Nicholas Tamagna

Biography

Tamagna (as Orfeo) was exquisite, combining perfect tonal quality with substantial power. His voice soared with piercing [sic] sadness and soothed with a silky beauty, giving a glimpse, perhaps, of why castrati voices became the divos of the Baroque era.” (Karyl Charna Lynn, OPERA NOW, 2010)

Nicholas Tamagna has risen meteorically in recent years and is now one of the world's most fascinating alto singers. Highlights of recent seasons have undoubtedly included the role of Polinesso in Handel's Ariodante at Tel Aviv Opera, participation as Ermano in the multi-award winning CD recording Gismondo, re di Polonia (opera by Leonardo Vinci) on the Parnassus label and extensive concert touring, his Met debut in March 2020 as Narciso in Handel's Agrippina alongside Joyce DiDonato, Harry Bicket, Kate Lindsey and Brenda Rae, whose performance was broadcast in cinemas worldwide; his Bayreuth Baroque debut as Timagene in Vinci's Alessandro nell'Indie; and his spectacular interpretations of the Handel roles Ruggiero in Alcina at the Halle Handel Festival and Tolomeo in Giulio Cesare at the Göttingen Handel Festival and at the Netherlands Reisopera.

In the 2023/2024 season, the countertenor's outstanding projects include the role of Refugee in a new production of The Flight at the Staatstheater Oldenburg, the title role of Orfeo in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice at Tel Aviv Opera, his San Francisco Opera debut as Armindo in Handel's Partenope, the role of Casimiro in Caldara's Il Venceslao as a tour project and CD recording, and many more.

Nicholas most recently triumphed in the title role of Giustino in the Legrenzi Opera of the same name at Pinchgut Opera Sydney in May 2023, as Disinganno in Handel's Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno at the Staatsoper Hannover from September 2020 to October 2021, as Ruggiero in Vivaldi's Orlando Furioso from December 2019 to June 2022 at Tchaikovsky Hall Moscow, Salle Seine Bilancourt and Konzerthaus Dortmund, in his solo programme Die Liebe und der Wahnsinn at Schloßtheater Celle and as Silvio in Handel's Il Pastor Fido in June 2019 at the Handel Festival Halle.

His engagements have taken him to other major opera houses, concert halls and festivals around the world, including Carnegie Hall, the Opéra Royal de Versailles and the Opéra de Vichy, the Handel Festival in Göttingen, the Potsdam Music Festival, the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe, the Musiktheater an der Wien, the US Spoleto Festival, Opera Omaha and many more.

There he has performed with the Melbourne Consort, Malandain Ballet Biarritz, Operamission, One World Symphony, Opera Omnia and many others. As part of the early music ensemble, Le Poème Harmonique, he has toured France several times with different operas.

In recent years he has sung Pane in Cavalli's La Calisto, Cesare and Tolomeo in Giulio Cesare, Farnace in Mozart's Mitridate, Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, Gluck's Orpheus, the Sorceress in Dido and Aeneas, the title role of Siroe in Hasse's opera of the same name and Ruggiero in Alcina, among others.

Nicholas can be seen on DVD recording in the title role of Akhnaten (Orange Mountain Music), the Spirit in Dido and Aeneas (2015, Outhère Music), and with the Canadian early music ensemble ¡Sacabuche! in performances of unpublished works of the Italian Baroque (ATMA Classique). As an active concert soloist, he has sung at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, Avery Fischer Hall, the Moscow Philharmonic and the Bozar in Brussels. Mr. Tamagna was the first prize winner of the inaugural Nico Castel International Mastersinger Competition. In 2011 he won the 2nd Jury Prize of the Arkadi Foundation Opera Competition.

Nicholas Tamagna sings operatic roles and concerts under renowned conductors such as George Petrou, Harry Bicket, Vincent Dumestre, Jory Vinikour, Christopher Moulds, Erin Helyard and David Bates. Nicholas Tamagna has many exciting projects planned in the coming years, including CD recording, opera and concert touring projects.

(23/24 Please use this CV only.)

Photos

Pressphoto 2022_A, George Economides
Pressphoto 2022_C, George Economides
Pressphoto A, Dario Acosta
Pressphoto B, Dario Acosta
Pressphoto C, Dario Acosta
Pressphoto D, Dario Acosta
Pressphoto E, Dario Acosta

Schedule

08 04 2024

ORFEO ED EURIDICE (Orfeo)

Israeli Opera Tel Aviv (IL)
11 04 2024

ORFEO ED EURIDICE (Orfeo)

Israeli Opera Tel Aviv (IL)
13 04 2024

ORFEO ED EURIDICE (Orfeo)

Israeli Opera Tel Aviv (IL)
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Nicholas as Ermanno in Gismondo, re di Polonia

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Recordings

20 04 2020 Gismondo Re di Polonia
Gismondo Re di Polonia
Gismondo Re di Polonia
Gismondo Re di Polonia
Leonardo Vinci