He sings music from the Mozart to Sondheim, from Verdi to Rodgers & Hammerstein. He was the Wichita Grand Opera Singer of the Year in 2012 and was the dual winner in 2003 of the Washington Area Theatre Community Honors for Outstanding lead actor in a musical and Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical.  He has also twice been a member of Casts nominated for Helen Hayes Awards.

 

His voice has been described as “stentorian”, “rich” with “great vocal and emotional power”.  Reviewers have also remark that his acting “communicates deep humanity”, can be “tender and anguished” and that he is “the top banana”. 

 

Mr. Nansel possesses a diverse repertoire ranging from the comedic Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni) and Belcore (L'Elisir d'Amore) to the dramatic Count Di Luna (Il Trovatore) and Escamillo (Carmen).  Among his most widely acclaimed roles are the Di Luna (Il Trovatore), Iago (Otello), as well as Malatesta (Don Pasquale), Danilo (The Merry Widow), and the Title Character in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

 

His concert credits include: Mendelsohn’s Elijah, Haydn's Creation, Mozart's Requiem, Faure's Requiem, Handel's Messiah, Brahms’ Requiem, and Beethoven’s Mass in C Major.

 

 

  Last Season saw him Debut Roles with Wichita Grand Opera as Iago in Otello and Escamillo in Carmen with L’Opera Piccolo.  This coming season he is already booked with Wichita Grand Opera in William Tell (Leutoldo), Tosca (Sacristan) and will have his debut performance as the Title Character in the Barber of Seville.

 

  He has been conducted by several Maestros of not including; Julius Rudel, Plácido Domingo, Eugene Kohn, Marin Alsop, Steven Mercurio, Gregory Buchalter.  Directors of note include Stephen Lawless, Jonathon Loy, Jayme McDaniel, James Marvel and Scott Schwartz. He has shared the stage with Joyce DiDonato, Salvatore Licitra, Yunah Lee. Currently, Mr. Nansel resides in the Washington, DC area with his wife of 27 years and their two dogs.