Nicholas Muni

Nic Muni will utilize this website, leveraging his years of experience to share his thoughts on everything from getting started in the opera industry to advancing one’s skills as a singing actor. Before delving into the different blog posts of Nicholas Muni, it’s important to understand his background and what he has been able to achieve thus far in his career.

A native of the New Jersey, Nic Muni got his start as a scholarship student at the prestigious Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he studied vocal performance and conducting, as well as getting his start in theater work with the great Herbert Blau. Nicholas Muni would then study voice with the creator of the role of Porgy in Porgy and Bess, Todd Duncan. While juggling his various pursuits, Nicholas Muni was involved in different conducting and directing projects while also working as an ensemble member of The Theater Lab with Tony Abeson.

When aspiring performers or conductors ask for advice, Nic Muni frequently points out that there’s no substitute for a wide spectrum of study, which is especially helpful for those interested in a career in opera. Nicholas Muni continues in his desire to learn as much as possible today as he did during his studies several decades ago.

As with most aspiring artists looking to make it in the opera world, Nicholas Muni relocated to New York, where in 1982 he received a fellowship from the National Institute of Music Theater to study with Alberta Masiello, a renowned Metropolitan Opera coach and conductor. The following year, Nicholas Muni was appointed as Principal Stage Director and Artistic Advisor to the Kentucky Opera, a position that he held until 1988 when he moved on to serve as the Director of Drama with the Metropolitan Opera Young Artist Development Program. During this same period, Nicholas Muni also became an active member with the National Endowment for the Arts as an on-site evaluator and panelist for different project grants.

In the late 80’s and early 90’s, he based himself in beautiful Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he served as Artistic Director from 1988-1993. During his tenure, he produced and directed two American premieres (Rossini’s Armida and Le Trouvère, the French version of Verdi’s Il Trovatore), both of which were radio broadcast on National Public Radio and featured in their “World of Opera” series. The Armida featured state of the art projected imagery, which was at that time a novelty in opera production. Nic Muni also directed a new production of La Traviata which was set in the present day and which the New York City Opera purchased and presented at Lincoln Center for two seasons. Nic Muni credits his time in Tulsa for allowing him to grow his creativity and innovate in new and exciting ways. One such innovation came in the form of The Spanish Trilogy, in which new productions of Carmen, Fidelio and Il Barbiere di Siviglia were integrated into a cycle through a single concept and scenic design. These three productions went on to be presented in numerous opera houses across the United States of America and Canada.

As a stage director, Nicholas Muni has been engaged by opera companies in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. With more than three hundred productions under his belt, Nic Muni is often sought out to lend his expertise to challenging repertoire and productions situations. He made his European debut in 1993 and continued projects in western Europe through 2006, culminating in a world premiere at the Prague National Theater (La Conquista) and his creation of a new version of Showboat at Stadttheater Bern. 1993 also saw Nicholas Muni at the Boston Lyric Opera for the American premiere of the Neopolitan version of Bellini’s I Puritani. In 1996 Nicholas Muni was appointed the Artistic Director of the Cincinnati Opera Association, an astounding organization by virtue of being the second oldest opera company in the US and by having presented their productions at the Cincinnati Zoo during the first four decades of its existence. During the tenure of Nicholas Muni, Cincinnati Opera enjoyed incredible growth, more than doubling their operating budget, expanding their repertoire and by creating several heralded new productions. During his tenure from 1996-2005, Nic Muni played a leading role in two critical capital campaigns, the first of which raised more than $1 million to make technical improvements to the theater and purchase state-of-the-art lighting equipment, immediately transforming his first season at the helm in terms of the visual and acoustical presence in the famous Music Hall. Another capital campaign raised more than $12 million to help fund a new office and support increased production values on all the operas.

Nic Muni’s work at Cincinnati led to his appointment as Distinguished Artist-in-Residence and Professor of Opera with the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. This opportunity allowed Nic Muni to develop his love of teaching in a formal education environment as he taught advanced acting classes for singers, a course in professional development, a course in opera directing and various mentorship opportunities with the talented young artists with whom he worked.

In 2013, Nicholas secured teaching positions with two prestigious organizations, the Bard College Conservatory, and the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, where he worked as a Professor of Stagecraft and Acting. These roles allowed him to work with graduate singers while continuing to pursue his free-lance directing career. His mainstage productions there won opera competition awards every year, including the top prizes in the National Opera Association’s annual production competition for La Tragédie de Carmen, Florencia en el Amazonas, Higglety, Pigglety Pop/Die Zauberflöte and for Impressions de Pelléas. The latter also won top honors for the American Opera Prize competition.

2016 saw Nicholas Muni jump at the opportunity to direct and design the inaugural production (La Traviata) for a brand-new opera company in Hong Kong called More Than Musical, Ltd. After successfully launching the company, Nic Muni was named the Artistic Director of the Company and engaged to lead their second production of Puccini’s Tosca. Recently, Nic Muni moved to Delray Beach, Florida, where he works with several opera companies and programs throughout the Sunshine State. Nic Muni also offers masterclasses with various organizations and most recently has formed a relationship with the Berlin Opera Academy where he has directed two productions and taught acting classes.

Now that readers understand the sheer volume of Nic Muni’s work be sure to check back for his latest insights via the blog. Nicholas Muni thanks you for reading and for being a supporter of the arts.