Japanese soprano Eri Nakamura shot to prominence when she stepped in to replace Anna Netrebko at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, for a performance of Giulietta I Capuleti e i Montecchi conducted by Sir Mark Elder, to critical and public acclaim. She then reached the finals of both the Song and Orchestra Prizes at the prestigious Cardiff Singer of the World competition in 2009.
Eri Nakamura studied at the Osaka College of Music before joining the Opera Studio at the New National Theatre Tokyo, and then the Opera Studio Nederland, Amsterdam. Performances at the New National Theatre included Susanna Le nozze di Figaro directed by Andreas Homoki, Ilia Idomeneo under Dan Ettinger, Marzelline Fidelio under Cornelius Meister and Nannetta in Jonathan Miller’s production of Falstaff.
From September 2008-2010, Eri was a member of the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme at the Royal Opera House. Her roles included Musetta La bohème, Voice of Heaven Don Carlo, Frasquita Carmen, 5th Maid Elektra and Lauretta Gianni Schicchi. In summer 2010, she sang Susanna Le nozze di Figaro under Sir Colin Davis for which she received excellent reviews. Eri returned to the Royal Opera House in the 2010-11 season singing Sophie Werther under Antonio Pappano.
In September 2010 Eri Nakamura joined the ensemble of the Bayerische Staatsoper. Roles in her first season included Susanna, Pamina, Zerlina, Giulietta in a new production under Yves Abel, for which she received sensational reviews, Arbate Mitridate rei di Ponto, also a new production under Ivor Bolton, and Naiad Ariadne auf Naxos.
Recent concert engagements include performances with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, and her debut with the London Philharmonic Orchestra singing Mahler Symphony No.4.
In the 2011-12 season Eri’s engagements include Bruckner Te Deum at the Vatican in Rome and a tour to Japan with the Bayerische Staatsoper. Her roles in Munich include Woglinde Der Ring des Nibelungen, Flowermaiden Parsifal, L’enfant et les sortilèges under Kent Nagano and Liù Turandot. Further ahead, Eri sings her first Juliette Roméo et Juliette at the Teatro Municipal de Santiago de Chile, returns to the Royal Opera House, and makes her debut at Washington National Opera and Opéra de Toulouse.
Eri Nakamura is represented in Europe by Intermusica and by CAMI in North America.
September 2011. Not to be altered without permission. Please destroy all previous biographical material.
Rosenblatt Recital / St John’s Smith Square
Acc. James Baillieu
“Eri Nakamura, a wonderfully characterful singer - both in terms of the voice itself, but also her charming ability to step swiftly and convincingly into a role.”
Martin Cullingford, Gramophone, November 2011
Stabat Mater / London Philharmonic Orchestra / Royal Festival Hall
Cond Yannick Nézet-Séguin
“The Japanese soprano Eri Nakamura had no problems with power... and a pleasingly pathetic, theatrical involvement.”
Peter Reed, Classical Source, October 2011
“The expressive Japanese soprano Eri Nakamura has a beautiful voice (…) her duet with the dramatic mezzo Ruxandra Donose was elegant and lyrical.”
Spear’s Wealth Management, October 2011
Sophie in Massenet’s Werther
Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Cond. Antonio Pappano / Dir. Benoît Jacquot
"Nakamura, in particular, seems to have been born to sing this part."
Mundoclasico.com, May 2011
“Nakamura was pure delight as Sophie, spreading joy and good cheer that only increased Werther's despair. She also has a beautiful light soprano voice, and if I had been Werther, I would happily have run off with her as soon as Charlotte got married. Unfortunately for him, Werther is made of sterner stuff.”
Daily Express, May 2011
“Eri Nakamura was a perky Sophie.”
Musical Criticism.com, May 2011
“Eri Nakamura brought more spirit than usual to irritating Sophie.”
Financial Times, May 2011
Giulietta in Bellini I Capuleti e I Montecchi
Bayerische Staatsoper / cond. Yves Abel / dir. Vincent Boussard
“Eri Nakamura was the star of the show. Not only did she perform Bellini’s long cantilenas with effortless perfection, but she also showed once again what a good performance of Italian bel canto can be: not just pretty singing, but a medium for heartfelt expression and individual expressiveness.”
