Bass-baritone Nicholas Davis is the only American ever to have won the International Antonín Dvořák competition. Inspired by multiple prize winnings and possessing unmistakable musical gifts, he is poised for major success in the opera world with his “rolling mellifluous baritone” and “significant” and “impressive” stage presence. Recent seasons have seen Mr. Davis at the Seattle Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Michigan Opera Theater, Glimmerglass Opera, Minnesota Opera and Opera Ithaca, in roles as varied as The Reverend in the world premiere of Blue, Minskman in Flight, Senator Potter in Fellow Travelers, and Fred McMullin in The Fix. More traditional repertoire includes roles such as Ford in Falstaff, Harlequin in Ariadne auf Naxos, Crown in Porgy and Bess and the title role in Le nozze di Figaro. In the 2021-22 season, Nick was the baritone lead in White Snake Projects’ much-acclaimed virtual opera, Death By Life, appeared with On Site Opera in the world premiere of What Lies Beneath and The Perfect Pig, and joined Shreveport Opera as Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro. He returned to the Minnesota cast of All is Calm, and in 2022 makes two company and roles debuts: Annapolis Opera for Marcello in La Bohème, and 2nd Soldier in Salome with Tulsa Opera. Nick joins Mostly Modern Projects for a series of premiere works by Robert Paterson and Victoria Bond and returns to Minnesota Opera for Edward Tulane. In concert, Nicholas has appeared with the Jackson Symphony Orchestra, the Kentucky Symphony as Abimelech in Samson et Dalila, the Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra, the Fort Street Symphony as the bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the National Theater of Prague Orchestra, and the Chicago Sinfonietta as the bass soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. A lover of recitals, Mr. Davis has entertained audiences across the United States and had the pleasure of performing for the Ambassador of the United States to the Czech Republic. A native of Petersburg, TN, he received his training at the University of Kentucky and the University of Michigan. In addition to the Antonín Dvořák Competition, he was a regional finalist in the 2018 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and has received prizes from the International Czech and Slovak Competition, the American Opera Society of Chicago, and The Santa Fe Opera.
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