Biography

Dichotomy of Devotion
Duncan Recital Hall, Rice University
—

Described as “a voice of rare beauty” (Seen and Heard International), award-winning countertenor Cody Bowers is a Sullivan Foundation Award winner, a National Semi-finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, and a George London Foundation Finalist Award Recipient. In the 23-24 performance season, Mr. Bowers will make his Lincoln Center debut with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in Handel’s Israel in Egypt, in addition to debut performances with The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in a World Premier of Jonathan Leshnoff’s The Sacrifice of Isaac. In previous seasons, Mr. Bowers has performed in The Metropolitan Opera house, San Francisco Opera War Memorial Opera House, the Stern auditorium at Carnegie Hall, San Diego Opera, Minnesota Opera, Utah Opera, The Atlanta Opera, Boston Early Music Festival, Opera Neo, and Tanglewood Music Center.

On the Operatic stage, Mr. Bowers continues to expand a broad and contrasting list of characters that range from Tolomeo, Handel’s Cesarian foil, and prince of Egypt; the lost and mysterious Refugee from Jonathan Dove’s Flight; Federico Garcia Lorca, the celebrated 20th century poet and playwright in Osvaldo Golijov’s Ainadamar, who was martyred during the Spanish Civil War; Leonardo, the ghostly Greta Garbo impersonator who inspires Frida Kahlo to make peace with her troubled life in Garbiela Lena Frank’s new Opera El último sueño de Frida y Diego; the stubborn child who, after being disobedient, is scorned by his own furniture as it comes to life in Ravel’s Lenfant et Les Sortilèges; and Orlando, the conquering hero of antiquity who’s desire to love and be loved drives him into the pits of insanity—and the underworld.

As a concert performer, Mr. Bowers has performed numerous works by J. S. Bach including St. John Passion, St. Matthew Passion, Magnificat, Christmas Oratorio, Mass in B minor. Other concert credits include Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu Nostri, Ralph Vaughn William’s Mass in G Minor, Vivaldi’s Gloria, and Mozart’s Mass in D Major.

Mr. Bowers is an active member of internationally celebrated ensembles like Gramophone Award-winning Blue Heron Renaissance Choir, The Handel & Haydn Society, Apollo’s Fire Baroque Orchestra, The Thirteen, Bach Society Houston, VAE: Cincinnati, Ensemble Altera, and The Choir at the Church of the Advent.

Permanently based in New Haven Connecticut, when he isn’t singing, Mr. Bowers enjoys tending to his many houseplants, brushing his two cats Lily & Leonard, and exploring new Ina Garten recipes with his husband.

Panel 1

Listen

“D’un sventurato amante…Pena Tiranna”
Recorded live at War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, California

—

Recorded at NV Music Studios 
Cody Bowers, countertenor 
Shawn Chang, piano

—

Recorded at NV Music Studios 
Cody Bowers, countertenor 
Shawn Chang, piano

—

Cody Bowers, countertenor
Connecticut Early Music Society • Ian Watson, conductor
“He was despised” from Messiah, HWV 56

—

Cody Bowers, countertenor
Bach Society Houston • Rick Erickson, conductor
“Schließe mein Herze… Ja, ja! Mein Herz soll es bewahren…” from Weihnachts-Oratorium, BWV 248

—

Cody Bowers, countertenor
Brendon Shapiro, piano
Beau Soir by Claude Debussy
–
Performed in All-Saints Parish, Brookline MA
Cody Bowers, countertenor
Dr. Stephan Griffin, piano
Precious Lord, Take My hand 

—

For more content like this, visit my YouTube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUnlApv55_8k6Y48MALkyiQ

Panel 3

This Season…

 

Review-OPT1000pixels-Frida-TheTwoFridas-1939_optimized

El último sueño de Frida y Diego • San Diego Opera 

October 29, November 1, 4, & 6m, 2022 •  San Diego, California

Mr. Bowers will cover the role of Leonardo in the World Premier production of Gabriela Lena Frank’s new opera El último sueño de Frida y Diego. 

