Neil Nelson returns to South Florida Symphony Orchestra for its premiere of Mozart’s Requiem. 

Born in Kingston, Jamaica bass baritone Neil Nelson moved to the United States with his family at the age of 2, settling in Queens, New York. It has been said by colleagues and critics alike, that Mr. Nelson possesses one of the purest and most resonant bass baritone voices of recent times.

An excellent musician and linguist, Mr. Nelson graduated from The New England Conservatory of Music with a degree in music performance. Winning awards such as the Stephen Shrestinian Award for Excellence (Boston Lyric Opera), the Heinz Refuss Singing Actors Award (Orlando Opera), and appearing as a finalist in the New York Metropolitan Opera Auditions launched him into his professional career. Mr. Nelson has performed operatic roles with Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Palm Beach Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Berkshire Opera, Orlando Opera, The New York Harlem Opera Theater and the Tartar State Opera Theater in Kazan, Russia.

Mr. Nelson has performed such roles as Conte di Luna in Il Trovatore with Winter Opera St. Louis, Jake in Porgy and Bess with the Tatar State Opera Theater (Kazan, Russia), Bass Soloist in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 and featured Soloist in “American Song Book” with South Florida Symphony Orchestra, Scarpia in Tosca with the Union Avenue Opera and Pirate King in the Pirates of Penzance with Opera Theatre of St. Louis.

In addition, Mr. Nelson performed the roles of Tonio in Pagliacci with the St. Petersburg Opera, Schaunard in La bohème with Opera Naples, Hagen in Götterdämmerung with Union Avenue Opera, Sulpice in La Fille du Regiment with Palm Beach Opera, Leporello in Don Giovanni with Union Avenue Opera and covered Coline in La bohème with Palm Beach Opera.

Although opera is his first love, Neil has a passion for oratorio and concert stage. He has appeared as a soloist with ensembles such as the Lynn Conservatory Orchestra, the Ocean City Pops, the Southwest Florida Symphony, and the New England Conservatory Orchestra.

Other notable performances include the lead role in Porgy and Bess with South Florida Symphony Orchestra and the Tatarstan State Opera Theater (Kazan, Russia), Oroveso in Norma with Winter Opera Opera St. Louis and Bass Soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Masterworks Chorus of the Palm Beaches.

Mr. Nelson resides in South Florida with his wife and two daughters. When he is not singing, Neil can be found having fun with his family, fishing, or working with young men in his community as a mentor and a football coach.