Nicholas Tamagna’s meteoric rise in recent years has made him one of the world’s most fascinating alto voices singing on the world’s opera and concert stages today. Upcoming performances in 2024 are the roles of Orfeo in Monteverdi’s Orfeo ed Euridice at the Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv. In June he will give his debut at the San Francisco Opera as Armindo in Handel’s Partenope. Highlight of his previous season was undoubtedly his Metropolitan Opera debut in 2020 in Sir David’s McVicar’s acclaimed production of Händel’s Agrippina as Narciso and its subsequent worldwide cinema and television broadcasts. In 2023, he performed the role of the Refugee with a resounding success in Jonathan Dove’s Flight at the Oldenburg Staatstheater in Germany. At the Pinchgut Opera in Sydney, Australia he sang the lead role in Giovanni Legrenzi’s Guistino.

In addition, his interpretation of Ermanno in the award-winning CD recording of Gismondo, Rè di Polonia (Leonardo Vinci) on the Parnassus label and its extensive concert tour. He continues to be a foremost interpreter of the Händelian repertoire having sung over 20 roles, such as Ruggiero in Alcina (Halle Händelfestspiele), Silvio in Il Pastor Fido (Halle Händelfestspiele), Adalberto in Ottone (Göttingen Händelfestspiele), Tolomeo in Giulio Cesare in Egitto (Göttingen Händelfestspiele), Oronte in Riccardo Primo (Händelfestpiele at the Badisches Staatstheater). He is also a known interpreter of baroque composers such as Leonardo Vinci, whom he sang in its modern-day premiere most recently debuting at Bayreuth Baroque 2022 as Timagene in the highly acclaimed production of Vinci’s Alessandro nell’Indie from director and acclaimed countertenor Max Emanuel Cenčić, also broadcast on ARTE and BR Klassik.

He is a regular guest with orchestras throughout Europe including: the prize-winning baroque specialists Orkiestra Historyczna {OH!} in Poland, Germany, and Austria with whom he has sung many roles in concert versions of baroque operas by Vinci, Caldara, Hasse and Händel under the direction of Martyna Pastuszka. Tamagna has also toured throughout Greece, Russia, France, and Germany with the baroque specialist orchestra Armonia Atenea under the direction of George Petrou in roles from operas by Vivaldi, Hasse and Händel. He has been a frequent interpreter of Henry Purcell’s music with the French baroque orchestra Le Poème Harmonique touring in various concerts around France and on their CD Son of England: Music of Henry Purcell and John Blow (released 2017 on the Outhere label) as well as DVD recorded performance of the Roussat-Lubeck production of Dido and Aeneas (2015).Read More

In addition to his extensive experience as a baroque specialist, Nicholas Tamagna enjoys frequently interpreting contemporary music. His acclaimed performance of Philip Glass’ Akhnaten was broadcast from the production of Candace Evans at the Indianapolis Opera (2013). He reprised the role for a concert version at Opera in Melbourne, Australia (2017). He also debuted the role of the Refugee in Jonathan Dove’s Flight at Opera Omaha in 2017 and will reprise this role in Fall 2023 at the Oldenburgisches Staatstheater, Germany. He has been a frequent collaborator with Italian-American composer based in Austria, Raphael Fusco, most recently creating the role of Jesko Holm in his murder mystery opera Der Telephonist, presented in German and Plattdeutsch Dialect with the artist collective Forum Neue Kunst in Oldenburg, Germany, and even more recently in Summer 2022 his baroque-inspired cantata Un’Alma Innamorata, commissioned for a special solo recital at the Schloss Celle in Germany, which will be recorded in early 2023.

In future seasons, he will be heard at such prestigious houses as San Francisco Opera (TBA 2024), Israeli National Opera in Tel Aviv as Polinesso in Händel’s Ariodante, Theater an der Wien in Vienna, Austria as Casimiro in Caldara’s Il Venceslao, and Pinchgut Opera in Sydney, Australia as Giustino in Legrenzi’s Il Giustino. Read Less

“Spererò, poiché mel dice” from Händel’s Agrippina (2020)

“Domerò la tua fierezza” from Händel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto (2022)

“Più non cura” from Händel’s Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno (Staatsoper Hannover 2021)

“O su gli estivi ardori” from L. Vinci’s Alessandro nell'Indie (2022)

“Hymn to the Aten” from Glass’ Akhnaten (2013)

