“The cast is dominated by the Danish bass Nicolai Elsberg’s mighty Sarastro. He has an imposing voice, powerfully projected and sonorous, put at the service of a particularly beautiful vocal line, very expressive and endowed with a deep bass. His tall figure is impressive!“
– Olyrix, Dezember 2022
The artist sang the role of Sarastro at the Royal Danish Opera, Copenhagen, and at the Opéra National du Rhin, Strasbourg. From 2020-2022 Nicolai Elsberg was a member of the Royal Danish Opera and sang roles such as: Colline in LA BOHÈME, Il commendatore in DON GIOVANNI, the Doctor and the Newspaper Writer in Shostakovich’s THE NOSE, Plutone in Monteverdi’s ORFEO and the Masquerade Master and Jeronimus in Carl Nielsen’s MASQUERADE.
Nicolai Elsberg appeared as King Marke in TRISTAN & ISOLDE at Opéra de Rouen in the summer of 2024 and Oroveso in NORMA at the Opéra de Lausanne (2023). Commendatore in DON GIOVANNI he sang at his Japanese debut at the Hyōgo Performing Arts Centre (2023), at Opéra de Rouen (2024) and at the Copenhagen Opera Festival as well as the role of Masetto at the Malmö Opera. He was also invited to the Copenhagen Opera Festival as Colline in LA BOHÈME.
Concerts: VERDI REQUIEM Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra, 9th BEETHOVEN Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra, ST JOHN’S-PASSION Aalborg Symphony Orchestra, ST.MATTHEWS PASSION Copenhagen Royal Chapel Choir and MOZART REQUIEM, Royal Danish Orchestra. The contemporary composers Karsten Fundal and Rasmus Zwicki wrote an oratorio for the artist.
In 2021, Nicolai Elsberg took part in the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition. In 2022, he was awarded the Copenhagen Opera Festival Talent Prize, the Léonie Sonning Prize and the Queen Ingrid Honour Grand. Nicolai Elsberg studied contemporary music at the Rhythmic Conservatory in Copenhagen, and holds a master degree in classical singing with Prof. Susanna Eken from the Royal Danish Academy of Music (2020). In 2019 he was part of the Vocal Residency at Festival D’Aix-en-Provence.
Important future engagements: King Heinrich in LOHENGRIN at the Malmö Opera and Nachtwächter in DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG at the Royal Danish Opera. Sarastro in DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE at the Oslo Opera House. King Marke in TRISTAN UND ISOLDE in a concert performance with Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also been invited to sing Sarastro in multiple upcoming productions, among these at Grand théâtre de Genève where he will also be performing the 1st Nazarener and 2nd Soldier in SALOME and the title role in THE SNOW QUEEN by Hans Abrahamsen.
Nicolai Elsberg
— Basso Profondo
General Management
Konstantin Unger Artists.Management