Born in West Sussex, Nick Pritchard read music as a choral scholar at New College, Oxford and studied with Russell Smythe at the Royal College of Music International Opera School (RCMIOS) where he was the recipient of the Eric Joseph Shilling Prize. He was awarded the London Bach Society Singer’s Prize in 2013 and is currently a Samling Artist.
Recent opera roles include Prologue The Turn of the Screw for Opera Holland Park, Telemaco for Iford Arts under Christian Curnyn, Paulino The Secret Marriage for British Youth Opera (for which he won the Dame Hilda Bracket award from Sadler’s Wells), Ruggiero in Caccini’s La Liberazione di Ruggierio for the Brighton Early Music Festival, Tamino Die Zauberflöte and the title role in Albert Herring for the RCMIOS, Matthew in Mark Simpson’s Pleasure for Opera North, Aldeburgh and The Royal Opera, Acis Acis and Galatea for Handel House with La Nuova Musica under Laurence Cummings, Aquilio in J.C. Bach's Adriano in Siria for the Classical Opera Company, and Telemaco The Return of Ulysses and Mercurio La Calisto, both for English Touring Opera.
Recent and future engagements include Lysander A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Aldeburgh Music Festival, Amphinomus Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria for the Royal Opera House, Ferrando Così fan tutte for Opera Holland Park, Henry Crawford Mansfield Park for The Grange Festival, Acis Acis and Galatea for the London Handel Festival under Laurence Cummings, Britten’s Les Illuminations and Serenade with L’Orchestre de Chambre de Paris under Adrien Perruchon, Charpentier’s Te Deum with the Early Opera Company at Wigmore Hall, a Schubert recital with Graham Johnson at Wigmore Hall, Bach’s B Minor Mass with The English Concert under Harry Bicket and at the Al Bustan Festival in Beirut, Bach’s St John Passion with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales under John Butt (arias), Polyphony and the OAE under Stephen Layton (Evangelist), and in New York with the Choir of New College, Oxford.
This biography is for information only and should not be reproduced.
Bach St John Passion, Polyphony
St John’s Smith Square (March 2018)
The Britten Sinfonia joined conductor Stephen Layton and his choir, Polyphony, in Bach’s St John Passion, with the tenor Nick Pritchard a supple, lucid Evangelist.
Fiona Maddocks, The Guardian
Nick Pritchard has sung the Evangelist with English Touring Opera, and here sang the whole thing from memory, using the score as he would a stage prop. He was both an observer of the action and a participant in it, spelling out the importance of what was unfolding, whilst showing us that he was affected by it. He created some wonderful moments of tension: the interminable wait after Peter’s denials, and the heartbreaking ‘und weintete bitterlich’ – Peter’s bitter weeping as he realises what he has done.
Ruth Hansford, Planet Hugill
Handel Acis and Galatea (Acis), London Handel Festival
St John’s Smith Square, March 2018
Among the engaging soloists, Nick Pritchard was especially impressive, singing Acis with sweetness and power
Richard Morrison, The Times
...the warm-toned Nick Pritchard
Richard Fairman, Financial Times
There was some very beautiful singing from Nick Pritchard as Acis
Sam Smith, MusicOMH****
Monteverdi The Return of Ulysses, Royal Opera
The Roundhouse, January 2018
Nick Pritchard … was one of three outstanding Suitors
Mark Valenica, WhatsOnStage
Britten St Nicolas, London Choral Sinfonia
St John’s Smith Square, December 2017
The tenor soloist, Nick Pritchard, achieved the ideal balance between the intimate confessional moments such as ‘Poor man! I found him solitary, racked by doubt: born, bred, doomed to die…’ and the grand declamatory phrases.
Melanie Eskenazi, MusicOMH****
Benjamin, Written on Skin (John/Angel 3), Melos Sinfonia
LSO St Luke's, October 2017
Nick Pritchard and Bethan Langford offer strong support as the interventionist angels and relatives, rounding out a precociously strong cast.
Alexandra Coghlan, The Arts Desk****
Terrific supporting performances, too, from Bethan Langford and Nick Pritchard.
Richard Morrison, The Times
Bethan Langford and Nick Pritchard brought a refreshing normality to their roles of Marie and John and struck stylized poses in their interventions as the Angels. Both sang with firmness and warmth … Pritchard’s tenor suave and buoyant.
Yehuda Shapiro, Opera Magazine
Dove Mansfield Park (Henry Crawford)
The Grange Festival, September 2017
“Nick Pritchard’s trenchant tenor admirably expressed Henry Crawford’s base and selfish motives”
Peter Reed, Classical Source ****
Nick Pritchard charmed with a gently-cushioned tenor
Yehuda Shapiro, Opera Magazine
“Pritchard made a highly elegant Henry using his lovely tenor to create a seductive line”
Robert Hugill, Planet Hugill
Britten A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lysander)
Aldeburgh Fesitval, Snape Maltings (June 2017)
…elsewhere there’s plenty of youthful energy from lover Nick Pritchard.
Hannah Nepil, The Financial Times
...striking performances from her principals, including the excellent, youthful quartet of lovers – Eleanor Dennis (Helena), Clare Presland (Hermia), Nick Pritchard (Lysander), George Humphreys (Demetrius).
Hugh Canning, Opera Magazine
Nick Pritchard’s Lysander was earnest and his tenor had an occasional grain which deepened the characterization.
Claire Seymour, Opera Today
The lovers – Lysander (Nick Pritchard), Hermia (Clare Presland), Demetrius (George Humphreys) and Helena (Eleanor Dennis) – were also well matched vocally. Each singer showed clearly defined characterisation in the frenzied world Shakespeare planted them in
Martyn Harrison, seenandheard-international.com
Lovers Nick Pritchard, George Humphreys, Eleanor Dennis and Clare Presland remind us just how much young British vocal talent is currently available.
