Countertenor Nikos Spanatis was born in Frankfurt. He has a bachelor's and Master's degree (Integrated Master) and an Excellent Unanimously Doctorate from the Department of Music Studies of the Ionian University in Corfu (PhD in Music Performance Practice).

He has studied advanced music theory (Meletes Karkalousos) and trumpet (Yannis Karambetsos and Apostolos Kalogiannis) at the Municipal Conservatory of Ano Liossia and he has a degree in piano (Razi Conservatory, Professor: Kostas Turkakis). He has studied singing with male soprano Aris Christofelis, mezzo-soprano Roza Poulimenou (Department of Music Studies of the Ionian University) and soprano and conductor Mata Katsouli in Philippos Nakas Conservatory, where he was awarded with a Diploma in Classical Solo Singing (1st Prize & first class honors).

He has performed in great Concert Halls in Greece: The ancient Odeon of Herodes Atticus Theatre, Greek National Opera (Stavros Niarchos and Alternative Stage),the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, Athens Concert hall and Thessaloniki Concert Hall, Onassis Cultural Centre, Olympia Municipal Music theatre "Maria Callas", The ancient Theater of Dodoni, The Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes, the Old Fortress of Corfu, archaeological museums, Catholic churches, and cities such as: Serres, Kos, Lemnos, Mytilini, Corfu, Corinth, Aegina, Elefsina, Rethymno, Mykonos, Kalamata, etc..

He has performed in International Festivals: Athens & Epidaurus Festival, All Greece is one Culture, International Classical Music Festival of Cyclades, Kournos Festival, Rethymnon Renaissance Festival, and also in Europe: Lahti International Organ Festival of Finland, Palace Music Concert Series of Estonia, Organos Santamaria of Basilica di Santa Maria of Donostia - San Sebastián, Organ Recitals 2018 at London, Junge Hunde Entrescenen Festival in Denmark, and has appeared in numerous European countries in Art Projects, recitals and Chamber Music Concerts, in Belgium, Venice, Madrid, Amsterdam, Hamburg, a.o..

He collaborates with renowned orchestras as Brussels Virtuosi and th internationally renowned flutist Marc Grauwels as well as with Estonian Glasperlenspiel Sinfonietta and has collaborated with Swedish Chamber Orchestra ‘Musica Vitae’ and Estonian Baroque Ensemble ‘Floridante’. He also works regularly with the Rafi Music Theatre Company and Oros Ensemble.

Nikos Spanatis has collaborated with all major Greek orchestras: Athens State Orchestra, Camerata - Friends Of Music Orchestra, Ergon Ensemble, Cyclades Festival Chamber Orchestra, ERT National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of Colours, Athens Philharmonia Orchestra, The Music Ensembles of the City of Athens, under the baton of Loukas Karytinos, George Petrou, Tiberiu Soare, Vassilis Christopoulos, Miltos Logiadis, William Kunhard, Stanley Richie, Nicolas Vasiliou, Michalis Economou, Andreas Tselikas, Konstantinos Terzakis, etc.

He has performed the roles of: Divine Justice ("Il Diluvio Universale" by M. Falvetti), Pouh-Bah (“The Mikado” by Gilbert and Sullivan), French Steward ("Moby Dick" by D. Papadimitriou), Carpoforos and Messenger (“Erofili” by nikos Mamagkakis), Pope Leo IV (“The Papess Joanne” by Y. Vassilantonakis), Sorceress (“Dido and Aeneas” by Purcell), Marcellien -Twin Brother (“Le martyre de Saint Sébastien” by Cl. Debussy) Pissandro ("Il Ritorno di Ulisse in Patria" by Cl. Monteverdi), Seer Tiresias ("The Secret Of The Rivers Of Attica" by M. I. Alexiadis), Nireno (“Giulio Cesare” by Haendel), Pythie ("Le calame et la lyre" by Ev. Kokoris), and Ascanio (“Ascanio in Alba” by W. A. Mozart), Baba the Turk (“The Rake's Progress” by I. Stravinsky), Oberon (“Midsummer Night's Dream” by B. Britten) at the Greek National Opera Studio.

