Nicholas Eliot Spence OBE (born 1983) is a Scottish operatic tenor who performs in opera, oratorio and recital in both the UK and internationally.
[3] In 2004, during his final year at Guildhall, Spence received a five-record contract with Universal Classics on the Decca label who promoted him as "The Scottish Tenor".
[9] As a Harewood Artist at ENO, Spence created the role of Brian in the world premiere of Nico Muhly's opera Two Boys in 2011.
[12][13] Spence's appearances in international opera houses include Brian in Two Boys (Metropolitan Opera, 2013);[14] Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni (New Zealand Opera, 2013);[15] Steva in Jenufa (La Monnaie, 2014);[16] Isacco in La gazza ladra (Oper Frankfurt, 2014);[17] Tichon in Katya Kabanova (Seattle Opera, 2017);[18] Captain Pirzel in Die Soldaten (Teatro Real, 2018);[19] and The Big Prisoner in From the House of the Dead (Opéra de Lyon, 2019)[20] Spence was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to music.
[25] He is also active in the charity Help Musicians UK and president of Dumfries Musical Theatre Company.