NICHOLAS SIMPSON NicholasSimpsonTenor.com
OPERA
Don José Carmen Magic City Opera/Azamara 2018/2019 Cavaradossi Tosca Maryland Symphony 2018 Pinkerton Madama Butterfly Festival of the Atlantic 2018 Bachus Ariadne auf Naxos Berlin Opera Academy 2017 Giovanni La hija di Rappacini (Catán) Alamo City Opera 2017 King Charles II The Prince of Players (Floyd) Little Opera Theatre of New York 2017 Dick Johnson Fanciulla del West Apotheosis Opera (NYC) 2016 Don José Carmen Maryland Symphony 2016 Don José Carmen Spotlight on Opera (Austin, TX) 2011, 2016 Tannhäuser Tannhäuser Apotheosis Opera 2015 Peter Quint The Turn of the Screw Hub Opera 2014 Otello (cover) Otello Everybody Can! Opera (London, UK) 2015 Kronzprinz Silent Night Fort Worth Opera 2014 Paul Die Tote Stadt Cleveland Opera Circle 2014 Rodolfo La boheme Hub Opera (MD) 2014 Albert Opportunity Makes a Thief Little Ooera Theatre of New York 2014 Don Jose Carmen (Act II) Little Opera Theatre of New York 2013 Turiddu Cavalleria rusticana Altoona Symphony 2012 Cavaradossi (cover) Tosca Utah Festival Opera 2012 Scipione ll sogno di Scipione Gotham Chamber Opera 2012 Vaudemont (cover/student matinees) Iolanta DiCapo Opera 2011 Don Carlo Don Carlo Martha Cardona Theater 2011 Alfredo (cover); Gastone La traviata Utah Festival Opera 2010 Delil (cover) Giovanna d’Arco Sarasota Opera 2010 Turiddu Cavalleria rusticana Spotlight on Opera 2010 Lamponaio Manon Lescaut Utah Festival Opera 2008 Roger Sherman 1776 Utah Festival Opera 2008 Peter Quint The Turn of the Screw Union Avenue Opera 2006 Eisenstein Die Fledermaus Kansas City Metro Opera 2005 Pong Turandot Union Avenue Opera 2004
CONCERT & ORATORIO
Featured Soloist The Four Tenors Concert Opera Delaware 2016 Soloist Carmina Burana Flint Symphony 2016 Training Illinois Southern Young 2007 Artist Competition Stokes Cynthia Meier,James Sadler,RB Ostrowski, Cindy Gordon Schlather, Sundine, Stephanie Schneidman, Philip Mark 2005 Christopher Collister, Phillip Alden, Harrer, Maggie Beth Greenberg, Collins, Martha Helfgot, Daniel 2009 DIRECTORS Goren, Scott Schoonover, Heller, Ryan Teresa Day-Turner, Barbara Cheung, Voice International Ballam Michael Cordova Richard Cain, Bruce Competition of Music School Manhattan Neal Jaroszewicz, Matthew Schultze, Elizabeth Mieke, De Enrique Roach, Kristin Illick, Peter Leonard, Joe of Missouri University CONDUCTORS & Literature Language Spanish 2007 2012 2009 2011 Vocal Performance of Bachelor Arts Union Avenue Church Christian 2015 Winner Church Presbyerian Irvington 2013 Master of Music & Orchestra Chorale Gabriel San 2010 Finalist/ Favorite Audience 2015 2014, 2013, Chorus EDUCATIONAustin & AWARDS Magnificat Bach Messiah Chorus Handel Austin Symphony Brooklyn Solenelle Petite Messe Rossini 2014 Tenor Soloist Vespers Rachmaninov Tenor Soloist Solemnis Missa Beethoen Joshua Tenor Soloist Sicily Tenor Soloist Tenor Soloist Studio Opera Mediterranean Guest Soloist/Faculty Chorus Austin, Joshua 9th Symphony Beethoven Tenor Soloist NicholasSimpsonTenor.com NICHOLAS NICHOLAS SIMPSON 2017 2015 2015 2015 Symphony,Hershey Symphony Altoona Fe Santa Performance Symphony Altoona Symphony Hershey
NICHOLAS SIMPSON NicholasSimpsonTenor.com
BIOGRAPHY
Tenor Nicholas Simpson “possesses a voice that is flexible, but powerful...he literally stunned the public with his technical and expressive capability” (Corriere di Rimini) and has been praised by Opera News, for his “bel canto bona fides” and performances which “immediately seized attention with his full-bodied, brightly projected voice.” Nicholas has just concluded performances as Don Jose in Carmen, and as a soloist in opera and musical theater cabarets while traveling through Italy, France, Spain, Jordan, Egypt, India, Australia, and New Zealand on the Azamara Quest in conjunction with Magic City Opera.
Nicholas has recently been heard as King Charles II in the New York premiere of Carlisle Floyd’s newest opera, The Prince of Players, with the Little Opera Theatre of New York, and as the tenor soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with Performance Santa Fe, under the baton of Joseph Illick.
