BIOGRAPHY
Maltese tenor Nico Darmanin has captivated audiences around the globe since his Royal Opera House debut in 2013 in Les Vêpres Siciliennes under Sir Antonio Pappano. A Cardiff Singer of the World finalist and Austrian Music Theatre Award nominee, Nico is celebrated as a leading interpreter of the bel canto repertoire, known for his vocal brilliance and refined dramatic artistry.
Hailing from Malta, Nico infuses his performances with a Mediterranean passion that resonates deeply with audiences.
His current and recent engagements include Tonio (Grange Park Opera), Conte Almaviva (Teatro la Fenice, Opera National de Lorraine, Opera de Oviedo, Welsh National Opera, Teatro Regio Torino), Don Ramiro (Scottish Opera, The Grange Festival), Ernesto (Opera de Dijon, Welsh National Opera, Estonian National Opera) Alfredo (Opera de Limoges, Opera North, Estonian National Opera), Conte Belfiore (Pesaro Rossini Festival), Don Ottavio (Opera de Bordeaux, Israeli Opera, Glyndebourne, Nederlandse Reisopera, Oper Vlaanderen) Italian Tenor in Rosenkavalier (Oper Vlaanderen) Le Comte Ory (Dorset Opera), Rodrigo in Rossini's Otello (Teatro Manoel, Valletta), Gounod's Romeo (Estonian National Opera), Uberto in La Donna del Lago (Buxton Festival), Lindoro in L'Italiana in Algeri (Tiroler Landestheater), Mergy in Le Pre aux clercs (Wexford Festival), and Alberto in Rossini's La Gazzetta (Salzburg Landestheater), a performance nominated for an Austrian Music Society award.
On the concert platform, he has given recitals in the US and Canada as well as in Europe and has appeared as Nicias (Thais) and Osiride (Mose in Egitto) with Chelsea Opera Group. He also recently performed Raimbaud in Robert le Diable with Minkowski at the Opera National de Bordeaux, a performance that has just been released on disc. His other recordings include music by Arthur Sullivan and a disc of Massenet songs, both with Richard Bonynge.
Beyond the stage, Nico embraces an active and adventurous lifestyle, with a passion for skiing, surfing, golfing, and scuba diving. These pursuits reflect his love of precision, challenge, and elegance—qualities that mirror his artistry.
A versatile performer and a fearless adventurer, Nico continues to enchant audiences at the world’s leading opera houses, cementing his reputation as a tenor of extraordinary skill and charisma.
Notable mentions that Nico was a Cardiff Singer of the World Finalist in 2015, also having been nominated for his portrayal of Alberto in La Gazzetta in the Austrian Music Society Awards 2020. Nico is also on multiple award winning records such as Roberto le Diable and Fausto by Palazzetto Bruzane.
