Tenor Cooper Nolan, praised for his “bright, shining, tenor” (Musical America) and his “powerhouse voice” (Opera News), is increasingly making a name for himself as an important interpreter of some of opera’s most demanding tenor roles. This season he debuts with Virginia Opera for a role debut in Siegfried (title role). Last season he returned to Boston for Verdi’s Messa di Requiem with Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra conducted by Federico Cortese and make his role debut in Aida (Radames) with Finger Lakes Opera.
Recent performances include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Jacksonville Symphony and the University of Florida, Defiant Requiem in Washington, DC, and return to University of Florida for Carmina Burana. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in Elgar’s The Kingdom with the American Symphony Orchestra, Leo Botstein conducting followed by a return to Theater Aachen for Hermann in a new production of Pique Dame. Additional recent engagements include a role/house debut as Canio in I pagliacci with Opera San José, Verdi Requiem with Lexington Philharmonic conducted by Scott Terrell and TŌN (The Orchestra Now), Act III of Lohengrin with the Victoria Symphony (Canada) conducted by Christian Kluxen, Act I of Die Walküre with the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra conducted by Federico Cortese, and was a feature soloist in Charlottesville Opera’s Encore: Opera Favorites conducted by Steven Jarvi. Mr. Nolan made his Oper Frankfurt debut as the title role in Verdi’s Stiffelio and made his role debut as Cavaradossi in Tosca with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic. He made his role/house debut as Bacchus in a new production of Ariadne auf Naxos at Theater Aachen and sang Don José in Carmen with El Paso Opera and in his European debut with Theater Kiel. He returned to Santa Fe Opera, singing Tybalt in Roméo and Juliette under Harry Bicket, while covering Dick Johnson in La fanciulla del West under Emmanuel Villaume.
Mr. Nolan was a Resident Artist at Minnesota Opera performing Don José in Carmen and Trin in La fanciulla del West, in addition to covering Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore) and taking part in the world premiere of Kevin Puts’ The Manchurian Candidate. In Summer 2015, he joined the Apprentice Program at The Santa Fe Opera, covering both Narraboth (Salome) and Teague in the world premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain. Mr. Nolan has performed Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Winter Opera St. Louis, Rodolfo in a semi-staged La bohème with the Savannah Philharmonic, and then returned to the Savannah Philharmonic for an evening of operatic and musical theater favorites, including Puccini’s “Nessun dorma”. Mr. Nolan has sung Luigi in Puccini’s Il tabarro on the stage of the Norwegian National Opera House under the auspices of LidalNorth.
As an alumnus of Manhattan School of Music, Mr. Nolan was seen there in many roles, including the Duke (Rigoletto), Ulysse (Fauré’s Pénélope), Paco (La vida breve), and the title role in L’amico Fritz.
2023-2024
