Emma Nash



Emma Nash ©Mike Hannon

Guest Artist – MMVC Spring Concert 2017
Guest Artist – MMVC Spring Concert 2019
Guest Artist – MMVC Spring Concert 2023

Irish soprano Emma Nash has been described as “outstanding…with a vivid stage presence” by The Arts Desk (Orpheus in the Underworld 2014), “splendid” by Opera Magazine (Der Vampyr 2014) and a soprano with a “exciting, individualised vocal colour” by Opera Today (Hansel and Gretel, Wexford Festival Opera 2015). Emma graduated with distinction from the M.A in Opera Performance course at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama where she was winner of the Lee Freeman Scholarship Prize, the Dolan Evans Award and a Leverhulme Scholarship. Recent engagements include the role of Valencienne in a concert performance of The Merry Widow at the Cork Opera House. This was the second instalment of The Cork Opera House Concert Performance Series following the success of La Traviata (June 2016) in which Emma sang the roles of Aninna and Flora. In 2015 Emma made her Wexford Festival Opera debut as Gretel in Hansel and Gretel and chorus in the mainstage productions of Koanga and Le Pré aux Clercs. She also made her solo debut with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra in December at The National Concert Hall under the baton of Christopher Bell. In May 2015 Emma enjoyed great success as Gilda in Opera Theatre Company’s national tour of Rigoletto directed by Selina Cartmel. She went on to cover Gilda for Longborough Festival Opera in July. In March 2017 Emma travelled to Naples, Florida, USA to sing at the Kind Mariners Charity Gala.

Emma is passionate about contemporary opera having performed in a workshop performance of Irene Buckleys new opera Lament for Art O Leary as part of the 2015 Midsummer Festival in Cork. She played the role of Narrator in Brian Irvine’s new opera The Oldest Woman in Limerick with Wide Open Opera in 2014. She created the role of Joan in Irene Buckleys live score for The Passion of Joan of Arc which since premiering at the Cork French Film Festival has enjoyed successes at Glasgow Film Festival and Union Chapel London among others.

A student of Suzanne Murphy other notable roles include Lucia in The Rape of Lucretia (Irish Youth Opera) and Janthe in Der Vampyr (The Everyman/Cork Operatic Society).

Emma has appeared as a guest soloist for the Welsh National Opera with David Pountney at the Vale of Glamorgan Festival where she showcased the work of contemporary opera composer Elena Langer. She sang the role of Moppet in the Royal Philharmonic Society opera award winning production of Paul Bunyan with the Welsh National Youth Opera (Wales Millennium Centre).

Other highlights include soprano soloist with the RWCMD Badinerie Ensemble (St Martin in the Fields), Pamina in the The Magic Flute (RWCMD), Lucia in The Rape of Lucretia (RWCMD), The Controller (cover) in Flight (RWCMD), Eurydice in Orpheus in the Underworld (Opera’r Ddraig), First Niece in Britten’s Women at the Bath International Music Festival (RWCMD) and scenes from Ariadne auf Naxos (Zerbinetta), The Cunning Little Vixen (Vixen), and Falstaff (Nanetta) with the RWCMD Concert Orchestra all conducted by David Jones.

An alumna of Opera Theatre Company’s Young Associate Artist Programme Emma is a recipient of a Help Musicians U.K Sybil Tutton Award and two Arts Council Travel and Training Awards.

Upcoming engagements (2023) include The Beatles Prom at The Cork Opera House.

Recent engagements include the role of Cuileann in the world premiere of Morrígan by John O Brien at The Cork Opera House, the roles of The Sandman/Dew-Fairy in the Irish Times Award winning production of Hansel and Gretel with Irish National Opera/Theatre Lovett and the roles of Die Vertraute/ Fünfte Magd in INO’s sold out run of Strauss’ Elektra as part of The Kilkenny Arts Festival.

Other opera highlights include roles with Wexford Festival Opera, Irish National Opera, Welsh National Opera, Opera Collective Ireland and Longborough Opera Festival.

Concert highlights include performances with the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Monteverdi Choir, City of Dublin Chamber Orchestra and The Cork Concert Orchestra

During the Covid-19 pandemic Emma participated in a range of digital performances including the critically acclaimed 20 Shots of Opera with Irish National Opera and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. The Wallstreet Journal praised A Message for Marty by Conor Mitchell as “hilarious, opera extremism in modern dress”. Emma also appeared in Irish National Opera’s Casta Diva pilot event with Cork Opera House, A Diva Christmas live from COH and Diva with The Cork Orchestral Society.

Emma is a featured artist alongside rappers MuRli and God Knows in Body & Soul Festivals new movie Ériu which premiered at the Lighthouse Cinema Dublin and is available to stream on the RTÉ Player.

Spring 2017:

Emma was a guest artist at the Mayo Male Voice Choir annual Spring Concert on the 27th April, 2017 at Ballintubber Abbey, County Mayo. Of her performance the compère Frank Forde felt moved to say “We have heard an angel in the Abbey tonight”



Other upcoming engagements (at 2017) included a new opera composed by Tom Lane and directed by Conor Hanratty as part of the 2017 Cork Midsummer Festival. In October 2017 Emma will return to Wexford Opera Festival to sing the role of Polly in the world premier of The Dubliners composed by Andrew Sinnott and the role of Handmaiden in Medea directed by Fiona Shaw.

Emma will be appearing in the MMVC Spring Concert on 28th April, 2023.

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