Tenor Cooper Nolan, praised for his “bright, shining, tenor” (Musical America) and his “powerhouse voice” (Opera News), is a dynamic American tenor known for his commanding stage presence and fearless interpretations of some of opera’s most vocally and dramatically demanding roles.
He has appeared as the tenor soloist in major choral masterworks including Messa da Requiem, Symphony No. 9, Carmina Burana, and The Kingdom, performing with orchestras such as the American Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall under Leon Botstein, the Winston-Salem Symphony, Greenwich Symphony, and the University of Florida Symphony. Upcoming appearances include Carmina Burana for his debut with the York Symphony.
Nolan’s operatic engagements have included critically acclaimed performances in leading roles such as Siegfried (title role) with Virginia Opera, Aida (Radamès) with Finger Lakes Opera, Pagliacci (Canio) with Opera San José, Tosca (Cavaradossi) with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, and Stiffelio (title role) at Oper Frankfurt for his European debut.
He has also performed Ariadne auf Naxos (Bacchus) at Theater Aachen, Carmen (Don José) with both El Paso Opera and Theater Kiel, and Roméo et Juliette (Tybalt) at The Santa Fe Opera, where he also covered La fanciulla del West (Dick Johnson). Additional highlights include Lohengrin (Act III) with Victoria Symphony, Die Walküre (Act I) with the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra, and Encore: Opera Favorites with Charlottesville Opera.
As a Resident Artist at Minnesota Opera, Nolan performed Carmen (Don José), La fanciulla del West (Trin), and participated in the world premiere of Kevin Puts’ The Manchurian Candidate. He has also covered roles such as L’elisir d’amore (Nemorino) and Salome (Narraboth), and appeared in Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain (Teague) during his time with The Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program.
Nolan’s versatility extends to concert and semi-staged performances, including Lucia di Lammermoor (Edgardo) with Winter Opera St. Louis, La bohème (Rodolfo) with the Savannah Philharmonic, and Il tabarro (Luigi) at the Norwegian National Opera House under the auspices of LidalNorth.
An alumnus of the Manhattan School of Music, Nolan’s early roles included Rigoletto (Duke), Pénélope (Ulysse), La vida breve (Paco), and L’amico Fritz (title role).
2025-2026