NMZ Online, March 2011
“Eri Nakamura upped the ante for the Munich ensemble even further. The Japanese soprano already acts and sings with the self-confidence of a budding bel canto diva. Her vocal contrasts were more varied, her phrasing more expansive and aggressive, and her top notes freer than ever. And all underpinned by that dark yet unveiled soprano tone that one would wish for Netrebko’s voice, for whom Nakamura stepped in spectacularly two years ago in London.”
Merkur Online, March 2011
“Juliet looked like one of Degas’ ballerinas: delicate, vulnerable, more dream than reality. Eri Nakamura possessed a vivid stage presence, and her singing was equally of the highest possible standard.”
Münchner Abendzeitung & Der Neue Merkur, March 2011
“The dainty Japanese soprano Eri Nakamura (who stepped in for Anna Netrebko in the same role at London’s Covent Garden two years ago) excelled, with her powerful stage presence and delicately shaped soprano voice, which remained outstanding even in the most exposed high passages.”
Mittelbayerische Zeitung, March 2011
“Eri Nakamura, the intense and filigree-voiced soprano from Japan, painted a touching picture of the passion and vulnerability of youth.”
Epoch Times, March 2011
"Eri Nakamura sang Giulietta wonderfully, rich in color and with much strength." (translation from German)
Jörn Florian Fuchs, Tiroler Tageszeitung, March 2011
Susanna in Mozart Le nozze di Figaro
Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / cond. Sir Colin Davis / David McVicar production
“It instantly became clear that she is a very major talent indeed…She has a distinctively rich timbre to her voice, and in almost every register. It is the tone of a mature alto, but with the range and flexibility of a young soprano, a beguiling combination. Musically, she is also the perfect partner to Schrott, both have the agility for Mozart’s acrobatics and similarly rich tone colour. Those first act duets have never sounded so convincing.”
Gavin Dixon, Seen & Heard, June 2010
“Eri Nakamura in her glowingly and intelligently sung Susanna, refreshingly free of coyness, yet both feisty and wonderingly wide-eyed.”
Hilary Finch,
The Times, June 2010
“Susanna, nicely but daintily played by Eri Nakamura, who struck her best vocal form with a beautifully poised Deh vieni non tardar.”
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph, June 2010
“Eri Nakamura’s Susanna has the moral fibre to stand up to (Figaaro) and sings a well-sculpted “Deh vieni”, floated on a gleaming tone and beautifully accompanied by the conductor, Colin Davis”
Richard Fairman, The Financial Times, June 2010
“...Eri Nakamura's Susanna...finely sung and acted”
Tim Ashley, The Guardian, June 2010
“Eri Nakamura as Susanna led a high-quality cast”
Fiona Maddocks, The Observer, June 2010
“Eri Nakamura’s sweet-toned Susanna held her own in this more experienced company...(...Susanna is Mozart’s most demanding “soubrette” role, written for a prima donna, and Nakamura has all the gifts to grow into the part.)”
Hugh Canning, The Sunday Times, June 2010
“The leading light is…Eri Nakumura, honey-voiced and vulnerable as Susanna (she) offers balm to the ear through the tenderness and grace (she) brings to McVicar’s re-thought staging of Act Four.“
Mark Valencia, What’s On Stage, June 2010
“Eri Nakamura’s Susanna was first-rate, well-sung and most spiritedly acted, with a delightful 'Venite, inginocchiatevi'."
Stephen Jay-Taylor, Opera Britannia, June 2010
“Susanna beautifully played by the Japanese soprano Eri Nakamura”
William Hartston, The Daily Express, June 2010
Musetta in Puccini La boheme
Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / cond. Maurizio Benini / John Copley revival production
“One of Covent Garden’s most promising young interns, the Japanese soprano Eri Nakamura, was a delightful Musetta. Not only is she young and pure of voice unlike some of the old boilers Covent Garden often find for this role, she also has undoubted talent as a comedienne.”
David Mellor, Mail on Sunday, January 2010
Frasquita in Bizet Carmen
Royal Opera House / cond. Bertrand de Billy / dir. Francesca Zambello
“Amongst the smaller roles, Eri Nakamura's Frasquita must be singled out for the ease with which she carried off the top lines in the ensembles, and the zest she brought to her characterisation of the gypsy.”
John Woods, Musical Criticism, October 2009
Jette Parker Young Artists Programme Summer Concert
Royal Opera House / cond. Rory Macdonald, Dominic Grier & Daniele Rustioni / dir. Thomas Guthrie
“The duet between Manon, Eri Nakamura, and Des Grieux, Ji-Min Park, Ah! Viens, Manon, je t’aime! was... international class opera singing.”