George Benjamin First Angel/Boy - Written on Skin Britten Oberon - A Midsummer Night’s Dream Cavalli Endimione - La Calisto Glass Akhnaten - Akhnaten Glück Orfeo - Orfeo ed Euridice Händel Narciso - Agrippina Ruggiero - Alcina Polinesso - Ariodante Giulio Cesare, Tolomeo - Giulio Cesare Orlando - Orlando

Händel (continued) Goffredo - Rinaldo Oronte, Riccardo Primo - Riccardo Primo Bertarido, Unulfo - Rodelinda Serse, Arsamene - Serse Silla - Silla Monteverdi Nerone, Ottone - L'Incoronazione di Poppea Mozart Farnace - Mitridate Purcell The Sorceress - Dido and Aeneas Stravinsky Baba the Turk - The Rake’s ProgressJ. Strauss Prince Orlofsky - Die Fledermaus

Bach - St. John’s and Matthew’s Passions Händel - Messiah

Pergolesi - Stabat Mater Vivaldi - Stabat Mater

This list represents recommended roles in the artist's operatic repertoire. For a list of performed repertoire, please refer to the artist's resume and biography listed in the downloadable materials on our Artist Roster Page.

“Only towards the end of the opera, when the fugitive tells his story of escape in the wheel well of an airplane, do you hold your breath for a few minutes…With his euphonious countertenor, wielding his vibrato in a judicious way, Nicholas Tamagna gives the refugee, who lives almost between worlds, the aura of something truly special. Both main protagonists are wonderfully embedded in the well-rehearsed ensemble.”

Opernglas, November 2023

“Nicholas Tamagna is a shattering Refugee who vocally knows how to present vividly the complete palette of emotions”

Theaterpur, October 2023

“As the Refugee, Nicholas Tamagna impresses with vocal consistency full of variation and finesse”

Der Opernfreund, 5 October 2023

“Size aside, every singer onstage last night was competent at worst, splendid at best. Let me single out Nicholas Tamagna, an American countertenor... His character, Narcissus, was ridiculous—maybe Narcissi have to be—but this could not disguise the beauty of that voice.” (Metropolitan Opera)

Jay Nordlinger, THE NEW CRITERION, Feb 2020

“... with Nicholas Tamagna’s nervous-nelly Narciso. The American countertenor’s intensity and heartfelt singing for his Met debut made me wish he’d been singing Ottone instead of Narciso.” (Metropolitan Opera)

Christopher Corwin, PARTERRE.COM, Feb 2020

“The other such stooge, Narciso, was sung by Nicholas Tamagna, a favorite New York countertenor making his Met debut. Narciso is a wimp, in this staging an Edward Everett Horton type, sexually twisted around Agrippina’s thumb, and Tamagna was slimily hilarious, while filling the house with his large, smooth alto.” (Metropolitan Opera)

John Yohalem, GB OPERA MAGAZINE, Feb 2020

“The rich-voiced countertenor Nicholas Tamagna makes a promising Met debut as Narciso, a wet lettuce of a politician with a pathetic combover.” (Metropolitan Opera)

Clive Paget, MUSICAL AMERICA, Feb 2020

“A standout in one of the smaller but key roles was countertenor Nicholas Tamagna as Narciso (in his Met debut) sang beautifully even when he seemed absolutely clueless about Agrippina's manipulation.” (Metropolitan Opera)

Richard Sasanow, Broadway World, Feb 2020

“As her other stooge, countertenor Nicholas Tamagna in his Met debut proved a find — a focused tone with presence and color and a droll comic actor.” (Metropolitan Opera)

Eli Jacobson, GAYCITYNEWS.COM, Feb 2020

“Countertenor Nicholas Tamagna as Narciso (house debut) managed to convey the character’s weakness while singing beautifully.” (Metropolitan Opera)

George Grella, NEWYORKCLASSICALREVIEW.COM, Feb 2020

“In another debut, the countertenor Nicholas Tamagna was a brightly insinuating Narcissus (Narciso).” (Metropolitan Opera)

Zachary Woolfe, NEW YORK TIMES, Feb 2020

“Bij de Reisopera wordt de rol van Siroe gezongen door de Amerikaanse countertenor Nicolas Tamagna, gezegend met een krachtig, in de hoogte stralend altusgeluid. Hij kan met gemak de stemcapriolen in een woedearia aan, evenals de lyrische passages waarin hij zijn liefde voor Emira uitdrukt.” (“Siroe” at Nederlandse Reisopera)

