Martin Karu - Estonian Countertenor

About

Estonian countertenor Martin Karu is an opera and concert singer whose work is centred on Baroque opera, oratorio and stylistically informed performance. Known in Estonia in particular for his interpretation of the title role in Handel’s Giulio Cesare, he has performed the role nearly twenty times with the Estonian National Theatre Vanemuine and continues to develop it as one of his signature parts.

Karu studied at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, where he completed both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees under the guidance of countertenor Andrew Watts, following earlier studies in Estonia with Risto Joost and Eha Pärg. His repertoire ranges from Renaissance and Baroque music to contemporary works, with a particular focus on Bach, Handel and early opera.

Recent highlights include his appearance as a soloist in Bach’s St John Passion at the Grand Hall of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, and his performance with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of internationally renowned Baroque specialist Rinaldo Alessandrini, singing Bach’s cantata Geist und Seele wird verwirret. Alongside his ongoing performances as Giulio Cesare, Karu has also appeared in Purcell’s King Arthur at the Vanemuine Theatre and continues to build a profile as one of Estonia’s distinctive young countertenors.