From East Schodack to Germany is a long way. It’s an even longer trip from Rensselaer County to the stage of grand opera — and Nick Manzella is on his way. The graduate of Columbia High School in East Greenbush has achieved the rare distinction by being chosen for the master’s degree in opera and music performance at Hanover University in Germany. After he auditioned for the program, he was one of only six students selected out of 36 international applicants. He was the only American chosen.
Manzella, who just graduated from The Crane School of Music at SUNY/Potsdam, has been interested in classical music for a long time, but he didn’t immediately imagine himself pursuing it as a career.
“I enjoyed singing in high school and liked classical music,” he said, “but didn’t take anything too seriously.”
One reason for that, he continued, is that “I didn’t fully realize the depth of talent I had until college, where I discovered my operatic tenor voice. I did quite a turn-around while in college, quit smoking and decided to see where opera would take me. Originally, I had intended to graduate from Crane with a music education degree but ended up with a double in music education and vocal performance.”
At Hanover, which was founded in 1831, he continued, “I’ll be in a program which will school me in the tools I’ll need for the rest of my career — foreign languages, acting and singing technique. Since it’s a school in Germany, the lectures will be in German.”
He has his life mapped out well beyond the classroom. After he attains his degree, Manzella said, “I’ll begin to build a reputation with opera houses, first in Germany and then perhaps elsewhere in Europe.”
As he approaches the fulfillment of his dream, he reflected that “I have always had a connection with classical music. I was always fond of the grand and powerful effects it has on listeners. I was happy when I realized that, as a singer, I had a shot to fit into that wonderful genre. The stories associated with opera are very entertaining. With everything from a solid classic like ‘Othello’ to the infamous acts of ‘Salome,’ there’s something for everybody!”
While he has a fascination for classical music, Manzella revealed that he has other tastes.
“I admire Freddie Mercury for his raw talent and beautiful voice,” he said of the rock singer who fronted Queen. Another of his favorites is Fritz Wunderlich, “who was a great German tenor who died [in 1966]. I hope to be mentioned in the same breath as him one day.”
Naturally, Manzella’s favorite songs come from opera. “I love to perform ‘The Flower Song’ from ‘Carmen,’” he disclosed. “The character, a military official, is stubborn and manly, yet powerless whenever Carmen is nearby. To sing that aria, you must appear to be half-insane. It’s a lot of fun, and the music is very beautiful, allowing a tenor to show off his voice and musical sensitivity.”
As he readies for his studies in Europe, Manzella takes with him a strong sense of his own character. “I’m a bit of a perfectionist,” he said. As a result, “I have nothing on YouTube or anywhere else,” where people could hear his voice. “I don’t want to rush things and reveal a work in progress.”
As he begins his journey toward world renown as a operative tenor, Manzella has a fantasy that he hopes will come true some day.
“In a perfect world, I’d like to frame the program containing my name from the Metropolitan Opera and hang it somewhere in my home,” he said.
I knew he'd be big even when he played Captain Hook in Peter Pan in 7th grade!
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