You may not have heard about Nicholas Agius Darmanin, but you will very soon. Alex Vella Gregory finds out more about the young Maltese tenor who has just been shortlisted for the BBC Cardiff Singer of the Year 2015.
The world is a weirdly wonderful place. We live our lives intersecting with other people’s paths and sharing in other people’s stories never quite knowing where things will lead.
I first met Nicholas Agius Darmanin 14 years ago, at Junior College. We were preparing for the annual school musical soirée, and in walked Nicholas wanting to audition for a song.
I was sitting at the piano, with a group of friends gathered around and Agius Darmanin just put the music in front of me and requested me to play through Mancini’s A Time for Us from the film Romeo and Juliet. He got the part.
Agius Darmanin’s first love was musical theatre. Ever since he debuted as Prince Charming in a school production when he was four years old, his attraction to the stage remained.
It wasn’t until he started vocal tuition with soprano Gillian Zammit that he came into contact with the world of opera. “At first I tried to sing like Pavarotti, but Gillian was the one who guided me and brought out my voice and I just felt like my heart belonged to opera.”
Agius Darmanin feels no regret at having crossed over into opera and neither should he. The young tenor has been slowly carving a career for himself locally and abroad.
His boldest step was to pursue a Masters degree in singing at the Royal College of Music in London. At the Royal College he met Edward Batting, a vocal coach who was also the pianist for soprano Maria Cleva.
Thanks to his added support and extra tuition Agius Darmanin was ready to go into the operatic world.
It is then that he decided to take a year out. One has to admire the tenacity for someone on the brink of an operatic career to take a year out as soon as he graduated.
But that was really a crucial year for him, and he was soon chosen to join the National Opera Studio. Basically, all major operatic companies in the UK have invested in this select school for handpicked vocalists which gives them intensive training in opera.
“What I learnt at the National Opera Studio was not just how to sing opera, but also about acting, physical aspects and musicality in opera. You learn to take care of yourself mentally and physically because ultimately your body is your instrument. And you also learn about the importance of the text, because at the end of the day you are telling a story.”
It is through the National Opera Studio that he landed his first big contract, Verdi’s Les Vespers Siciliennes with Antonio Pappano at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, an experience he describes as “intense” “an ordeal” and “fantastic”.
The BBC Cardiff singer Award is roughly the European Cup of classical singing
Tackling a full scale opera is daunting in itself, but having your Covent Garden debut at just under 30 years of age is no mean feat.
He has also found his vocal niche. As much as he adores Pavarotti and Joseph Calleja (the latter being particularly dear to him because of the Maltese connection), his voice is that of a different type of tenor.
Agius Darmanin is more at home with Mozart and the bel canto world of Rossini, Donizetti and company.
Agius Darmanin finds it very hard to pin down his favourite role or composer. “I always find that my favourite role is always the last one I”ve done.”
He fell in love with Don Ottavio in Mozart”s Don Giovanni for the sense of composure and classiness it gave him, and Don Ramiro in Rossini’s La Cenerentola for its vigour and excitement.
He is also at home with art song, something which not all operatic singers can or want to tackle.
“Art song exposes your inner being and your character; it finds you and you find it. There are certain songs and composers that you find yourself in.”
For Agius Darmanin, it is in French and Italian art song that he finds himself most comfortable, especially Debussy, Faure and Massenet.
“I have studied German lieder as well, but I feel I don’t do it justice and that there are others who can sing it better than me.”
Whatever the genre, the most striking thing about Agius Darmanin is the excitement with which he speaks about his career.
He is also acutely aware of the need to gather as much experience as he possibly can, which is why he has participated in so many masterclasses with some of the world’s greatest singers including Mirella Freni, Kiri Te Kanawa, Juan Diego Florez and Joyce di Donato.
“Master classes are very difficult,” says Agius Darmanin apologetically.
“You only get twenty minutes maximum and that’s pretty much it.” Still, he speaks enthusiastically about each master class, and he can identify precisely what he got from each.
But the best thing to happen to him so far was making the short list for the BBC Cardiff Singer of the Year 2015.
Now, let us put things into perspectives. The BBC Cardiff Singer Award is roughly the European Cup (if not the World Cup) of classical singing. Making it into the first round of about 350 applicants is like an eatery making it into the Michelin guide. So you can imagine what making it into the final 20 feels like.
And yet, Agius Darmanin speaks about it casually and calmly. Not that he is not excited about it (I cannot imagine him not being excited about anything musical), but he is treating this as an opportunity.
“It is about being there on stage and being heard. I have chosen a programme which I hope will showcase the best aspects of my voice, and I am just proud to be flying the Maltese flag.”
Well, I am certain that come the 14th of June 2015, when the competition goes underway, Agius Darmanin will do us proud. He will be making us proud for many years to come.
Nicholas Agius Darmanin will be performing tomorrow at 8pm at the Manoel Theatre, Valletta.
www.teatrumanoel.com.mt