British tenor Christopher Willoughby’s 2025-26 season sees him join the Ensemble of Staatstheater Darmstadt. He will be making role debuts as Don Ottavio in Mozart’s ‘Don Giovanni’, Ernesto in Donizetti’s ‘Don Pasquale’, Andres in Berg’s ‘Wozzeck’ and Juan in Massanet’s ‘Don Quichotte’. Christopher joins Staatstheater Darmstadt after two years as a member of the renowned ‘International Opera Studio’ of Opernhaus Zürich. Düring his time in Zürich Christopher sang a wide variety of roles on the main stage of the opera including Basilio in Mozart’s ‘Le Nozze Di Figaro’, a televised production of ‘Les Contes d’Hoffmann’ by Offenbach as Nathanaël alongside Saimir Pirgu in the title role and himself sang the lead role as Max in the World Premiere of ‘In 80 Tagen um die Welt’ by Jonathan Dove. Other highlights included performances alongside singers such as Sir Bryn Terfel, Piotr Beczala, and Marina Viotti.

Christopher’s musical training began at the age of ten as a chorister in the Choir of Westminster Abbey. He went on to continue his training years later at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. During his time in Vienna he made debuts in the title role of Mozart’s ‘Idomeneo’ and as Grimoaldo in Händel’s ‘Rodelinda’ at the theatre of Schönbrunn Palace. Other highlights included appearances in the Melk International Festival alongside Michael Schade and his debut with Nicholas Harnencourt’s former orchestra ‘Concentus Musikus’ in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein.

In the summer of 2023 Christopher was invited to join the Atelier Lyrique of the Verbier Festival where he worked closely with Renée Fleming, Thomas Hampson, and Neil Shicoff alongside making his debut as Tom Rakewell in ‘The Rake’s Progress’ by Stravinsky at the festival’s Salles des Combins.

Outside of his operatic endeavours, Christopher has a great passion for Oratorio works and recent appearances have included a tour as Evangelist in Bach’s ‘Matthäus Passion’ in the Netherlands, Evangelist in Bach’s ‘Johannes Passion’ at the Brandenburg Festival in London, tenor soloist in Beethoven’s ‘Symphony No. 9’ at St John’s Smith Square and ‘Die Schöpfung’ in the palace theatre at Schönbrunn.

Competition successes have included First Prize in the Charles Wood Song Competition in 2021 and appearing as a finalist in the Marilyn Horne Song Competition in Santa Barbara, California. He made his recording debut as tenor soloist with Convivium Records on their recording of Locklair’s ‘Requiem’.