Australian baritone Nicholas Lester is a graduate of the National Opera Studio London (NOS) and upon leaving was awarded an Independent Opera Voice Fellowship.He studied at the Elder Conservatorium of Music (Adelaide University). He was a Young Artist with State Opera of South Australia in 2001.

London based, Nicholas has studied with Raymond Connell and Russell Smythe, and coaches with Ludmilla Andrew, Natalie Murray and Peter Robinson among other prominent industry professionals. Nicholas has worked with companies including British Youth Opera, English Touring Opera, Opera Holland Park, English National Opera, Welsh National Opera and Glyndebourne Festival Opera (sponsors of his studies at the NOS).

Nicholas has performed at venues in Beijing, Portugal and various European locations, and more locally; Birmingham Symphony Hall, London's St Martin in the Fields and Cadogan Hall. He performed a world premiere at Royal Albert Hall and was honoured to sing for Her Majesty The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. His concert repertoire encompasses composers from Charpentier to Bernstein. 

In 2011 Nicholas covered the role of Marcello La bohème for English National Opera, sang the role of Der Justizrat (cover Robert Storch) in Intermezzo for Scottish Opera and sang Schaunard La bohème with De Nationale Reisopera in the Netherlands and Glyndebourne On Tour. In April he sang Vaughan Williams' Five Mystical Songs with The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

In 2012 completed an extensive UK tour performing the title role in Eugene Onegin and Figaro The Barber of Seville for English Touring Opera . He made his principal role debut as Marcello for the State Opera of South Australia and appeared as The Speaker (also covering Papageno) The Magic Flute with Scottish Opera directed by Sir Thomas Allen.

Recently Nicholas returned to Scottish Opera for Albert (cover) in Werther, created the role of Edward Lear in new Slingsby Theatre/State Opera of South Australia collaboration Ode to Nonsense and performed Mozart's Requiem with Paul McGrath.

Future plans include performances of Mahler's Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen with English National Ballet as part of their Tribute to Rudolf Nureyev, the title role Don Giovanni (cover), Dottore Malatesta Don Pasquale and Ping Turandot with Scottish Opera. 

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