Scottish-born Nicky Spence trained at the GSMD and the National Opera studio. He was made an OBE in the 2023 King’s Birthday Honours.
The 2022/23 season sees him make his debut as Albert Gregor in Věc Makropulos for the Deutsche Staatsoper, and for the Welsh National Opera, and sing the title role in The Nose at La Monnaie. On the concert platform, he sings Janáček’s The Eternal Gospel with Jakub Hrůša for the Orchestra e Coro dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. As a recitalist, he returns to the Wigmore Hall and makes his debut at the Brno Festival.
Recent highlights include Laca in Claus Guth’s new production of Jenůfa for the Royal Opera, Siegmund in Richard Jones’ new production of The Valkyrie for the English National Opera, Tichon in Damiano Michieletto’s new production of Káťa Kabanová at the Glyndebourne Festival and Erik Der fliegende Holländer for Grange Park Opera. Future seasons see him return to The Metropolitan Opera, Opéra national de Paris and the Glyndebourne Festival.
Nicky gives recitals internationally, appears in concert extensively and records prolifically. Upcoming recital appearances include Wigmore Hall, La Monnaie, the Janáček Brno International Festival and the Two Moors Festival.
In 2020, he won the BBC Music Magazine Vocal Award and Gramophone’s Solo Vocal Award for his critically acclaimed recording of Janáček’s The Diary of One Who Disappeared. The BBC Music Magazine awarded him “Personality of the Year” in 2022.
Nicky is President Elect of the Independent Society of Musicians, and will take up the position in the 2024/25 Season.