Jim Pritchard, MusicWeb International, July 2009
“Both Ji-Min Park and Eri Nakamura sang powerfully and expressively.”
John-Pierre Joyce, Music OMH, July 2009
“The heroine of the following scene – from Act 3 of Manon - was even more compelling in Eri Nakamura’s poignant and luscious interpretation.”
Simon Thomas, What’s On Stage, July 2009
BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition - Final
St. David’s Hall / cond. Paul Daniel
“Japanese soprano Eri Nakamura's highly accomplished singing also marked her as a serious prospect.”
Rian Evans, The Guardian, June 2009
“Nakamura is a petite woman with a surprisingly big voice, projected with plenty of spin and reminiscent of Mirella Freni. She impressed in Juliette’s ‘Je veux vivre’, then swopped over to Giulietta for ‘Oh! quante volte’. Liù’s ‘Tu che di gel sei cinta’ was shaped with welcome dignity, even heroism, while Strauss’ song Cäcilie brought long-breathed phrasing and surging passion.”
Yehuda Shapiro, Opera Now, June 2009
Gianetta in Donizetti L’elisir d’amore
Royal Opera House / cond. Bruno Campanella / dir. Laurent Pelly
“And it’s rare for Giannetta, the smallest singing role, to garner any profile – but Eri Nakamura shone.”
Andrew Clark, Financial Times, May 2009
“For pure, spontaneous tenderness, it’s actually Eri Nakamura’s sweet Giannetta who comes closest.”
Neil Fisher, The Times, May 2009
“Eri Nakamura as Giannetta proved an emerging and noteworthy vocal personality.”
Martin Kettle, The Guardian, May 2009
“And the sweet-faced Japanese soprano Eri Nakamura, as a village girl, shows much promise. .. a considerable talent to watch.”
Paul Callan, Sunday Express, May 2009
Witch in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas
Royal Opera House / cond. Christopher Hogwood / dir. Wayne McGregor
“Miss Watson and Miss Nakamura both gave performance of a very high standard... Dido and Aeneas is not an opera many would describe as ‘enjoyable’, but the Witches; and Sailor’s scenes came close...”
PrimiDivi.com, May 2009
“Her young witches Eri Nakamura and Pumeza Matshikiza sang brightly with better diction...”
Sue Loder, Opera Today, May 2009
Giulietta in Bellini’s I Capuleti e I Montecchi
Royal Opera House / cond. Mark Elder / dir. Pier Luigi Pizzi
“Nothing so far could have prepared the audience for the confidence, brilliance and pathos of her appearance in such a challenging role as Bellini’s heroine. Legato, coloratura, breath control, intonation and beauty of timbre were all securely in place. For Nakamura the future looks bright indeed.”
John McCann, Opera, May 2009
“It was in fact a very enjoyable evening - Eri Nakamura was superb and received a well-deserved ovation.”
Intermezzo.com, March 2009
“Her petit and slim body made the couple Romeo-Giulietta visually credible. She was a credible Giulietta, torn between passion and duty... the evening was electrifying. Nakamura rose to the occasion with passion and skill. A star is born...”
Rec.music.opera, March 2009
Sandman in Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel
Royal Opera House / cond. Colin Davies & Robin Ticciati / dir. Moshe Leiser & Patrice Caurier
“Eri Nakamura’s Sandman and Simona Mihai’s Dew Fairy were both nicely done...”
Intermezzo, December 2008
“A charming Sandman from Eri Nakamura, done up as Hervé Villechaise in a white dwarf-suit...”
Stephen Jay-Taylor, rec.music.opera, December 2008
Fifth Maid in R. Strauss’s Elektra
Royal Opera House / cond. Mark Elder / dir. Charles Edwards
“Eri Nakamura was impressive as the Fifth Maid...”
Hugo Shirley, MusicalCriticism.com, November 2008
“...the fifth Maid [is] a fine portrayal from Eri Nakamura, a Jette Parker Young Artist...”
Mark Berry, Seen & Heard.com, November 2008
“…the five charladies at the beginning were the strongest - and certainly most accurately sung - team in my experience, with a powerhouse, gleaming soprano as the fifth maid (Eri Nakamura)…”
Stephen Jay-Taylor, rec.music.opera, November 2008