Chris Murray (musical actor)

Christopher "Chris" Andrew Murray (born December 14, 1963 in Braunschweig ) is an American musical performer and opera singer ( tenor ).

Life

Born in Braunschweig, the middle of three children of the chamber singer William B. Murray and his wife Nancy grew up bilingual until 1978 in Berlin and then in New York, where he completed his education at the State University of New York in Fredonia and Purchase. He completed his studies in singing (first as a baritone , later as a tenor) and directing in 1986. Further vocal studies in the Herta Kalcher opera studio in Stuttgart and with his father in Berlin brought him back to Germany.

In 1997 he made his debut with The Phantom of the Opera . This was followed by engagements at numerous German and Austrian theaters - including: State Theater Darmstadt , State Operetta Dresden , State Theater am Gärtnerplatz Munich, Schiller Theater (Berlin) , Mecklenburg State Theater Schwerin, Opera House Halle, State Theaters Innsbruck, Neustrelitz, Detmold and Flensburg as well as the Theater Baden near Vienna . He also appeared in the Schlosstheater Fulda, in the Musical Dome Cologne and in the Potsdam Metropolishalle , as well as at the Erfurt DomStufen-Festspiele and the Freilichtspiele Tecklenburg .

Chris Murray sings leading roles in well-known musicals such as The Scarlet Pimpernel (Chauvelin), Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus and Judas), Les Misérables (Jean Valjean and Javert), The Man of La Mancha (Don Quixote), Elisabeth - The Legend of a Saint (Konrad von Marburg), Jekyll & Hyde (Jekyll / Hyde), Evita (Ché Guevara), Aida (Radames), The Rocky Horror Show (RiffRaff) and many others.

In the world premiere of the musical Elisabeth - the legend of a saint in Eisenach, Chris Murray created the main male role of Konrad von Marburg, written for him. In 2008 he worked as Inspector X in the world premiere of the rock opera ChristO at the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz in Munich. In 2012, the world premieres as Shylock in the play of the same name at the Tiroler Landestheater and as Friedrich the Great in Friedrich - Myth and Tragedy in the Potsdam Metropolitan Hall. Further premieres were The Great Houdini at Theater Hof in 2014 and Einstein - The Musical there in 2016 , each in the title role.

In 2012 he sang the role of Siegmund in the opera Die Walküre by Richard Wagner at the Staatstheater Darmstadt .

Chris Murray's first solo CD Musical Hits was released in July 2005 by the Sound of Music label . In Austria it was awarded the “Musical Solo CD 2005”. His Christmas CD A Very Murray Christmas , which was created together with the composer and pianist Philipp Polzin , was released in 2011. His double CD Musical Times ⁵ , which focuses on the works of current musical composers in Germany as well as classics from his repertoire, was released in July 2014.

For his artistic achievements, Chris Murray was chosen several times in the top places and in 2014 in first place in the readers' polls of the musical magazines Da Capo and musicals in the categories "Best Actor" and "Most Beautiful Voice".

Chris Murray has been married since 1993 and has two daughters.

