Nicholas Jones

Tenor

Brilliant young tenor Nicholas Jones won the Green Room Award for his portrayal of David in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg for Opera Australia. He was nominated for a Helpmann Award for this same role.

A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts and Herald-Sun Aria finalist, Nicholas’ other roles for the national company have included: Remendado in Carmen, Marasquin in Two Weddings, One Bride, Albazar in Il turco in Italia and several roles in Shostokovich’s The Nose.  He also sang Tamino and Almaviva in Opera Australia’s touring productions of The Magic Flute and Il barbiere di Siviglia.

In 2016, Nicholas created the role of Fish Lamb in the world premiere of Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet – composed by George Palmer and presented by State Opera South Australia.

He sang Male Chorus in Victorian Opera’s The Rape of Lucretia, Britten’s Canticles and Stefan Cassomenos’ Art of Thought for Melbourne Recital Centre, Soldier in The Emperor of Atlantis and Barnardo in Erwin und Elmire for IOpera, Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings at ANAM and Hadyn’s The Creation for Sydney Philharmonia; Nick was also an original cast member of Deborah Cheetham’s indigenous opera Pecan Summer.

Most recently, he sang Michael Driscoll in the world premiere of Whiteley and Tony in West Side Story for Opera Australia, Tom in Christina’s World for State Opera South Australia and Mercury/Thespis in Pinchgut Opera’s Platée.

In 2022, Nicholas sang Tsarevich Gvidon (The Golden Cockerel) and Harry (Voss) in Adelaide, Handel’s Messiah in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, Jaquino (Fidelio) with the Sydney Symphony and returned to Opera Australia as Almaviva.

2023 appearances included Mozart’s Mass in C minor for Sydney Symphony, Cassio (Otello) for West Australian Opera and Ralph Rackstraw in HMS Pinafore for State Opera of South Australia’s inaugural Gilbert & Sullivan Festival. He also took up a principal contract with The Paris Opera singing major roles in Věc Makropulos and Turandot.

In 2024, he sang Poisson (Adriana Lecouvreur), Juan (Don Quichotte) and Enrique in Thomas Adés’ The Exterminating Angel for The Paris Opera; he returned to Opera Australia as Laertes in Brett Dean’s Hamlet and, in 2025, sings Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas.

Nicholas is the immediate past recipient of the Dame Heather Begg Memorial Award.

Nicholas Jones is supported by Ina Bornkessel-Schlesewsky and Matthias Schlesewsky