Franz Straatman, OPERAMAGAZINE.NL, 2018

“Mit dem Countertenor Nicholas Tamagna steht als Siroe ein ausgezeichneter Sänger zur Verfügung, der mit mal makellos schwebenden, mal mit ausdrucksintensiven Tönen die Riesenpartie nicht nur durchsteht, sondern von Anfang bis Ende auch bezwingend gestaltet.” (“Siroe” at Oldenburger State Theater)

Wolfgang Denker, DEROPERNFREUND.DE, 2017

“Siroe, der Königssohn, ist ein zweifelnder und verletzlicher Held. Feinfühlig gesungen vom Countertenor Nicholas Tamagna.” (“Siroe” at Oldenburger State Theater)

Helgard Füchsel, RADIO BREMEN, 2017

“Countertenor Nicholas Tamagna als fein und dramatisch gestaltender Siroe hervor, der sich gleich zu Beginn unerschrocken ins virtuose Getümmel stürzt.” (“Siroe” at Oldenburger State Theater)

Von Michael Pitz-Grewenig, KREISZEITUNG, 2017

“Nicholas Tamagna is a messenger spirit with a sonorous countertenor voice. He finishes his phrases with projection, fully vibrating, and ample breath. His voice is warm despite the high register, which allows him to marry his timbre with that of the orchestra or with the clip of the harpsichord. He exits dignifiedly while riding on a giant grouper fish for his noble steed.”

Par Charles Arden, OLYRIX.COM, Nov 2016

“Mr. Tamagna's high tessitura and agile instrument soared with an impressive upper register, occasionally touching earth in the chest voice to add emphasis to key points in the story. His stage presence was also intense and committed, with his eyes conveying the anguish of a battle-hardened king set on retaking Jerusalem for the Crusaders.”

Paul J. Pelkonen, SUPER -CONDUCTOR.BLOGSPOT.COM, June 2016

“With super agility he soared through his opening aria with forceful musicality… Tamagna’s Goffredo had a clarity and precision in which you could hear the clarion call of Christian purity that was at once piercing yet chestful. This is Baroque singing in all its glory.”

Masetto, ALLEGRI CON FUOCO, June 2016

“Nicholas Tamagna, an intense countertenor.”

James R. Oestreich, NY TIMES, June 2016

“Nicholas Tamagna…performed the many, mostly extraneous arias exceptionally well. Tamagna displayed a warm, round voice, admirably even from top to bottom.”

Christopher Corwin, PARTERRE.COM, June 2016

“Stilsicher sang Countertenor Nicholas Tamagna den Polinesso, treffsicher bis in tiefe Lagen und textverständlich klangen seine Koloraturen, dabei spielte er überzeugend den ruhmsüchtigen Bösewicht” (Ariodante, Theater Münster)

Sigi Brockmann, DER-NEUE-MERKER.EU, 2015

“Für die Partie des Polinesso ist der Countertenor Nicholas Tamagna verpflichtet worden, der den Bösewicht mit stupenden Höhen und großer Beweglichkeit in den Koloraturen ausstattet. Ein Höhepunkt des Abends dürfte sicherlich seine Arie "Se l'inganno sortisce felice" im zweiten Akt sein, wenn Polinesso mit seiner geglückten Intrige über Ariodante triumphiert. So gibt es am Ende frenetischen Applaus für einen in jeder Hinsicht gelungenen Theaterabend.” (Ariodante, Theater Münster)

Thomas Molke, OMM.DE, 2015

“Für den Bösewicht Polinesso schließlich hat das Theater einen Countertenor engagiert: Nicholas Tamagna als eleganter Bühnen-Pirat muss leider schon vor dem Finale das Zeitliche segnen. Von seinen Helden-Klängen in höchster Lage kann man gar nicht genug bekommen. Hingehen!” (Ariodante, Theater Münster)

Harald Suerland, WESTFÄLISCHE NACHRICHTEN, 2015

“The countertenor Nicholas Tamagna interprets the role of Oronte with a beautiful voice with a luminous timbre, and the singer possesses a great musicality.” (Riccardo Primo, Händel-Festspiele, Karlsruhe)

