Maltese Soprano, Malta Airport Foundation Ambassador and BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation Scholar, Nicola Said has an active international career on the operatic and concert stage. She performs frequently in her native country and throughout Europe, UK, USA, and the Middle East for top official delegate events.
Nicola recently performed in the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra‘s Summer Festival alongside Tenor Vittorio Grigolo. She has debuted the role of Mimì La Bohème with Instant Opera in Normansfield Theatre London, and made her operatic film debut as Madeline in Blat – The Island Fortress, the second opera in the first ever Maltese opera cycle Belt il-Bniedem (City of Humanity) composed by Reuben Pace. Nicola also premiered the role of Maria in Pace’s first opera of the cycle Swar, performed as part of the Valletta 2018 European Capital of Culture.
Nicola remained active throughout the pandemic. She performed in the Opening Concert of the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra APS Summer Festival, the first concert since Covid lockdown which adhered to social distancing. Other engagements in 2020 included a performance of “Forsi Hlomt…Discovering the Art of Maltese Song” at the Teatru Manoel (Toi Toi Education Programme), and the opening Teatru Manoel season “Barber, Bliss and Berg” performed with Christine Zerafa and ensemble. Engagements in 2021 included recording La BohèmeAct I Finale with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Gianluca Marcianò, recording Gilda’s aria in Viva Verdi: Rigoletto with Gaulitana Festival, performing the solo soprano in Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with the Classique Foundation and the solo soprano in Oratorio Guzeppi ta’ Nazareth (Colin Attard).
Nicola sung the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor (Festival Lyrique-en-Mer), covered the role of Nannetta in Falstaff (The Grange Festival), and Hlas Jenufa (Grange Park Opera). She reprised the role of Lucia in a revival of Fulham Opera’s production with Grimeborn at the Arcola Theatre in 2018. Other roles include Adele Die Fledermaus (Lyric Opera Studio Weimar), Adina Elixir of Love (New Sussex Opera), Blondchen Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Warsaw Chamber Opera), Zerlina Don Giovanni (Teatru Manoel), Queen of the Night The Magic Flute (Charles Court Opera), Zerbinetta Ariadne auf Naxos (Opera Project/West Green House Opera). She has also performed the title role in Ariane, Lucia The Rape of Lucretia and Rosaura Le Donne Curiose (Guildhall Opera), Barbarina Le Nozze di Figaro, La Fée Cendrillon, and Olympia Les Contes d’Hoffman (CSULB Opera).
Nicola has performed in Cadogan Hall, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Barbican Hall, St. John’s Smith Square, Garrick Club, and at the Royal Opera House as Echo in Laurence Osborne’s opera Narkissus and the Reflektions. Nicola has recorded and premiered Paul Carroll’s works at Abbey Road Studios with the Commonwealth Orchestra and has given recitals for HRH The Earl of Wessex in a Duke of Edinburgh event and at Kensington and Palace and St. James’s Palace. Other performances include Three Palaces Festival, Barrandov Opera, and the President’s New Year’s Concert with Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.
Nicola studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Yvonne Kenny, where she completed the Opera Course on full scholarship following her Masters in Vocal Performance which was fully funded by the Malta Arts Scholarship, Government of Malta. She completed her Bachelor of Music at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, California State University Long Beach with Shigemi Matsumoto. Nicola is a Talent Unlimited Artist, Peace and Prosperity Trust Young Artist, a Drake Calleja Trust Scholar, Samling Scholar, and a BOV Joseph Calleja Foundation Scholar. Nicola has received support from the Walter Hyde Memorial Trust, London Syndicate, Malta Arts Scholarship, Alfred H. Caplan Opera Scholarship and Frieda Caplan, Ian Tomlin Scholarship, Janatha Stubbs Foundation.
Nicola was nominated by Joseph Calleja (with whom she has performed in concert) to attend the Salzburg Mozarteum in summer 2014 where she won Second Prize in the Strauss Competition. She won First Prize and Audience Prize for the Fulham Opera Robert Presley Memorial 2017.
Nicola is Founder and Artistic Director of Malta Opera, a new opera organisation based in Malta. Conceived at the start of covid, Malta Opera focuses on engaging and promoting local talent while cultivating international collaborations.
Nicola is currently under the artistic guidance of Juliette Bisazza in Malta. Forthcoming engagements include the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor with Instant Opera, soprano solo in Rewwixta (Joseph Vella) with Festivals Malta, and Frasquita in Carmen with Teatru Astra.