbane he was a Cantor at St Stephen’s Cathedral and a member of the Opera Queensland Chorus. As a baritone, his principal roles included Enrico (Lucia di Lammermoor), Escamillo (Carmen), Lord Mountararat (Iolanthe), Don Parmenione (L’occasione fa il ladro), Louis (Gustav Holst's The Wandering Scholar), Blansac (La scala di seta) for companies including Rockdale Opera, Sydney Theatre, Sydney Independent Opera and the National Youth Opera. In April 2013, Raphael performed with Sydney Lyric Opera as a headline act at Sydney's World Musician Day. Raphael was invited to perform at the event as the artist with the highest number of recommendations from local and international members of Musomap.
Raphael’s oratorio and art song repertoire includes Bach's Easter Oratorio, Fauré’s Requiem, Aaron Copland’s Old American Songs, Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, which he performed with Igitur Nos, the Taverner Consort and the TOPS Orchestra. His performance of the baritone solos in Brahms’ Eine Deutsche Requiem with Igitur Nos was highly praised by the Canberra Times (September 15, 2012): “Soloists Raphael Hudson and Pamela Andrews gave excellent performances. Hudson's powerful interpretation of Lord, Make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days inspired definition and renewed energy in the choral singing. His voice is a rich, expressive baritone and Hudson's interpretation of the solos evoked the joyous piety that throbs within the gravity of the lyrics”.
In 2013, at the behest of maestro Gioacchino Li Vigni, Raphael began the transition from baritone to tenor. In August and November 2013, Raphael performed solo excerpts from Wagner’s Die Walküre, Tannhäuser and Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg with the TOPS Orchestra in Sydney Town Hall and the Macquarie Theatre. In December 2013, Raphael participated in the Mediterranean Opera Studio New York intensive where he worked on transitioning to the tenor Fach. In New York, he studied with Nicola Martinucci and was coached by Giovanni Reggioli, Steven Crawford and Brian Holman. Under the guidance of maestro Li Vigni, Raphael is continuing to build repertoire and solidify his technique in the tenor Fach.