Alexandra Coghlan, theartsdesk.com
But my, what a cast was there… Nick Pritchard as Lysander… we were spoilt royally.
Mark Valencia, whatsonstage.com
Clare Presland, Eleanor Dennis, Nick Pritchard and George Humphreys all sang with passion and spirit as their affections fluctuated.
Gareth Jones, The Ipswich Star
Bach St John Passion, English Touring Opera
Wiltshire Music Centre, Bradford on Avon (October 2016)
Of the young voices among the soloists – all required to move around the stage a good deal – tenor Nick Pritchard was the most impressive: the clarity of words, his full but sweet tone, together with the ability to inject an urgency into his sound without undue effort, stood out.
Rian Evans, The Guardian
Monteverdi Ulysses’ Homecoming (Telemachus)
English Touring Opera, Hackney Empire (October 2016)
But there are also outstanding performances from… Nick Pritchard’s forthright, attractive Telemachus.
Tim Ashley, The Guardian
Fine performance too from Nick Pritchard as the loyal son Telemachus.
Richard Morrison, The Times
The male voice trio with…Telemachus (Nick Pritchard) is sublime.
Michael Church, The Independent
The tenor Nick Pritchard was in glorious voice as their son Telemaco.
Peter Reed, Opera Magazine
Nick Pritchard’s outstanding Telemachus.
Alexandra Coghlan, The Spectator
Nick Pritchard is vital as his son Telemachus.
George Hall, The Stage
Pritchard exhibits tremendous stamina and focus.
Claire Seymour, Opera Today
As Telemachus, Nick Pritchard revealed fearless nobility, singing with strength and stamina.
Mark Ronan, markronan.com
Mark Simpson Pleasure (Matthew)
Opera North and on tour (May 2016)
Pritchard and Timothy Nelson are both affecting as two lost souls adrift in this Hedonistic Hades.
Alfred Hickling, The Guardian
Tenor Nick Pritchard as Matthew, vulnerable and hungry for love…brought ardour and, for want of a better word, muscularity.
Fiona Maddocks, The Observer
The four soloists are all very good…Timothy Nelson and Nick Pritchard as the two muddled young men in the case.
Rupert Christiansen, The Telegraph
The engaging tenor of Nick Pritchard.
Martin Dreyer, York Press
Britten St Nicolas
London Choral Sinfonia, St John's, Smith Square (December 2015)
I was certainly impressed by the soloist Nick Pritchard, who is one of the hot new tenors on the circuit and sang the title role with the ardour I recall from its finest exponent , the late Philip Langridge.
Michael White, Catholic Herald
La Liberazione di Ruggerio dall’Isola d’Alcina
Brighton Early Music Festival, The Old Market (November 2015)
Pritchard and Devin look and sound gorgeous.
Tim Ashley, The Guardian
King Arthur, Early Opera Company
Wigmore Hall (February 2015)
Six singers shared out the songs and doubled as chorus… Nick Pritchard, lofty and more serious…The whole thing was a classy entertainment, and hugely enjoyable.
Tim Ashley, The Guardian
The Secret Marriage
British Youth Opera (September 2013)
Tenor Nick Pritchard finds the perfect pace and tone-colour for his ardent recitatives.
Michael Church, The Independent
Everyone’s singing is a delight. Nick Pritchard and Alice Rose Privett are wonderfully tender and believable lovers.
Charlotte Valori, Bachtrack
Albert Herring
Royal College of Music International Opera School (July 2015)
At the heart of the drama is Nick Pritchard’s Albert, a performance that plays the long game. Sweetly timid (aided by a splendid pink pinny) and vocally restrained throughout Act I, Pritchard displays tremendous control, holding plenty back for his drunken Act II release. His is a lovely English tenor with a core of muscularity that gives promise of a Clayton-esque future, and beautifully showcased here in Britten’s writing. Dramatically too this Albert is nicely judged, displaying no obvious camp beyond a brief exchange of glances with the leather-jacketed extra from West Side Story who haunts the shop.
Alexandra Coghlan, The Arts Desk
Nick Pritchard’s Albert easily presided over the whole evening, his authority, pace and characterisation never in doubt. His drunken soliloquy revealed how skilfully he’d kept us waiting for him to take control, and his warm, lithe tenor did the rest in charm, melancholy and intensity. In its restrained way, it was a knock-out performance, and those don’t come around so often.
Peter Reed, Classical Source
Nick Pritchard’s Opera Repertoire
| Britten | Albert Herring (title) |
|---|---|
| Francesca Caccini | La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola di Alcina (Ruggiero) |
| Cimorosa | The Secret Marriage (Paulino) |
| Dove | Mansfield Park (Henry Crawford) |
| Handel | Acis and Galatea (Acis) |
| Monteverdi | L’incorazione di Poppea (L’incorazione di Poppea) |
| Mozart | Così fan tutte (Ferrando) |
| Ravel | L’heure Espagnole (Torquemada) |
Nick Pritchard’s Concert Repertoire
| Bach | B Minor Mass |
|---|---|
| Beethoven | Mass in C |
| Britten | Les Illuminations |
| Charpentier | Messe de Minuit |
| Handel | Israel in Egypt |
| Haydn | Nelson Mass |
| Jackson | The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ |
| Mendelssohn | Elijah |
| Monteverdi | Vespers of 1610 |
| Mozart | Mass in C minor |
| Purcell | King Arthur |
| Rossini | Petite Messe Solenelle |