He has appeared many times as soloist in C. Orff's "Carmina Burana" (Odeon of Herodes Atticus Theatre, Athens Concert Hall, Old Fortress of Corfu, etc. ) and also sang for the first time in the history of the Queen's Tower (inaugurated in August 1854), in the Tower of Amalia's Queen of Greece, in the famous "Nights Candle" during the Christmas 2022 Season (15 concerts) with Alexis Mastichiadis (harpsichord) and during the Christmas 2023 Season (17 concerts) with Athanasia Manou (harp).

He has performed works of Greek composers such as Giorgos Koumendakis, Dimitris Papadimitriou, Dimitris Maragopoulos, Nikos Mamagakis, Nikos Kypourgos and has done recordings for labels MDG, IDAIA, and of Dimitris Papadimitriou’s "Aesop's fables". He has collaborated and been sponsored by TV5MONDE francophone international channel and Tricolore News.

With the valuable support of the musicologist and researcher Mr. Thomas Tamvakos (Archive of Greek Composers) in musical material, he made recordings with the organist Christina Antoniadou at the Anglican Church of St. Paul for the album entitled "Wade in de water" in works by. G. G. Agadolidos, G. G. Photon, P. Theodosiou, M. Sofianopoulos, Prince I. Karatzas, K. K(H)arikiopoulos, M. Sofianopoulos.

With the organist Eleni Keventsidou he recorded in London for Ravensbury Records the album "The Greek Melos" with works by L. Viadana, P. Humfrey, A. Grandi, J. S. Bach, D. Buxtehude, Arvo Pärt, M. Reger, Giorgos Koumentakis (Fonissa). The album is being completed and will be presented soon.

Nikos Spanatis has received warm reviews from Greek and international Press, such as, "...his velvet, hedonically dark-colored voice enchantingly conversed with the flute of Marc Grauwels..." (The Journalists' Daily), "...Nikos Spanatis has a crystal countertenor voice, which he handles with flexibility, power and wide shades". (ESS, Finland), among others.

He is Artistic Director and Singing Teacher at National Conservatory, Ymittos.

Studies

     Excellent Unanimously Doctorate from the Department of Music Studies of the Ionian University in Corfu,
     PhD in Baroque Performance Practice
     (supervising professor: Katerina Michopoulou)

     Master degree (Integrated Master) in Ionian University Department of Music Studies, Corfu, Greece

     Bachelor Degree in Ionian University Department of Music Studies, Corfu, Greece
     (supervising professor: Rosa Poulimenou)

     Diploma in Lyric Singing, 1st Prize & first class honours, Athens, Greece
    (supervising professor: Mata Katsuli)

     Degree Piano with High Distinction, Athens, Greece
    (Professor: Kostas Tourkakis)

 Activity

    Opera Singer - Countertenor

    Doctor of Baroque Performance Practice (PhD)

    Singing Professor at the Department of Music Studies of the University of Ioannina

    Artistic Director in National Conservatory of Ymittos, Athens, Greece

    Singing Professor in National Conservatory of Ymittos, Athens, Greece

    Piano accompanist for Singing Classes
   

Appearances in Greece

    Athens and Epidaurus Festival - Odeon of Herodes Atticus
    Greek National Opera
    Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center
    Alternative Stage of Greek National Opera
    Athens Concert Hall
    Thessaloniki Concert Hall
    Macedonian Museum of Contemporary ART in thessaloniki
    Theatre Apollon Hermoupolis Syros
    Archaeological Museum of Lemnos
    Onassis Cultural Center
    Parnassos Concert Hall
    Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes
    The Goethe-Institut
    Filippos Nakas Concert Hall
    “La Divina” concert hall of Athenaeum
    Concert Hall of National Conservatory
    Concert Hall of the Athens Conservatory
    German Evangelical Church
    Historical Venue of St Paul’s Anglican Church
    Catholic Church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, Mytilenε
    Museum of Islamic Art
    Museum of Cycladic Art
    Beton 7 - Music TONes
    Agios Stefanos' Cultural Center
    Municipal Radio 9.84 FM and Amphitheatre
    Old Fortress Corfu
    Corfu theater Phoenix
    Municipal Theatre of Corfu
    Catholic Cathedral of Sts. Jacob and Christopher / Duomo Roman-catholic church in Corfu
    Corfu Achillion Palace
    Museum of Asian art of Corfu
    Public Central Library of Corfu
    Palace of St. Michael and St. George in Corfu
    Ancient Corinth Temple of Octavia
    Temple of Aphaia of Aegina
    Archaeological Museum of Eleusis
    Tholos Imbraim Han Fortezza Rethymnon
   “Pantelis Prevelakis Hall” Conservatory - Old Town, Rethymno, Crete
    Grypario cultural center of Mykonos
    Municipal Theatre of Serres "Asteria"

