Alex Potter

countertenor

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Alex Potter stands out with his soulful, ravishingly warm-toned countertenor.

RIAS Kammerchor/Justin Doyle
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
January 2024
Alex Potter's portrait

Praised by The Times for his “ethereal tone and beautiful control”,  Alex Potter is one of the leading countertenors on the European musical scene.

Alongside numerous performances of works by Bach, Handel and other established composers, he takes particular interest in seeking out and singing lesser known repertoire in concerts and recordings under his own direction.

Countertenor Alex Potter makes a deep impression, particularly in the sublime "Erbarme dich" which he endows with a deeply moving humanity.

Gli Angeli Geneve/Stephan Macleod
Patrice Lieberman, Bachtrack
August 2023

International Performer

Alex Potter has appeared as a soloist in many of the famous concert halls in Europe, including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Palau de la Musica in Barcelona, the Philharmonie in Berlin, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the Wigmore Hall in London, and the Tonhalle in Zürich. He is equally at home and happy singing in a church in a quiet corner of the countryside.

He performs with prominent conductors including Philippe Herreweghe, Hans Christoph Rademann, John Butt, Lars Ulrik Mortensen, Jordi Savall, Jos van Veldhoven, and Stephan MacLeod.

videos

... Alex Potter, whose heartfelt rendition of "He was despised" is profoundly moving.

English Concert/John Nelson
Bayrischer Rundfunk
December 2023
Perfomance Palau

Creative Programming

Alex Potter is increasingly in demand as a designer of concert programmes and guest artistic director.  These include Buxtedhude’s Membra Jesu Nostri with Il Gardellino in the Bijloke in Gent, and settings of the Song of Songs at the Bach Festival in Vancouver. In 2022, together with Dani Espasa, he tailored Handel: Friends and Foes specially for the opening of the season at the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona. Most recently he designed and directed a programme for the Netherlands Bach Society based around J.S. Bach’s Magnificat set against the background of Lutheran music from the seventeenth century, which toured the Netherlands and Spain with great success.

Alex Potter with an orchestra

I love creating concert programmes. I was fortunate to grow up singing music as part of liturgy, which has fundamentally shaped the way I see music and how to put it together for concerts. A good concert should have a shape and a “story” and may juxtapose music of different styles; put the simple next to the complex, the large against the small whilst maintaining a thread which takes the listeners on a wondrous journey. 
I particularly delight in exploiting the full spaces of concert venues and surprising people with music from unexpected places.

diary

Sun
20 Oct
2024
Dietrich Buxtehude
Membra Jesu Nostri

Gli Angeli Geneve/Stephan Macleod

Perros-Guirec (F) – Festival de Lanvellec
More Info
Fri
25 Oct
2024
J.S. Bach
Bringet dem Herrn Ehre seines Namens BWV 148

J.S. Bachstiftung/Rudolf Lutz

Evangelische Kirche Trogen (CH)
More Info
Sun
29 Sep
2024
Ciconia
Una panthera in conpagnia de Marte

la fonte musica/Michele Pasotti

Recording in region of Pavia (It)
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Wed
18 Sep
2024
J.S. Bach
Bach's Compass Copy

Netherlands Bach Society/John Butt

Amsterdam, Waalse Kerk
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Tue
17 Sep
2024
J.S. Bach
Bach's Compass

Netherlands Bach Society/John Butt

Utrecht, TivoliVredenburg
More Info
Sun
15 Sep
2024
J.S. Bach
Bach's Compass

Netherlands Bach Society/John Butt

Breda, Chassé Theater (NL)
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Sat
14 Sep
2024
J.S. Bach
Bach's Compass

Netherlands Bach Society/John Butt

Naarden, Grote Kerk (NL)
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Sat
7 Sep
2024
Johann Rosenmüller, Barbara Strozzi, Giovanni Rovetta, etc.
Vox dilecti mei

Alex Potter/Fantasticus

De kerk in ’t Woudt (NL)
More Info
Sun
1 Sep
2024
Johann Balthasar Erben
Johann Balthasar Erben - Music for Danzig.

