Printz, Nikola

(Oakland, California)

Known for their “sheer stylistic range…full-throated vocalism and raw emotional honesty” (San Francisco Classical Voice), artistically fluid performer Nikola Printz is a first-year Adler Fellow with San Francisco Opera. The Chronicle recently named their solo Schwabacher Recital Series debut one of San Francisco’s Best of 2022, writing, “Listeners reveled in the beauty of Printz’s singing – their lustrously dark chest tones, their elegant phrasing… such commitment and tonal splendor.”

Following their participation in the prestigious Merola Opera Program, Printz began their tenure as an Adler Fellow with San Francisco Opera in 2023. During SFO’s centennial season, Printz makes their mainstage debut in Strauss’ Die Frau ohne Schatten, covers the title role of Frida in the company premiere of Gabriela Lena Frank’s El ultimo sueño de Frida y Diego, and performs Musetta in the company’s production of Bohème Out of the Box.

Recent career highlights include the title roles in Carmen and Dido and Aeneas with Opera San Jose, L’italiana in Algeri with Opera Memphis, The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein with Pocket Opera, Freschi’s Ermelinda with Ars Minerva, Orfeo ed Eurydice with West Edge Opera, and The Rape of Lucretia with Green Mountain Opera Festival. They have also appeared as Elle in La voix humaine, Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, The Fox in Cunning Little Vixen, Olga in Eugene Onegin, Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro, and Aldonza in Man of La Mancha.

Printz first established themselves onstage in jazz and cabaret venues and are well-versed in genre bending, crossover styles. In addition to engagements at Yoshi’s Jazz Lounge and Club 1923, Nikola also created the role of Velma Louise Cole in Boxcar Theater's immersive Speakeasy SF and joined San Francisco Symphony for their annual queer variety show Holiday Gaiety. An accomplished aerialist, Printz has also developed and performed on spinning trapezes in both grand concert halls and smoky cabaret clubs.

Offstage, Printz plays several small stringed instruments, rides their bicycle around San Francisco, and pens fairly bad poetry. They are an advocate for accessibility in the arts and are currently learning ASL.