—

handel_and_haydn_society_conducted_by_harry_christophers-1485288056-347

Messiah • Handel & Haydn Society 

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, November 25, 26, & 27m, 2021 •  Symphony Hall, Boston MA

Mr. Bowers will perform at Boston’s Symphony Hall with H&H in its first live, public performance of Messiah since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic which marks the 146th consecutive season the company has performed the work.

—

Bach Consort

BWV Cantata 121 • Washington Bach Consort, Noontime Cantata Series

 

Monday, December 5, 2022, St. Mark’s Capitol Hill, 301 A St. SE 
Tuesday, December 6, 2022, Church of the Epiphany 1317 G ST NW

Mr. Bowers will make his debut performance with the critically acclaimed Washington Bach Consort under the direction of Dr. Dana Marsh. 

—

screen-shot-2016-09-20-at-2-24-13-am

Weinachts Oratorium • Bach Society Houston 

Saturday December 10, 2022 • Brockman Opera Hall, Rice University 

Mr. Bowers returns to perform with Bach Society Houston as alto soloist in the first three cantatas in J. S. Bach’s seasonal masterpiece under the direction of Rick Erickson

—

The+Thirteen+2021+Logo

Bach Magnificat & Vivaldi Gloria • The Thirteen 

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, December 16, 17, & 18, 2022 • Washington D.C.

Mr. Bowers will perform as a soloist and ensemble member for the first time with Acclaimed Washington D. C. ensemble The Thirteen under the direction of Matthew Robertson. 

—

Aherst

Messiah • Connecticut Early Music Society

Tuesday, December 20, 2022 • Connecticut College

Mr. Bowers will perform as soloist and ensemble member in the Connecticut Early Music Society’s full performance of Messiah. 

—

The+Thirteen+2021+Logo

Rachmaninov Vespers • The Thirteen

Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, March 3, 4, & 5, 2023 • Washington D. C.

Mr. Bowers returns to Washington to perform a concert tour of Rachmaninov’s heavenly vespers with The Thirteen under the direction of Matthew Robertson

—

bird-sub

Ockeghem Missa Mi mi • Blue Heron

Friday, March 24, 2023 • Boston, MA
Saturday, March 25, 2023 • Swarthmore College, Philadelphia, PA

Mr. Bowers will make his debut performances in Boston and Philadelphia with critically acclaimed renaissance ensemble Blue Heron under the direction of Scott Metcalfe.

—

Alessandrini

Easter Oratorio • Handel & Haydn Society

Friday, April 31 & Sunday, May 2, 2023 • Symphony Hall Boston

Mr. Bowers will perform with the Handel & Haydn Society in performances of J. S. Bach’s Easter Oratorio under the direction of Rinaldo Alessandrini. 

 

Panel 4

Blog

L’Enfant et Les Sortilèges – College-Conservatory of Music, Cincinnati, Ohio
L’incoronazione di Poppea – Opera Neo, San Diego, California

                                                                   Welcome Friends!

Thanks for visiting my brand new page! It’s been a long time coming, but it’s finally here. Now, you can direct all your curiosities about what I’m working on here! Tune in when you can for new production photos, schedule updates, and media. I’m really excited to be launching this page, and hope to have some listenable videos and/or recordings up and running by the end of the summer

Lastly, thanks to everyone who contributed their opinions to the layout of this page. It’s working! Couldn’t have done it without you.
Until next time,
Cody

Panel 5

Contact

L’Enfant et Les Sortilèges • College-Conservatory of Music, Cincinnati, OH, 2013
Early Music Recital: Ich Habe Genug • Rice University, 2016
Giulio Cesare in Egitto • Rice University, 2017 • Photo By Ted Washington

Want to hire me? Ask about how to schedule an event!