Abendmusiken Basel/Jörg-Andreas Bötticher

St. Joseph monastery, Gdańsk
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Fri
30 Aug
2024
Handel and contemporaries
Handel's friends and foes

NIVALIS BAROKK

Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Blatno (CZ)
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Thu
29 Aug
2024
Handel and contemporaries
Handel's friends and foes

NIVALIS BAROKK

Schloss Batzdorf
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Sun
25 Aug
2024
J.S. Bach
Vereinigte Zwietracht der wechselnden Saiten, BWV 207hl

J.S. Bachstiftung/Rudolf Lutz

Evangelische Kirche Teufen
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Fri
23 Aug
2024
J.S. Bach
Vereinigte Zwietracht der wechselnden Saiten, BWV 207

J.S. Bachstiftung/Rudolf Lutz

Evangelische Kirche Teufen
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Sun
18 Aug
2024
Handel and others
Anniversary concert la Festa Musicale

La Festa Musicale

Hannover
More Info
Sat
3 Aug
2024
H. Purcell
Hail! Bright Cecilia

Collegium Vocale Gent/Philippe Herreweghe

Sant'Anna in Camprena, near Siena
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Tue
30 Jul
2024
Various composers
Final concert, masterclass English Baroque music

with Patrick Ayrton Harpsichord and students of the course

Asciano near Siena, San Francesco
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Fri
5 Jul
2024
Telemann, Graupner
Cantatas

Gli Angeli Geneva/Stephan Macleod

Fribourg
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Sun
30 Jun
2024
Antonio Maria Bononcini
Maddalena

Il Fuoco Eterno/Christoph Anzböck

Klosterkirche Muri
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Sun
23 Jun
2024
Antonio Maria Bononcini
Maddalena

Il Fuoco Eterno/Christoph Anzböck

Kloster Mariastein
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Sun
16 Jun
2024
J.S. Bach
Mass in B-Minor

Collegium Vocale Gent/Philippe Herreweghe

Leipzig, Thomaskirche
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Fri
14 Jun
2024
J.S. Bach
Mass in B-Minor

Collegium Vocale Gent/Philippe Herreweghe

London, Barbican
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Wed
12 Jun
2024
J.S. Bach
Mass in B-Minor

Collegium Vocale Gent/Philippe Herreweghe

Friedrichshafen, Graf Zeppelin Haus
More Info
Mon
10 Jun
2024
J.S. Bach
Mass in B-Minor

Collegium Vocale Gent/Philippe Herreweghe

Vienna, Konzerthaus
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Sun
9 Jun
2024
J.S. Bach
Mass in B-Minor

Collegium Vocale Gent/Philippe Herreweghe

Amsterdam, Concertgebouw
More Info
Fri
7 Jun
2024
J.S. Bach
Mass in B-Minor

Collegium Vocale Gent/Philippe Herreweghe

Dresden, Frauenkirche
More Info
Thu
6 Jun
2024
J.S. Bach
Mass in B-Minor

Collegium Vocale Gent/Philippe Herreweghe

Stuttgart, Stiftskirche
More Info
Sun
26 May
2024
G.F. Handel
Athalia

Leipziger Barockorchester, MDR-Rundfunkchor/Philipp Ahmann

Halle, Konzerthalle Ulrichskirche
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Sun
12 May
2024
J.S. Bach
Zum Himmel Wandern

Bachakademie Stuttgart/Hans Christoph Rademann

Ludwigsburg, Forum am Schlosspark
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Wed
8 May
2024
J.S. Bach
Bachfest Schaffhausen

Bachakademie Stuttgart/Hans Christoph Rademann

Schaffhausen, St Johann
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Sat
27 Apr
2024
J.S. Bach
Was nützen meine Sorgen?

Bachakademie Stuttgart/Hans Christoph Rademann

Esslingen, Das Neue Blarer
More Info
Mon
22 Apr
2024
G.F. Handel
Utrecht Te Deum

Ensemble Cantatio/John Duxbury

Geneva, Temble St. Gervais
More Info
Sun
7 Apr
2024
J.S.Bach
Der Himmel Lacht!

