Barry Banks’ outstanding facility in roles by Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini has brought him to the attention of the world’s leading opera houses.

With The Metropolitan Opera he has partnered Renée Fleming in Rossini’s bel canto tour-de-force Armida, Natalie Dessay in La fille du régiment and La sonnambula, Olga Borodina in L’italiana in Algeri and Anna Netrebko in Don Pasquale and L’elisir d’amore. During his long association with English National Opera he has appeared most notably as Tamino (The Magic Flute),Tom Rakewell (The Rake’s Progress) and Edgardo sung with “fiery elegance and wonderful ease” (The Times, February 2008) in David Alden’s acclaimed production of Lucia di Lammermoor.

Current season highlights include his debut at Teatro alla Scala in the opening concert of the season with Britten’s War Requiem under Xian Zhang; Idreno (Semiramide) at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples; the title role in Richard Jones’ new production of The Tales of Hoffmann at English National Opera and Berlioz’ Grand Messe des Morts under Sir Colin Davis and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Other notable roles have included the title role (Mitridate) and Don Narciso (Il turco in Italia) at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich; Ernesto (Don Pasquale) at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Count Almaviva (Il barbiere di Siviglia) at The Metropolitan Opera; Don Ramiro for his debut at the Gran Teatre del Liceu; Oreste (Ermione) for his debut at the Santa Fe Opera Festival; Belfiore & Libenskof (Il viaggio a Reims) for his debut at Teatro Communale di Bologna and L’Astrologue (Le coq d’or) for his debut at Théâtre du Châtelet. In the role of Tamino (Die Zauberflöte) he has appeared in Salzburg, Leipzig and Brussels.

In concert Barry Banks has performed The Dream of Gerontius with the Münchner Philharmoniker under Sir Andrew Davis; War Requiem with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg under Jan Latham-Koenig and Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Daniele Gatti.  Other highlights have included Ermione in concert at Carnegie Hall; concert versions of I puritani and Linda di Chamonix at Caramoor Festival; Rossini’s Armida at the Edinburgh International Festival under Carlo Rizzi and Elvino (La sonnambula) under Kent Nagano at the Knowlton Festival.

Barry Banks’ discography includes The Elixir of Love, The Italian Girl in Algiers, Don Pasquale, Don Giovanni, The Thieving Magpie and The Magic Flute in the Opera in English series for Chandos; La bohème under Kent Nagano and Un ballo in maschera under Carlo Rizzi both for Teldec and Trial by Jury under Sir Charles Mackerras for Telarc.  DVD releases include Billy Budd in an English National Opera production for Virgin/EMI and Die Entführung aus dem Serail which was recorded at Buckingham Palace. His solo recital disc - Barry Banks sings Bel Canto Arias - is released by Chandos.