Martin Nelson
Martin Nelson began his performing career as an actor and his wide range of roles encompasses mainstream opera, musicals, music theatre and contemporary works.
Martin Nelson has sung principal roles for London’s Royal Opera, Kent Opera, and many UK and European Festivals.
He sang Tiger Brown The Threepenny Opera for Opera North, Hotel Manager/Judge/Duke Powder her Face (Thomas Adès) for Berlin Kammeroper, Buonafede Il mondo della luna for Garsington Festival, Kichigan The Enchantress for Grange Park Opera, Golo La Dori for Musica nel chiostro; Osmin The Seraglio for Perth Festival and London Opera Players, Learned Judge Trial by Jury for Covent Garden Festival, Dick Deadeye HMS Pinafore for D'Oyly Carte Opera, Bottom & Quince A Midsummer Night¹s Dream at Broomhill Festival, Don Alfonso Così fan tutte for Longborough Festival and Antonio Le nozze di Figaro for Cork Opera 2005.
His repertoire also includes Dr Bartolo The Marriage of Figaro, Leporello Don Giovanni, Sarastro The Magic Flute, Don Basilio The Barber of Seville, Don Magnifico La cenerentola, Sparafucile Rigoletto, Colline & Alcindoro La bohème, Gremin Eugene Onegin and Bonze Madama Butterfly.
Martin Nelson’s West End début was in Sondheim’s A Little Night Music. He has also performed in Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, and in Sondheim¹s Sweeney Todd for the National Theatre. He sang the title role in Sweeney Todd for Pimlico Opera in Wormwood Scrubs Prison.
Martin Nelson has performed a number of world premières for Royal Opera Garden Venture, Camden Festival, Vocem, and Groupe Vocal de France by composers such as Michael Nyman and Giorgio Battistelli. He created the roles of Dr Kalmenius Clockwork by Stephen McNeff for Unicorn Theatre/Philharmonia Orchestra, and Owl and Philoctetes in the Trilogy Birds. Barks. Bones. by Edward Rushton for The Opera Group.
Martin Nelson’s diverse career also encompasses recording, radio and television performances. Broadcasts have included “Performance on 3 A Celebration of New York” and “Pulcinella” for BBC2.
Martin Nelson has worked on educational projects for The Royal Opera, London Sinfonietta and BBC TV. His recitals The Bass Never Gets The Girl and The Call-Response Sing-a-long are particularly tailored for educational, corporate and Festival events.
Martin Nelson sang Mysterious Man/Cynderella’s Father Into the Woods for ROH2, Benoit and Alcindoro for Garden Opera, Tiresias Burial at Thebes by Dominique le Gendre with the Manning Camerata at the Globe Theatre and on tour, and Dr Bartolo Le nozze di Figaro at Longborough Festival. Most recently he performed Seneca The Coronation of Poppea and Commendatore Don Giovanni for Opera Up Close and Dr Bartolo Il barbiere di Siviglia for Opera Brava.
November 2011
