Nikola Printz, artist and performer- is known for their dark velvety voice, charismatic stage presence and artistic fearlessness. Recent role debuts include Hannah After in As One with its first performance using an entirely trans cast and production team with Opera Steamboat in Colorado. They also recently portrayed the role of Orestes (originated by the great Farinelli) in Vinci’s hidden baroque gem Astianatte with local San Francisco company, Ars Minvera. In their 21-22 season as a company resident artist with Opera San Jose they were seen as the titular roles of Carmen and Dido for which they were praised by Opera News as having “a big opulent tone and an easy reach to their high register.” Other role debuts include La Grand Duchesse de Gerolstein (Pocket Opera) Elle (La Voix Humaine) Orfeo (Orfeo Ed Euridice, West Edge Opera, 2019) Rosina, Cherubino, and Isabella (L’italiana in Algeri) all with Opera Memphis during their tenure as a resident artist from 2016-2018.

Nikola is a two-time participant of the Merola Opera Program.Originally accepted for the 2020 season, they completed two summers in 2021-2022, where they were heavily featured in the Schwabacher scenes program of all Latine composers, and in the summer of 2021 where they were featured in several scenes for the award winning film “Back Home; through the stage door.” Other Recent Digital appearances include the award winning film- and “Three Romances” by Erling Wold which had its 2022 premier in the Opera Philadelphia film festival. Printz also created and voiced the character “Miz Stacks” on the Opera podcast “Electronic Lover” by Lisa Mezzacappa.

During Nikola’s time in Merola they won the prestigious Schwabacher Debut Recital- in which they programed a thoughtful and entertaining recital all about the evolution of their own gender expression. It was recieved to rave reviews from both critics and audiences alike, one such quote from Joshua Kosman (Sf Chronicle) was “By the end of the evening, all the lines of demarcation that typically lend structure to these events seemed to have been swept away. And Printz and their accompanists, pianist Erica Xiaoyan Guo and guitarist Jon Mendle, celebrated the occasion with music-making that was consistently vibrant, thoughtful and tonally resplendent. [...] Most debut recitals are there to show the audience what an artist can do. On this occasion, Printz showed us who they are, and that made all the difference.” They also plans to incorporate ASL into more of their recital performances, as they are a big advocate for accessibility in the arts and learning ASL themself.

It is clear that Printz uses whatever means possible to communicate with their audiences. Once such medium is Circus and Dance. Nikola has been a student of Dance and Static trapeze since they were a resident artist with Opera Memphis. It was there where they premiered a new act for the Midtown Opera Festival in 2018 singing the final aria of Strauss’ Salome in a trapeze with (you guessed it) a severed head. Nikola was also seen at the Opera Modesto Gala in 2018 doing an original routine on dance trapeze singing “Meine Lippen sie Kussen so Heis” by Lehar with Orchestra. They continue to perform and train periodically at SF Circus Center.

Originally making their musical home in jazz and cabaret music, Nikola is well-versed in cross-over styles of singing. In addition to singing in such clubs as The Viracocha lounge, Yoshi’s jazz lounge, and Club 1923, Nikola also created the role of Velma Louise Cole in Boxcar Theater's "Speakeasy SF," an immersive musical theater production that originally opened January of 2014 until June 2014, a role they reprised in the summer of 2017. Nikola is also an avid performer of recitals and new music, having made two concert debuts with After Everything ensemble based in San Francisco, premiering and showcasing the works of composers within the last 10 years.

In 2020 having just premiered Jake Heggie’s Violin’s of Hope at Grace Cathedral merely weeks before the lockdown, Nikola was slated to make their debut with the Merola Opera program singing the role of Foreign Singer in Domenick Argento’s ensemble show Postcard from Morocco. Although the program was postponed- Printz stayed active during the Pandemic lockdown. They wrote and self produced an album of their own music and participated in several workshops and virtual performances including the workshop of the new Coronation of Poppea modernized in english with Rock band accompaniment with Fort Worth Opera. They also contributed to a new recording of Erling Wold’s Little

Girl Dreams of taking the Veil, while helping develop Wold’s new Sci-Fi Epic “She who is alive” which will be made into a feature length film. Printz also participated in the BANFF center’s Opera in the 21st Century Module- focusing on bringing more diversity and equity into the opera world.

Nikola is a graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music vocal program in 2013, where they studied under the tutelage of Patricia Craig. They attended University of Memphis (as a dual resident program with Opera Memphis) to obtain their Artist Diploma in Opera performance. Outside of opera, Nikola writes their own music, plays several small stringed instruments. They can also be spotted riding their bicycle or motorcycle, drinking tall cans of Montucky, shooting film photography, subverting the binary, and writing bad poetry. They are and will always be a staunch advocate for inclusion, diversity accessibility in the arts. More info can be found at www.nikolaprintz.com