Nina Yoshida Nelsen Discusses Her Return to BLO for Rossini's "William Tell"

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Rossini's masterwork will be at the Emerson Colonial Theatre through October 4

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To launch its 50th anniversary season, Boston Lyric Opera has decided to go big – presenting Gioachino Rossini’s rarely staged final opera, “William Tell,” at the Emerson Colonial Theatre through October 4.

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Inspired by the French and American Revolutions as well as the story of the legendary archer known for shooting an apple off his son’s head, Rossini’s masterwork premiered at the Paris Opera in 1829 and was last fully staged in Boston 150 years ago. It is sung in French with subtitles. That’s not to say, however, that t he score is unfamiliar. Indeed, the “William Tell Overture” is one of the most frequently performed pieces of classical music, having been heard in films like Stanley Kubrick ’s “A Clockwork Orange” and as the galloping theme song of “The Lone Ranger” television series.

Conducted by BLO Music Director David Angus, in a production by Vita Tzykun and David Alan Moore, t he opera, based on Friedrich Schiller ’s play “Wilhelm Tell,” is a tale of resistance, freedom, and the triumph of a united people over tyrannical rule. The cast includes George Gagnidze – a baritone with the Metropolitan Opera, Semperoper Dresden, and Opéra National de Paris – as William Tell in his BLO debut, Konu Kim as Arnold, Hunter Enoch as Gessler, Sergio Martinez as Walter Furst, Anya Matanovič as Mathilde, Brianna J. Robinson as Jemmy, Morgan Mastrangelo as Ruodi, and James Demler in the role of Melchtal, with the BLO Chorus and Orchestra. The opera is being sung in French with subtitles.

In a role debut, Nina Yoshida Nelsen – a renowned mezzo-soprano and BLO’s artistic director since 2024 – is performing the role of Tell’s wife, Hedwige.

Married to French horn player Jeff Nelsen of the Canadian Brass, with whom she has two sons Rhys and Blair, Nelsen in a graduate of Boston University and the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, and co-founder and president of the Asian Opera Alliance. She was at home in Newton recently when she took time out to discuss “William Tell,” BLO’s 50th anniversary season, and more.

What’s it like to start BLO’s 50th anniversary season with such an ambitious undertaking as “William Tell?”

It’s wonderful, because it’s giving us the opportunity to celebrate the artists and the artisans, the craftsmen, the crew, and everybody. Leading up to the run, anytime I would tell anyone in the industry, “We’re opening our season with ‘William Tell,’” the response would almost always be, “You’re what? Wow, that’s a huge show.” And it is. It’s one of the largest shows BLO has ever done, if not the largest. We are using every single member of our company to put this on, from our orchestra to our chorus to the IATSE crew behind the scenes, some of whom have worked with BLO for our entire 50 years.

Why bring “William Tell” back now?

The story is about a community coming together to fight against authoritarianism and a fascist regime that’s coming into power, which is a story that repeats itself throughout history, time and time again. As we’re telling it here in Boston, it feels especially timely, urgent, and relevant.

And something that I’m really proud of that we do at BLO is to present productions that inspire conversation and thought about who our society is today, where we’re going, where we’re coming from, what we can learn from the past, and how we can grow for a better future.

Tell me about Hedwige?

She’s William Tell’s wife and his defender. There are the oligarchs, the people who have lots of money that are in sequins and very fancy schmancy. And then there’s the community, the rest of the community, and I fall into that category. In this production, through Vita and David’s eyes, Hedwige is a kind of spiritual leader of the community. She is most definitely one of the good guys.

What prompted your decision to perform in this opera while also maintaining your responsibilities as BLO artistic director?

Bradley Vernatter, our general director and chief executive officer, and I talked about my somehow participating in the 50th anniversary as an artist. It’s important to our community that I’m seen not just as an administrator but also as a working artist. There are so few working singers in leadership positions at opera companies that it felt like it was important that, in our 50th year, we make the statement that I am here.

How did you decide that Hedwige was appropriate for you?

I looked through the score and thought, I can sing this role. It wasn’t a role I had sung before but I wasn’t going to put myself in a role that made me look bad. There were a couple of other roles we talked about in the season but this just one felt right, especially since it’s opening our anniversary season.

Brad jokingly said to me one day, “People are going to think you programmed ‘William Tell’ so you could sing Hedvige.” That’s not true, of course, but it was a funny comment, because I am concerned about how people will see me for hiring myself. It should be okay, though, because it’s a small role.

That leaves you time to be the artistic director, too. What’s it like serving in both capacities at the same time?

There are things that you know to look for, as an artistic director, that you don’t have to be concerned with as an artist. For example, on day one of our rehearsals, when I was being staged, I also went up to the stage director and said, “You’re going to watch the sight lines here, right? Because it’s going to be really challenging, so keep your eye out for that.”

And just seeing the set taped on the floor of the stage, I said to the stage manager, “You’re going to watch this, correct?” If I were just a singer in a rehearsal period, I would never do that! For sure, there are times that I’m wearing two hats at once. Even if it means that I don’t get a day off, I don’t mind at all.

I understand you got a unique gift from a special person when you were named BLO artistic director? What was it and who gave it to you?

When I was given this job, my mom said, “Look what I’ve been saving all these years” – and pulled out my rejection letter from BLO when I auditioned for the chorus while I was in graduate school 25 years earlier. That moment felt very full circle.

Photo caption: At top, Nina Yoshida Nelsen as Hedwige and George Gagnidze as the title character in a scene from Boston Lyric Opera’s “William Tell.” Photo by Nile Scott Studios. At left, a headshot of Nelsen by Rosetta Greek.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/boston/article/Interview-Nina-Yoshida-Nelsen-Returns-to-BLO-Stage-for-WILLIAM-TELL-20261002)._