During the 2017-2018 season, Mr Simpson has appeared as Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos in Berlin, as Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca with the Maryland Symphony, in a series of Christmas Concerts with the Orchestra of Saint Peter by the Sea, in a concert tour of the south with mezzo soprano Cindy Sadler, and as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with The Festival of the Atlantic.
In May of 2017, Mr Simpson sang the role of Giovanni in Daniel Catán’s opera La hija de Rappaccini with Alamo City Opera, which made history as the first professional Spanish language opera performed in San Antonio.
In 2016, Mr.Simpson brought his vocal power to bear in a variety of leading roles, including Dick Johnson in La fanciulla del West at Apotheosis Opera, Don José in the Maryland Symphony’s and in Spotlight on Opera’s productions of Carmen; and the tenor soloist in Carmina Burana with the Flint Symphony; as well as appearing in numerous concert series across the United States.
Recent seasons found Mr. Simpson making role and house debuts as the Kronprinz in Kevin Puts’ Pulitzer Prize winning opera Silent Night with Fort Worth Opera and singing a critically acclaimed performance as Paul in Korngold’s Die Tote Stadt with Cleveland Opera. Cleveland Classical noted that he was “… splendid as Paul, negotiating a punishingly high and demanding vocal line with strength and agility.” In 2015, Mr Simpson became the first tenor to sing the title role in the Dresden version of Wagner’s Tannhäuser in New York City since 1966. The performances of Tannhäuser with Apotheosis Opera were a success, and it was noted that “Tenor Nicholas Simpson was a full-throated hero who carried the role from beginning to end without strain.” (Voce di Meche). Mr Simpson has also appeared as Peter Quint in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw and Rodolfo in La bohème with Hub Opera. DC Theater Arts praised his “smooth, deeply rich tenor voice and a powerful presence as the poet Rodolfo” and noted his dramatic abilities as “exceptional”.
Nicholas has appeared as Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana with the Altoona Symphony, in the title role of Don Carlo with the Martha Cardona Theater, and in the title role of Il sogno di Scipione with Gotham Chamber Opera. He covered the role of Vaudemont and performed student matinees for Dicapo Opera’s production of Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta, sang Count Alberto in Opportunity Makes the Thief with Little Opera Theatre of New York; as well as Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana and Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi with Spotlight on Opera. He has performed with Sarasota Opera, Union Avenue Opera, Utah Festival Opera, and the Mediterranean Opera Studio & Festival in Sicily, and appeared in Austin Opera’s Opera on a Stick outreach concerts. NICHOLAS SIMPSON NicholasSimpsonTenor.com
Mr. Simpson grew up singing musical theatre, and has appeared professionally as Roger Sherman in 1776, Phil in Gypsy, the tenor of the foursome in Girl Crazy, and Nicely Nicely (understudy) in Guys and Dolls for Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre.
On the concert stage, Mr. Simpson has been noted for his interpretation of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. He has performed the work with Chorus Austin, the Altoona Symphony, the Hershey Symphony, and Performance Santa Fe. Other recent concert appearances include the title role in Joshua with the San Gabriel Chorale and Orchestra, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Brooklyn Symphony, Rachmaninov’s Vespers with Chorus Austin., and highlights of Tannhäuser at the Baldwin-Wallace Wagner intensive program, under the direction of Timothy Mussard and Jane Eaglen.
In 2011, his “lusty” performance of Rossini’s Petite Messe Solenelle with Chorus Austin earned him an Austin Critics nomination as best classical vocalist of the year in Austin for a performance that “made you feel the blood’s pulse and heat” (Austin Chronicle) and received the Desert Theatre League Award as Best Performer for his run of eight performances of the program "Nicholas Simpson in Love" at the Arthur Newman Theatre.
Other concert appearances include the Four Tenors Concert with Opera Delaware, and selections from Tannhäuser for Performance Santa Fe and the Wagner Society of Santa Fe; Don José in Carmen for Spotlight Concerts, and guest soloist with the Grace and Spiritus Chorale.
Mr. Simpson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the University of Missouri, and a Master of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music. NICHOLAS SIMPSON NicholasSimpsonTenor.com
Press "Flexible, but powerful... literally stunned the public" -Corriere di Rimini
"Loudly and clearly... a Wagnerian fever pitch" -New York Times
"Smooth, deeply rich tenor voice... powerful presence" -DC Theater Arts
“Exceptional… dramatic abilities” -DC Theater Arts
“Full-throated hero… carried the role” -Voce di Meche
Splendid... strength and agility" -Cleveland Classical
"Most notable" -Gregory Sullivan Isaacs
"Masterfully portrays the evil Quint" -DC Theater Arts
"Exceptionally talented young tenor" -Desert Theatre Entertainer
“Bel canto bonafides… a lovely cavatina” -Opera News Online
“Vocal strength… vividly articulated” -The Flint Journal NICHOLAS SIMPSON NicholasSimpsonTenor.com
"Fine Singing, Super Acting, and Clear Diction" -Voce di Meche