Engagements

• 2017:
  • Stephan Kanyar, Brigitte Fassbaender: Shylock! , Shylock, Theater Pforzheim
  • Leonard Bernstein: Candide , Dr. Pangloss / Voltaire, Pforzheim Theater
• 2016:
  • Frank Nimsgern: The Ring , Alberich, Theater Hof
  • Frank Wildhorn: Jekyll & Hyde , Jekyll / Hyde, Theater Vorpommern
  • Stefan Kanyar, Maren Scheel: Einstein - The Musical , Einstein, Theater Hof
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber: Evita , Ché Guevera, Theater Oldenburg
• 2015:
  • Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus: Chess , Frederick Trumper, Theater Chemnitz
  • Richard O'Brien: Rocky Horror Show , Riff Raff, Saarbrücken State Theater
  • Frank Nimsgern, Paradise of Pain , Saarbrücken State Theater
  • Stephan Kanyar, Andreas Hillger, Casanova , Casanova, Anhaltisches Theater Dessau
  • Richard O'Brien, The Rocky Horror Show , Riff Raff, Theater Hof
• 2014:
  • Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus: Chess , Frederick Trumper, Theater Pforzheim
  • Paul Graham Brown: The great Houdini , Houdini, Theater Hof
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber: Jesus Christ Superstar , Judas, Theater Hof
  • Spotlight musical production: Friedrich - Myth and Tragedy , Friedrich the Great, Schlosstheater Fulda
• 2013:
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber: Jesus Christ Superstar , Judas, Baden stage
  • Richard O'Brien: Rocky Horror Show , Riff Raff, Westfälisches Landestheater
• 2012:
  • Frank Wildhorn: Dracula , Dracula, Theater Pforzheim
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber: Evita , Ché Guevera, Landestheater Neustrelitz
  • Richard Wagner: Die Walküre , Siegmund, Staatstheater Darmstadt
  • Spotlight musical production: Friedrich - Myth and Tragedy , Friedrich the Great, Metropolishalle Potsdam-Babelsberg
  • Stefan Kanyar, Brigitte Fassbaender: Shylock! , Shylock, Tiroler Landestheater Innsbruck
• 2011:
  • Cameron Macintosh / Royal Shakespeare Company: Les Misérables , Jean Valjean, Tiroler Landestheater Innsbruck
  • Cameron Macintosh / Royal Shakespeare Company: Les Misérables , Javert, Bühne Baden (near Vienna), Austria
  • Elton John, Tim Rice: Aida , Radames, Staatstheater Darmstadt (2011/2012)
• 2010:
  • Stephen Schwartz: Children of Eden , God the Father, TfN
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber: Jesus Christ Superstar , Jesus, Theater Flensburg
  • Dirk Michael Steffan: From the spirit of Christmas , Ebenezer Scrooge, Musical Dome Cologne
• 2009:
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber: Evita , Ché Guevera, Theater Hof
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber: Jesus Christ Superstar , Jesus, Staatstheater Darmstadt
• 2008:
  • Frank Wildhorn: The Scarlet Pimpernel , Chauvelin, Theater Baden near Vienna
  • Spotlight musical production: Elisabeth - The legend of a saint , Konrad von Marburg, Theater Eisenach
  • Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus: Chess , Frederick Trumper, Dresden State Operetta
  • Andy Kuntz, Günter Werno and Holger Hauer: ChristO , Inspector X, Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz Munich
  • Stefan Kanyar, Brigitte Fassbaender: Shylock! , Shylock, Tiroler Landestheater Innsbruck
• 2007:
  • Big city entertainment: Princess Diana - the musical , Prince Charles, Düsseldorf, Leipzig, Dortmund, Berlin, Bremen (2007/2008)
  • Spotlight musical production: Elisabeth - The legend of a saint , Konrad von Marburg, Theater Eisenach
  • Cameron Macintosh / Royal Shakespeare Company: Les Misérables , Javert, Stadttheater Baden (near Vienna), Austria
• 2006:
  • Dirk Michael Steffan: From the spirit of Christmas , Ebenezer Scrooge, Schillertheater Berlin
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber: Jesus Christ Superstar , English-language performance, Jesus von Nazareth, Mecklenburgisches Staatstheater Schwerin (2006–2008)
  • Cameron Macintosh / Royal Shakespeare Company: Les Misérables , Jean Valjean, Freilichtspiele Tecklenburg
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber: Jesus Christ Superstar , German-language performance, Jesus von Nazareth, Theater Regensburg (2006/2007)
  • Mitch Leigh: The Man from La Mancha , Don Quixote, Landestheater Detmold
• 2005:
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber: Jesus Christ Superstar , German-language performance, Jesus von Nazareth, DomStufen-Festspiele Erfurt
  • Frank Wildhorn: Dracula , German-language premiere, Abraham van Helsing, St. Gallen (Switzerland)
• 2004: Andrew Lloyd Webber: Jesus Christ Superstar , German-language performance, Jesus von Nazareth, Halle
• 2003–2008: Frank Wildhorn: The Scarlet Pimpernel , first performance in German, Chauvelin, Halle
• 2001–2002: Alan Menken: Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame , Clopin, Berlin, Theater am Potsdamer Platz

Awards

• 2003: 3rd place in the readers' choice in the category "Best Actor 2003" (musicals DAS MUSICALMAGAZIN)
• 2004: Da Capo readers' choice 3rd place in the category "Most beautiful male voice 2004"
• 2005: MUSICAL HITS (Solo CD Chris Murray): Solo CD of the year 2005 (Musical Cocktail magazine)
• 2005: MUSICAL HITS (Solo CD Chris Murray): Solo CD of the month July 2005 (thatsmusical.de)
• 2009: Da Capo readers vote 3rd place in the category "Best Actor Short Term Musical" (for Jekyll & Hyde in Dresden)
• 2010: Da Capo readers' choice in the category Best Musical Voice, 3rd place
• 2012: CD Friedrich - Myth and Tragedy: Readers' Choice of the magazine musicals, 3rd place
• 2012: Da Capo Readers' Choice: Chris Murray: 2nd place in "Most Beautiful Voice" and 3rd place in "Best Actor Short Term"
• 2013: Da Capo Readers' Choice: Chris Murray: 2nd place in "Most Beautiful Voice" and 2nd place in "Best Actor Short Term"
• 2014: Da Capo Readers' Choice: Chris Murray: 1st place in "Best Actor Short Term" ("Dracula" Pforzheim)

Discography

• 2003: The Scarlet Pimpernel , German Cast (Chris Murray as Chauvelin), SOM
• 2005: Musical hits , solo album (arrangements: Koen Schoots ), SOM
• 2007: Elisabeth - The legend of a saint (Chris Murray as Konrad von Marburg), maxi-single and complete recording, spotlight
• 2011: A very murray christmas, Christmas album (arrangements: Philipp Polzin ), SOM
• 2012: Friedrich - Myth and Tragedy (Chris Murray as Friedrich the Great), Spotlight (Cast-CD)
• 2012: Friedrich - Myth and Tragedy (Chris Murray as Friedrich the Great), Spotlight (Live DVD from Potsdam)
• 2012: Shylock (Chris Murray as Shylock), cast album
• 2014: Chris Murray - Musical Times ⁵ , double solo album (arrangements including: Philipp Polzin ), SOM

Web links

• Chris Murray at Operabase (engagements and dates)
• Chris Murray Official Website
• Chris Murray in an interview at Musical-World.de
• Interview about FRIEDRICH
• Chris Murray Podcast Interview