Nathan Berg

A “tall, majestic bass” with “impeccable technique” and “a palpable presence on stage,” Canadian bass-baritone Nathan Berg’s career has spanned a vast range of repertoire on the concert and operatic stage. In the 2025-2026 season, Mr. Berg will return to Theater Basel as Hamm in Kurtág’s Fin de partie in a new production by David Marton, sing Sparafucile in Rigoletto with Vancouver Opera, and Scarpia in concert performances of Tosca with the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. In concert, he joins the Minnesota Orchestra for Bluebeard’s Castle with Thomas Søndergård, and concerts of opera highlights with Edmonton Opera.

In the 2024-2025 season, Nathan Berg returned to Theater Basel for Wanderer in Siegfried and later, full Ring Cycles as Wotan. With Opéra de Montréal, he performed Claudius in Thomas’ Hamlet, and Filippo in Don Carlo with Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra. In concert, Nathan sang Walton’s Belshezzar’s Feast with Atlanta Symphony, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Gemma New at the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and concerts of Das Rheingold as Alberich with the Pacific Symphony.

Richard Wagner has played a major role in Nathan Berg’s career, most recently performing Wotan in Wagner’s Das Rheingold and Die Walküre in a new Ring cycle at Theater Basel, directed by Benedikt von Peter Other opportunities have included the title role in Der fliegende Holländer at Cincinnati Opera, Alberich in Das Rheingold with Opéra de Montréal and Minnesota Opera, Alberich in Siegfried with the National Performing Arts Center in Taipei, excerpts of Hans Sachs in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg with the Taiwan Philharmonic, Wotan in Das Rheingold with the Badisches Staatstheater in Karlsruhe, and the understudy of Alberich in the full Ring Cycle at the Metropolitan Opera.

Nathan Berg and made his Metropolitan Opera debut as The Father in Matthew Aucoin’s Eurydice. Additional appearances at the Metropolitan Opera included Count Capulet in Roméo et Juliette, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin as well as understudies of Balstrode in Peter Grimes, Filippo in Don Carlos, Timur in Turandot, Comte de Grieux in Manon, and the Marquis in Dialogues des Carmélites. At Theater Basel, he has performed the title role of Messiaen’s Saint François d’Assise and King Philippe in Don Carlos.

More opera appearances include the Atlanta Opera, where he has performed Jochanaan in Salome, Der Einarmige in Die Frau ohne Schatten with Festspielhaus Baden-Baden and Rotterdam Philharmonic; with the Salzburger Festspiele Whitsun Festival singing The King of Scotland in Christof Loy’s production of Ariodante opposite Cecilia Bartoli in the title role, and Douglas d’Angus in La donna del lago, also opposite Cecilia Bartoli, Bluebeard in Mariusz Treliński’s new production of Bluebeard’s Castle for Teatr Wielki, Vodnik in Rusalka with Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts, Zoroastro in Orlando with the Semperoper Dresden, Melisso in Alcina with Les Violons du Roy, Alcide in Alceste with Les Epopées in Paris (later released as a recording), Palémon in Thaïs with the Toronto Symphony, and the Doktor in Wozzeck with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic and Markus Stenz.

A celebrated concert artist, Nathan Berg’s recent engagements include the Boston Symphony as Bluebeard under Karina Canellakis, with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra as Pater Profondus in Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 under Semyon Bychkov, and with the Colorado Symphony for Messiah. Additional concert appearances included Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with major orchestras including the LA Philharmonic, Melbourne Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, and Grand Teton Music Festival (conducted by Donald Runnicles), Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius with the Melbourne Symphony, Bamberg Symphony, Vancouver Symphony and Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias; Bach’s Mass in B minor with Orchestre Métropolitain, Bruckner’s Te Deum with the New Jersey Symphony, Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem at the Grant Park Music Festival, Lélio with the Helsinki Philharmonic, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with Hannu Lintu and the Finnish Radio Orchestra and BBC Scottish Symphony, and Rachmoninoff’s The Bells with the St. Louis Symphony.

As a Grammy, Juno and Echo Award-winning recording artist, Mr. Berg has performed on over 30 recordings of works ranging from the 17th to 20th century with period to modern orchestras. Early in his career, alongside building a solid reputation in major Mozart roles, Nathan Berg established his name around the world as an outstanding interpreter of baroque and pre-classical music in both concert repertoire and opera. Notable amongst his many early recordings with Les Arts Florissants are Mozart’s Requiem and Handel’s Messiah, and video recordings of Rameau’s Les Indes Galantes (Opéra de Paris) and Lully’s Armide (Théâtre des Champs-Elysées). Other noteworthy earlier recordings are Dvořák’s Stabat Mater with Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Peter Hall’s Glyndebourne Festival production of Rossini’s La Cenerentola, as well as lieder recordings, including songs by Othmar Schoeck, and featured on the album ‘Lieder Recital’ with pianist Julius Drake. Recent releases include Wozzeck (Doktor) with the Houston Symphony conducted by Hans Graf, Dvořák’s Requiem with the Royal Flemish Philharmonic conducted by Philippe Herreweghe, Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 with the San Francisco Symphony conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas and Les Indes Galantes conducted by Christophe Rousset with Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse.

Born in Saskatchewan, Nathan Berg studied in Canada, the United States, and Paris, as well as at the Guildhall School of Music, London, where he won the prestigious Gold Medal for Singers. He resides in Montréal with his wife Eva.