 Appearances in Europe

    Basilica de Santa Maria del Coro, San Sebastián, Spain
    Kadriorg Palace Art Museum of Estonia
    Catholic church of the Cross Lahti, Φινλανδία
    Catholic church of St. Joseph in Waterloo, Belgium
    St Mark's Basilica of Venice
    St Alphage, Burnt Oak, London
    Università Ca' Foscari Auditorium Santa Margherita of Venice
    International Festival Junge Hunde Entrescenen of Denmark
    Espacio Menos1 of Madrid
    Tomboer’s Hall of Amsterdam

Collaborations with Orchestras and Ensembles

    Brussels Virtuosi and Marc Grauwels
    I Virtuosi di Waterloo and Marc Grauwels
    Esthonian Glasperlenspiel Sinfonetta
    Swedish Musica Vitae Chamber Orchestra
    Baroque  Enseble Floridante

    ERT National Symphonic Orchestra & Choir
    Athens State Orchestra
    Camerata Orchestra
    Cyclades Festival Chamber Orchestra
    Orchestra of Colours
    Orchestra of Patras
    Orchestra and Choir San Giacomo of Corfu
    Baroque Orchestra and Choir of Ionian University
    Baroque ensemble of Ionian University
    Renaissance Ensemble of Ionian University
    Music Ensemble of Filippos Nakas Conservatory
    Ionian Early Music Ensemble
    Ionian Brass Ensemble
    Baroque Ensemble Sinfonia
    Eklipsis vocal ensemble
    Nuov Arte Chamber Orchestra
    Affetti Musicali
    Lyrae Cantus

Roles

   Pooh-Bah "Mikado" by Gilbert and Sullivan
   Carpoforos and Messenger "Erofili" by N. Mamagkakis
   Marcellien -Twin Brother "Le martyre de Saint Sébastien" by Cl. Debussy
   Pisandro "Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria" by Cl. Monteverdi
   Sorceress and Spirit "Dido and Aeneas" by Purcell
   Nireno "Giulio Cesare" by G. F. Händel
   Pythie "Le calame et la lyre" by Ev. Kokoris
   Ascanio "Ascanio in Alba" by W. A. Mozart (Opera Studio of Greek National Opera)
   Baba the Turk "The Rake's Progress" by I. Stravinsky (Opera Studio of Greek National Opera)
   Oberon "Midsummer Night's Dream" by B. Britten (Opera Studio of Greek National Opera)

Conductors

   Tiberiu Soare
   George Petrou
   Vassilis Christopoulos
   Miltos Logiades
   William Kunhard
   Nicolas Vassiliou
   Stanley Richie
   Nikolaos Haliassas
   Antoniy Ivanov
   Andreas Pylarinos

Harpsichordists

   Ronan Khalil
   Katerina Ktona
   Panos Iliopoulos
   Katerina Michopoulou
   Μarkellos Chryssikopoulos
   Gerard Von Vuuren

Organists

   Eleni Keventsidou
   Christina Antoniadou

Pianists

   Lily Maisky
   Dimitris Yakas
   Karolos Zouganelis
   Ermis Theodorakis

Harpists

   Maria Bildea

Flautists

   Marc Grauwels

Master Classes

  Athens Concert Hall / Daphne Evangelatos
  Athens Concert Hall/ Annette market
  Greek National Opera / Aris Christofellis
  Greek National Opera / Zanet Pilou
  Ionian University / Rachel Yakar
  Mantzaros Conservatory/ Michael Chance

Sponsors

  TV5MONDE
  Tricolore News
  Specs'n'Arts
  Arte Atene