Stephen Richardson studied at Manchester University and the RNCM. He has created roles in many important contemporary works including Thomas Adès’ The Tempest (Royal Opera House); Tan Dun’s Orchestral Theatre II, Re and Tea (Suntory Hall‚ Tokyo), Barry’s The Triumph of Beauty and Deceit, The Importance of Being Earnest and The Intelligence Park, Tavener’s Eis Thanaton, Resurrection, The Apocalypse and Fall and Resurrection (City of London Sinfonia, St Paul’s Cathedral), and the British premiere of The Handmaid’s Tale (English National Opera).

Most recent and upcoming engagements include Dikoy Katya Kabanova and Father Trulove The Rake’s Progress (Opera di Roma), Hotel Manager and Duke Powder Her Face (Irish National Opera and Nevill Holt Opera), King of Hearts in Unsuk Chin’s Alice in Wonderland (Los Angeles Philharmonic and The Barbican), Baron Ochs Der Rosankavalier (Bolshoi, Moscow and Opera North), Dansker Billy Budd (Rome Opera and Opera North), Geronte Manon Lescaut (The Grange Festival and Opera Holland Park), Timur Turandot and Powder Her Face (Northern Ireland Opera), Dikoy Katya Kabanova, Simone Gianni Schicchi and The General Silent Night (Opera North), Bartolo and Rocco Fidelio (Garsington Opera), Rocco (Bridgewater Hall/BBC Philharmonic Orchestra).

Other notable appearances include Hobson Peter Grimes (La Scala, Royal Opera House, Opera North and Aldeburgh Festival), Geronte di Ravoir Manon Lescaut (Welsh National Opera and Savonlinna Festival), Sarastro The Magic Flute, Daland The Flying Dutchman and Lady Bracknell The Importance of Being Earnest (Northern Ireland Opera), Rocco (Garsington and Winterthur Festival), Frank Die Fledermaus (Korean National Opera), Micha The Bartered Bride, Commandant From The House of The Dead and The Adventures of Pinocchio (Opera North), Ferrando Il Trovatore (Den Jyske Opera).

Recordings include Where the Wild Things Are, title role in Goehr’s Death of Moses (Unicorn Kanchana), Purcell’s Ode for the Birthday of Queen Mary (DG Archiv), Stravinsky’s The Flood and Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Colin Davis, Philips) and Albert Herring (Chandos).