Christian du Plessis began performing in his native South Africa, making his debut in Johannesburg as Yamadori in Madam Butterfly (1967). He was a member of English National Opera from 1973 to 1981, as well as making a name for himself as a Rossini specialist. He has made several recordings with Opera Rara: Donizetti’s L’Assedio di Calais, Gabriella di Vergy, Maria Padilla, Ne m’oubliez pas, and Ugo Conte di Parigi; Meyerbeer’s Dinorah and Offenbach’s Christopher Columbus. He formally retired in 1988.