Bachakademie Stuttgart/Hans Christoph Rademann

Arnstadt, Bachkirche
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Sat
6 Apr
2024
J.S.Bach
Der Himmel Lacht!

Bachakademie Stuttgart/Hans Christoph Rademann

Schondorf, Stadtkirche
More Info
Sat
30 Mar
2024
J.S.Bach
St Matthew Passion

Netherlands Bach Society/Johanna Soller

Naarden, Grote Kerk
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Fri
29 Mar
2024
J.S.Bach
St Matthew Passion

Netherlands Bach Society/Johanna Soller

Naarden, Grote Kerk
More Info
Thu
28 Mar
2024
J.S.Bach
St Matthew Passion

Netherlands Bach Society/Johanna Soller

Naarden, Grote Kerk
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Wed
27 Mar
2024
J.S.Bach
St Matthew Passion

Netherlands Bach Society/Johanna Soller

Naarden, Grote Kerk
More Info
Tue
26 Mar
2024
J.S.Bach
St Matthew Passion

Netherlands Bach Society/Johanna Soller

Amsterdam, Concertgebouw
More Info
Sun
24 Mar
2024
J.S.Bach
St Matthew Passion

Netherlands Bach Society/Johanna Soller

Naarden, Grote Kerk
More Info
Sat
23 Mar
2024
J.S.Bach
St Matthew Passion

Netherlands Bach Society/Johanna Soller

Aardenburg, Sint Baafskerk
More Info
Fri
22 Mar
2024
J.S.Bach
St Matthew Passion

Netherlands Bach Society/Johanna Soller

Tilburg, Theater, Concertzaal
More Info
Wed
20 Mar
2024
J.S.Bach
St Matthew Passion

Netherlands Bach Society/Johanna Soller

Utrecht, Vredenburg, Grote Zaal
More Info
Tue
19 Mar
2024
J.S.Bach
St Matthew Passion

Netherlands Bach Society/Johanna Soller

Eindhoven, Muziekgebouw, Grote Zaal
More Info
Sun
17 Mar
2024
J.S.Bach
St Matthew Passion

Netherlands Bach Society/Johanna Soller

Alkmaar, Grote Kerk
More Info
Sat
16 Mar
2024
J.S.Bach
St Matthew Passion

Netherlands Bach Society/Johanna Soller

Rotterdam, De Doelen
More Info

Recording Artist

Alex Potter is on over fifty CDs, including six solo recordings. Amongst others, he appears on the most recent Bach Cantatas with Philippe Herreweghe/Collegium Vocale Gent and new disc with two of Bach’s solo-cantatas with Il Gardellino on the Pasacaille Label. His latest solo record “Antonio” with La Festa Musicale was released in 2023 to great critical acclaim.

Handel Messiah
Rademann vol1
Rosenmüller
Brabant 1653
fede e amor
Cantatas - il gardellino
Lotti
Handel Messiah
Rademann vol1
Rosenmüller
Brabant 1653
fede e amor
Cantatas - il gardellino
Lotti
Herz und mund
Bach Matthew passion
Peace & celebration
Son und schild
Rademann vol 2
St John Lars Ulrik M
Telemann
Herz und mund
Bach Matthew passion
Peace & celebration
Son und schild
Rademann vol 2
St John Lars Ulrik M
Telemann
Balthasar erben
Barmherziges herze
Hymnos
St John Gli Angeli
Brockes
Zelenka
3 meins lebens licht
2 - bach h moll
Balthasar erben
Barmherziges herze
Hymnos
St John Gli Angeli
Brockes
Zelenka
3 meins lebens licht
2 - bach h moll

I try to forget the idea of being a “singer”. My aim is to find my own emotional response to what I am performing and through this tell a story which will hopefully move the listener.

... the countertenor Alex Potter, whose "Agnus Dei" moved us to tears at the end.

Musikfest Berlin
Kultura Extra
September 2023
Alex Potter standing in front of a piano

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