Much sought after for his versatility both vocally and dramatically, Rod Nelman’s repertoire ranges from Richard Strauss, Verdi and Wagner to Mozart, Donizetti and Rossini. In 2012 Rod has return engagements with Utah Opera as Dr. Dulcamara in “L’Elisir d’Amore” where he has previously sung Mustafa in “L’Italiana in Algeri” and Ben Hubbard in “Regina”; Fort Worth Opera as both Dr. Bartolo in “Le Nozze di Figaro” and the Sacristan in “Tosca” where he has also performed Don Magnifico in “La Cenerentola”, Basilio in “Il Barbiere di Siviglia”, Mustafa in “L’Italiana in Algeri” and Dr Dulcamara in “L’Elisir d’Amore”, and Des Moines Metro Opera as Leporello in “Don Giovanni” where he recently sang the title role in “Don Pasquale” and Oscar Hubbard in “Regina”. Earlier this season he returned to the Metropolitan Opera as Dr. Bartolo (cover) in “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” performed the title role in “Don Pasquale” with the North Shore Music Festival, and Monterone in “Rigoletto” with Michigan Opera Theater. He has also covered Henry Kissinger in “Nixon in China”, the Sacristan in “Tosca” and Gambler in “the Gambler” at the Metropolitan Opera
Notable roles in his repertoire include George in “Of Mice and Men” for The Washington National Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Florentine Opera, New York City Opera, and Kentucky Opera, Fasolt in “Das Rheingold” with the Indianapolis Symphony and Indianapolis Opera, Wotan and the Wanderer in Wagner’s “Ring” with Long Beach Opera and Pittsburgh Opera Theater, Morosus in “Die Schweigsame Frau” with Long Beach Opera, the Commendatore in “Don Giovanni” with Michigan Opera Theater, Mustafa in “L’Italiana in Algeri” with New York City Opera, and Knoxville Opera, Bartolo in “Le Nozze di Figaro” with Palm Beach Opera, New York City Opera, Indianapolis Opera, and Opera Festival of New Jersey, Basilio in “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” with Portland Opera, Kentucky Opera, El Paso Opera, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City, the title role in “Don Pasquale” with Opera Quebec, Orlando Opera, Skylark Opera and Virginia Opera, Dulcamara in “L’Elisir d’Amore” with the Washington National Opera and Orlando Opera, Bartolo in “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” with Opera Carolina Opera North and Orlando Opera, Sulpice in “La Fille du Regiment” for the Indianapolis Opera, Leporello in “Don Giovanni” for Virginia Opera, Opera Grand Rapids, and the Blossom Music Festival, Nourabad in “Les Pecheurs des Perles” for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Colline in “La Boheme” for Florida Grand Opera and Dayton Opera, Don Alfonso in “Cosi fan tutte” with Sacramento Opera, Luther and Crespel in “Les Contes d’Hoffman” with New York City Opera and Edmonton Opera, Timur in “Turandot” for the Rochester Philharmonic and Chattanooga Opera, Olin Blitch in “Susannah” with Opera North, Leopold Mozart in Michael Nyman’s “Letters, Riddles and Writs” with Long Beach Opera, Scarpia in “Tosca” with Sacramento Opera, Dr. Grenvil in La Traviata with the Washington National Opera, Pittsburgh Opera and New York City Opera, Padre Anton in “El Gato Montes” with Washington National Opera, the Sacristan in “Tosca” with Washington National Opera, Pamira Opera, and Opera North, and Zuniga in “Carmen”, Kublai Kahn in “Marco Polo”, Bonze in “Madama Butterfly”, and Farfarello in “The Love for Three Oranges” all at New York City Opera. In Europe, he has appeared with Arena di Verona as Henry Kissinger in “Nixon in China”, with Opera Nantes as Wesener in Gurlitt’s “Soldaten”, and has toured France and Spain as Dr. Bartolo in “Il Barbiere di Siviglia.”
On the concert stage he has appeared with the Milwaukee Symphony as bass soloist in Mozart’s Mass in C-minor, Virginia Symphony as bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah, El Paso Symphony as bass soloist in Mozart’s Mass in C-minor, Michigan State University Orchestra as bass Soloist in the Verdi Requiem, Lansing Symphony in a recital of Copland’s “Old American Songs”, Musica 21 in the title role of Kevin Puts’ “Einstein on Mercer Street”, Orlando Philharmonic in Mozart’s Concert aria “Per questa bella mano”, and Jacksonville Symphony as bass soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.
Mr. Nelman is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music and was awarded the Verdi Prize in the Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition as well as First Prize in Orlando Opera’s Heinz Rehfuss Singing Actors Competition. He was also a member of the Pittsburgh Opera Center, Central City Opera, Blossom Music Festival, and Cincinnati Opera’s young artists program.