Nathan Lay

Nathan completed his Bachelor of Music at the Melba Conservatorium of Music in 2008, later completing his Master of Music (Opera Performance) in 2015 at the University of Melbourne in conjunction with Victorian Opera’s Developing Artist Program.

He has won the National Liederfest, Australian Music Events’ Opera Scholar of the Year, the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Aria, and placed 3rd in the Herald Sun Aria. Nathan also won the 2016 Australian International Opera Award, allowing him to study with highly acclaimed tenor Dennis O’Neill at the Wales International Academy of Voice, whilst undertaking a Master of Arts in Advanced Vocal Studies.

Nathan has performed with Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, Melbourne Opera, Sydney Chamber Opera, The Song Company, iOpera, the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, and the Australian Philharmonic Orchestra.

Nathan’s performed roles with Victorian Opera include ‘The Baker/Billy Webster’ – Sunday in the Park with George, ‘The King’ – Puss in Boots, ‘Barone Douphol’ – La Traviata, ‘Father’ – Hansel and Gretel, ‘Bunyip Bluegum’ – The Magic Pudding The Opera, ‘Young Recruit’ in Richard Mills’ Remembrance alongside David Hobson, ‘Sir Riccardo Forth’ – I Puritani, in the quartet for Weill’s Die sieben Todsünden featuring Meow Meow, ‘Le Roi’ – Cendrillon, and ‘Mr. Mayor’ in Richard Mills’ world premiere of The Pied Piper. With Melbourne Opera, Nathan has performed ‘Schaunard’ – La Boheme, and Guglielmo – Cosi fan tutte.

In March 2017, Nathan was involved in the inaugural album release ‘Remembrance’ for Sony Masterworks Australia, featuring on 10 tracks. Later that year, Nathan played Prince ‘Tarquinius’ in Sydney Chamber Opera’s production of Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia.

In late 2018 Nathan joined popular Australian classical crossover group The Ten Tenors, touring with them in Australia and internationally. In 2021, Nathan performed the title role ‘Narcissus’ in Victorian Opera’s new commission Echo and Narcissus, and was nominated for a Green Room Award for ‘Outstanding Performer in a Leading Role’.

Since early 2020, Nathan has been employed by Opera Australia as a member of their full-time chorus. A couple of role highlights since joining the company include ‘Commissioner’ in Madama Butterfly performed on Sydney Harbour, the ‘3rd Noble’ in Lohengrin alongside an outstanding cast featuring Jonas Kaufmann, as well as stepping in at short notice to perform ‘Yamadori’ in Madama Butterfly, and as a result, making his mainstage role debut at the Sydney Opera House.

In the recent film ‘Falling for Figaro’, Nathan dubbed the singing voice of the lead character Max, played by Hugh Skinner.