Joseph Cornwell

Career Trajectory

Cornwell began his career in 1981 as a tenor vocalist with ensembles specializing in Baroque music, achieving his breakthrough with a 1982 solo debut at the London Proms singing Monteverdi's Vespers 1610 under Andrew Parrott. Over four decades, he has become a leading interpreter of early music and Baroque opera, collaborating with the world's foremost early music conductors and performing the title role in Monteverdi's Orfeo, Evangelist roles in Bach's Passions, and character roles in Handel operas across major European festivals and opera houses. His recordings and performances have established him as an established specialist in historically informed vocal practice, with a career spanning Boston, Aix-en-Provence, Lisbon, Jerusalem, and beyond.