Japanese soprano Eri Nakamura shot to prominence in 08-09 when she stepped in to replace Anna Netrebko for one performance of Giulietta I Capuleti e i Montecchi conducted by Sir Mark Elder to critical and public acclaim:
“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.” Opera Magazine
She then reached the finals of both the Song and Orchestra Prizes at the prestigious 2009 Cardiff Singer of the World competition.
A member of the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Nakamura made her debut on the main stage in the 08-09 season singing 5th Maid Elektra, followed by Sandman Hänsel & Gretel, Giannetta L’elisir d’amore and extracts from Manon in the first year showcase as well as understudying Liu Turandot. This season, her final year on the programme, Nakamura performed Susanna Le nozze di Figaro, Musetta La boheme, Voice of Heaven Don Carlo, Frasquita Carmen and cover Micaela, Lauretta Gianni Schicci and Fiorilla Il Turco in Italia. She has been engaged to sing Sophie Werther in 2010 and Liu Turandot in 2013 as a guest artist.
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, Waldvogel Der Ring des Nibelungen, Ida and cover for Adele Die Fledermaus, Ilia Idomeneo under Dan Ettinger, Marzelline Fidelio under Cornelius Meister and Nannetta in Jonathan Miller’s production of Falstaff.
She has performed with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, most recently Mahler’s Symphony No.8, and made her debut with the London Philharmonic Orchestra singing Mahler Symphony No.4 which resulted in a re-invitation for Rossini Stabat Mater with Yannick Nezet-Seguin.
In the 2010-11 season she will join the ensemble of the Bayerische Staatsoper to sing Susanna, as well as Pamina, Zerlina, Giulietta I Capuleti e i Montecchi in a new production, Arbate Mitridate rei di Ponto also a new production and Naiad Ariadne auf Naxos.
Eri Nakamura sings her first Juliette Roméo et Juliette at the Teatro Municipal de Santiago de Chile in 2013 and has been invited to the Salzburg and Glyndebourne Festivals.
Eri Nakamura is represented in Europe by Intermusica and by CAMI in North America.
Ju;y 2010 / 404 words. Not to be altered without permission. Please destroy all previous biographical material.
Susanna / Le nozze di Figaro
Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / cond. Sir Colin Davis / David McVicar production
“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