James Nelson, from Sligo (though a resident in Baltinglass in West Wicklow), is a BA., B.Mus (Hons) graduate from University College Dublin. James was a student of David Harper (UK), Britta Sundberg (Sweden), Edith Forrest, and Dr. Veronica Dunne (Ireland).
Highlights from an oratorio repertoire of over 60 works include Frank Martin’s Golgotha in Bern and Zürich Cathedrals, L’Enfance du Christ” (Berlioz) alongside Katia Ricciarelli in Rome and Florence, Elgar’s Gerontius, Verdi's Requiem, Britten’s St Nicolas, Haydn’s Creation, the Bach Passions, and more.
More than 50 roles in opera and operetta include Tichon (Katya Kabanova) for Opera Theatre Company in Portugal, Josef (Wiener Blut) and Cecco (Il Mondo della Luna) also for OTC, Basilio (Figaro) for Scottish Opera under the baton of Raymond Leppard, Pinkerton (Butterfly) at Hever Castle in Kent, Snout/Wall (Midsummer Night’s Dream) for Singapore Lyric Opera, Cavaradossi (Tosca) and Calaf (Turandot) for Opera in the Open, Lensky (Onegin) in Russia, Alfredo (Traviata) at Como in Italy, and roles for Opera Ireland, Opera Liceu, New Israeli Opera, and the Wexford, Buxton, and Blackwater Valley Opera Festivals.
For 13 years, James wrote a column for the “Sligo Weekender” called “Nelson’s Column.” He was also part of an ongoing building project in Kenya (Kenya Build), helping give AIDS orphans a second chance at life, building and upgrading their accommodation and education facilities. For the last few years, James has been the singing teacher at Carlow College of Music. Even more recently, and in addition to The Celtic Tenors tours, James has been touring his first ever one-man show, Singing for his Supper.