John Ken Nuzzo

John Ken Nuzzo (Japanese: ジョン・健・ヌッツォ; born 5 May 1966) is an American tenor of Japanese origin.

Biography
John Ken was born in Tokyo to a Japanese mother and an American father. He moved to the United States and made his debut in Bach's B minor Mass with the Master Chorale of Orange County, which was highly acclaimed in the Los Angeles Times. He performed with Tony Bennett and Shirley Jones as a member of the "Californians".

In 1997, he won first prize in the Japan Vocal Competition. Nuzzo was the winner of the Japan round of the International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition Wien in 1998. He signed a contract with the Vienna State Opera and debuted in 2000. He was highly acclaimed by Beuhne Wien for the role of Novice in Britten's Billy Budd the same year. In 2001 he was awarded the Eberhard Waechter Medal. His performance in Vienna was introduced by the Japanese TV documentary program, Jonetsu Tairiku.

In 2002, he made his Salzburg Festival debut as Syphax in Zemlinsky's King Kandaules under the baton of Kent Nagano. He was invited to sing in NHK's Red and White Concert, Japan's longest-running New Year's Eve television Concert, which spread his fame throughout Japan overnight. He sang the tenor solo in Berlioz Requiem with the NHK Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Charles Dutoit. The following year he was awarded the Idemitsu Music Award in Japan. He debuted with the Metropolitan Opera under the baton of James Levine and then with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra in the concert version of Fidelio, under the baton of James Levine.

In 2004, he sang the theme song of NHK’s historical drama series Shinsengumi. He made his second appearance on NHK’s Red and White Concert.

In 2006, he joined TO LIVE 2006 "Children Fighting Cancer Charity Concert", performing with Milva. The following year he sang Rinuccio in Gianni Schicci at the Metropolitan Opera. He made his Pittsburg Opera debut as Nemorino in Donizetti's L’Elisir d’Amore.

In 2008, he played Rossillon in Lehar (The Merry Widow) produced by Yutaka Sado.

Awards

 * 1985 - A’litalia International Singing Competition, 2nd place.
 * 1992 - Los Angeles Young Artists Vocal Competition, 1st place; Los Angeles Opera Guild Competition, 1st place
 * Palm Springs Opera Guild Competition, 3rd place; Pasadena Opera Guild Competition, 1st place; Riverside Opera Guild Competition, 1st place.
 * Whittier Chorus Competition, 2nd place; Opera 100 Competition, 1st place; S.A.I. Vocal Competition, 1st place; Orange County Musical Arts Competition, 1st Place.


 * 1993 - NATS "Los Angeles Artist of the Year"
 * 1997 - Japan Vocal Competition, 1st place.
 * 1998 - International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition Japan, Winner.
 * 2001 - Eberhard Waechter Gesangsmedailen Austria 2001, Winner.
 * 2003 - Japan Idemitsu Music Award 2003, Winner

Discography (CD)

 * Franz Schubert: 11 selected songs from “Die schöne Müllerin, Op.25, D.795” - Fontec
 * NUZZO meets PUCCINI - Fontec
 * Rare Live Track 2020 - Fontec
 * BEETHOVEN×SCHUBERT - Fontec
 * Serenata(Italian Art Songs) -Fontec
 * “DICHTERLIEBE Op.48” -Fontec
 * NUZZO JAZZ _
 * Italian Aria - Fontec
 * Tenorissimo - Universal Classics & Jazz
 * NHK Taiga Historical Drama Shinsengumi! Original Soundtrack- Universal Classics & Jazz
 * Treasure Voice - Universal Classics & Jazz
 * Petr Turrini/Friedrich Cerha [Der Riese Vom Stenfeld]- ORF
 * Zemlinsky [DER KONIG KANDAULES] Salzburg Festival 2002 -Andante
 * Benjamin Britten [Billy Budd] - Orfeo d'or

Discography (DVD)

 * Shigaki Saegusa [KAMIKAZE] - Sony Music Japan International
 * Giuseppe Verdi [SIMON BOCCANEGRA] - ORF