Biography

Danish bass Nicolai Elsberg is rapidly establishing himself as one of the most compelling young voices of his generation.

His recent and upcoming highlights include Sparafucile Rigoletto at the Royal Danish Opera and Deutsche Oper Berlin, King Heinrich Lohengrin at the Malmö Opera, Sarastro Die Zauberflöte at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, Norwegian Opera, Opéra national du Rhin and Deutsche Oper Berlin, Fasolt Das Rheingold in Oslo, King Marke Tristan und Isolde at Opéra de Rouen, and Raimondo Lucia di Lammermoor in Berlin.

Previous seasons have brought appearances at the Hyōgo Performing Arts Centre, Opéra de Lausanne, and Copenhagen Opera Festival, performing roles such as Oroveso, Il Commendatore, Colline, and Masetto. From 2020 to 2022, Nicolai was a member of the Royal Danish Opera, where his repertoire encompassed works by Mozart, Shostakovich, Monteverdi, and Nielsen.

In concert, Elsberg has performed Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 with the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, Verdi’s Requiem with the Copenhagen Philharmonic, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra and the Armenian National Philharmonic, St. John Passion with Sinfonia Lahti and the Aalborg Symphony, St. Matthew Passion with the Copenhagen Royal Chapel Choir, and Mozart’s Requiem with the Royal Danish Orchestra and the Armenian National Philharmonic. Contemporary composers Karsten Fundal and Rasmus Zwicki have written oratorios specifically for his profondo bass voice.

Nicolai studied contemporary music at the Rhythmic Conservatory Copenhagen and holds a Master’s degree in classical singing from the Royal Danish Academy of Music, where he trained under Prof. Susanna Eken. In 2019, he participated in the Vocal Residency at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence.