With a „dark, velvety-filled“ voice that is „touching, but also shows core and character“ and a „stage presence that is unparalleled“ (Das Opernglas), the young Austrian bass-baritone Michael Nagl is establishing himself on the world’s most important stages.
In the summer of 2022 he made his debut at the Salzburg Festival as ‚Papageno’/“Die Zauberflöte“, followed by his house debut at the Theater an der Wien as ‚Gobrias‘ in „Belshazzar“, among other roles. Michael Nagl is a member of the ensemble of the Stuttgart State Opera, where he appeared in 2022/23 as ‚Leporello‘ in „Don Giovanni“, ‚Figaro‘ in „Le nozze di Figaro“, ‚Basilio‘ in „Il barbiere di Siviglia“ and in the bass part of a staged production of the St John Passion.
Future guest engagements will also take the artist to the Semperoper Dresden as ‚Figaro‘ and ‚Papageno‘. Furthermore, he will sing the ‚Ghost Messenger‘ in a new production in Stuttgart and make his debut at the Konzerthaus in Berlin in concert performances of „The Seven Deadly Sins“ under the direction of Joana Mallwitz.
Born in Vienna in 1995, he has enjoyed success in recent years in his debuts at the Opéra National in Paris as ‚1st Priest‘ and ‚2nd Armoured Man‘ in „Die Zauberflöte“, at the Bregenz Festival as ‚Donner‘ in „Das Rheingold“, at the Opéra du Rhin in Strasbourg as ‚Leporello‘ and at the Opéra national de Lorraine in Nancy as ‚Papageno‘. He made his debut as ‚Conte di Cepreano‘ in „Rigoletto“ at the Semperoper in Dresden, and with the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin in Stravinsky’s Pulcinella at the Berlin Philharmonie. With the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne he was heard as ‚Polydor‘ and ‚Père de famille‘ in Berlioz’s „L’enfance du Christ“ in Cologne Cathedral, and in Bach’s Christmas Oratorio Michael Nagl made his debut at the Vienna Musikverein. His debut at La Scala in Milan as the ‚Fifth Jew‘ in „Salome“ under Riccardo Chailly in a new production by Damiano Michieletto had to be cancelled due to the Corona Pandemic.
As a member of the Opera Studio, Michael Nagl made his debut at the Stuttgart State Opera in the 2016/17 season. There, before joining the ensemble in the 2018/19 season, he sang roles such as ‚Masetto‘ in „Don Giovanni“. As a member of the ensemble he was able to celebrate great successes in new productions in roles such as ‚Figaro‘, ‚Leporello‘ and as ‚Il frate‘ in „Don Carlo“, as well as in a song recital with Thomas Guggeis.
Michael Nagl received his basic musical and vocal training in the Vienna Mozart Boys‘ Choir (conductor: Peter Lang). On numerous concert tours, the boy altoist was able to perform on important stages in Europe and gain his first stage experience. In summer 2016, the young artist completed his vocal studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna in the class of Univ.-Prof Karlheinz Hanser. The bass-baritone celebrated his successful stage debut in March 2014 at the Schönbrunn Palace Theatre as ‚Don Alfonso‘ in „Così fan tutte“. He made his professional debut at the Stadttheater Baden as the ‚2nd Geharnischter‘ and ‚Leporello‘.
During his studies, Michael Nagl could be heard at the Schoenbrunn Palace Theatre as ‚Masetto‘, ‚Leporello‘ or ‚Simone‘ in „Gianni Schicchi“. In summer 2014 he won the prize for the best young singer at the Otto Edelmann Singing Competition. In 2015 he was awarded the Gottlob Frick Medal at the artists‘ meeting of the Gottlob Frick Society.
The young singer has already worked with conductors such as Sylvain Cambreling, Thomas Guggeis, Marie Jacquot, Lothar Koenigs, Oksana Lyniv, Cornelius Meister, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Francois-Xavier Roth, Marc Soustrot, Andreas Spering, Lorenzo Viotti and Bas Wiegers as well as with directors such as Lotte de Beer, Frank Castorf, Peter Konwitschny, Marie-Eve Signeyrole and Jossi Wieler.