Jean Michel Pennetier, FORUMOPERA.COM, 2015

“Mit Franco Fagioli, Valer Sabadus und Max E. Cencic sind wirkliche Größen engagiert, mit Countertenor Nicholas Tamagna hat man bspw. einen Sänger neu nach Karlsruhe geholt, den man auch zukünftig wieder engagieren kann … Nicholas Tamagna als Oronte (mit seinem geschmeidigen Counter ist er eine Entdeckung für zukünftige Festspiele)” (Riccardo Primo, Händel-Festspiele, Karlsruhe)

Honigsammler, BADISCHES-STAATSTHEATER-KARLSRUHE.BLOGSPOT.DE, 2015

“Countertenor Fans sollten sich den Namen Nicholas Tamagna (Oronte)merken. Der junge Sänger besitzt einen eindringenden Counter mit herbem Timbre, Strahlkraft und natürlich klingendem Falsett ... der Weg frei, für den Countertenor Himmel.” (Riccardo Primo, Händel-Festspiele, Karlsruhe)

OPERASORA, Februar 2014

“Oronte, der Fürst von Syrien, wurde vom Countertenor Nicholas Tamagna gesungen, der mit seiner Arie „Dell’onor di giuste imprese“ das Publikum begeisterte.” (Riccardo Primo, Händel-Festspiele, Karlsruhe)

Udo Pacolt, ONLINE MERKUR, Februar 2014

“Nicholas Tamagna begeistert als syrischer Fürst Oronte mit einem beweglichen Countertenor.” (Riccardo Primo, Händel-Festspiele, Karlsruhe)

Thomas Molke, OMM - ONLINE MUSIK MAGAZIN, Februar 2014

“Der zweite Countertenor Nicholas Tamagna (Pulcherias Bräutigam Oronte) fügen sich bestens ins harmonische, akustisch wie optisch geschlossene Händel-Bild.” (Riccardo Primo, Händel-Festspiele, Karlsruhe)

Manuel Brug, DIE WELT, Februar 2014

“Nicholas Tamagna proved the standout in the title role, singing with a luminous countertenor, strong coloratura and dramatic conviction as he evolved from swaggering unpleasantness to humbled redemption.”

Vivien Schweitzer, NEW YORK TIMES, May 2013

“Nicholas Tamagna in the title role (Rodrigo) shone brightest with his pure, steady countertenor and his committed, anguished portrayal of the bad-guy hero.”

DeCaffarrelli, PARTERRE BOX, May 2013

“Countertenor Nicholas Tamagna in the title role - an exceptional singer with a powerful, virtuoso, yet warm and flexible voice.”

Prof. Dr. Michael Bordt, KLASSIK.COM, 2013

“Nicholas Tamagna, countertenor, gave us a truly brilliant and unusual performance(Messiah). We rarely get to hear a countertenor, let alone one with such a sweeping range and command of his art as Mr. Tamagna.”

Toby Grace, OUTINJERSEY.NET, 2012

“The countertenor Nicholas Tamagna, as the worse son, Farnace, was charismatic, vibrant in recitative and with full, rounded tone in his arias. He grew in force and stability…and he understood the most important thing about this repertory: that ornamentation serves a dramatic purpose.”

Zachary Woolfe, THE NEW YORK TIMES, 2011

“Ruggiero, composed for a castrato and usually sung by a mezzo or a tenor, was here performed by male alto Nicholas Tamagna. A slim, handsome figure and an enthusiastic actor, Tamagna possesses a voice that couldn’t resemble a sexless choirboy’s less. He fills the theater with sound like a powerhouse Verdi mezzo (I’ve heard him before, as the first ever male Ulrico [sic] in Ballo in Maschera), yet he makes a moving thing of the tender phrases of the opera’s most famous aria, “Verdi prate.” [sic] (This made me the sadder that the director cut his “Mio bel tesoro,” an equally gorgeous such number.”

John Yohalem, PARTERRE BOX, 2011

“The first evening countertenor Nicholas Tamagna took the role of Orpheus and, of all the leads, he was the most successful in capturing the essence of Orpheus: a poet who, in attempting to penetrate the mysteries of life, death, rebirth, discovers the meaning and power of poetry and song, and the destructiveness of uncontrolled human emotions. Tamagna 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

“As Cesare, countertenor Nicholas Tamagna handled his complex runs and vocal ornaments fluently through all eight of his arias.”

Mark J. Estren, WASHINGTON POST, 2009