The
young American male soprano Michael Maniaci is rapidly gaining attention
for his rare, “thrilling” voice and “sensational”
stage presence. Mr. Maniaci “sounds like no other counter-tenor
or female soprano on the scene” and sings with “chilling
strength and flexibility.” The Toronto Star recently declared
that he “promises to become one of the major gifts of the Baroque
opera revival,” while The Washington Times similarly proclaimed,
“Mr. Maniaci has all the makings of a first-rate star.”
Mr. Maniaci is also a winner of the 2003 Metropolitan Opera National
Council Auditions.
In the 2003-2004 season, Mr. Maniaci sings Nerone in L’Incoronazione
di Poppea with Chicago Opera Theatre (which marks the opening of
the company’s new theatre), and with Cleveland Opera (reprising
the Opéra
Atélier production). He also sings the title role in Handel’s
Oreste with the Juilliard Opera Center, and returns to Glimmerglass
Opera as Tirinto in Handel’s Imeneo.
Highlights
of Michael Maniaci’s 2002-03 season included his European debut
as Ulisse in Handel’s Deidamia with the Göttinger
Händel Gesellschaft, his New York City Opera debut as the Sandman
in Hansel and Gretel, and his return to Glimmerglass Opera
as Medoro in Orlando.
In the 2001-2002
season, Mr. Maniaci made his Carnegie Hall debut in Chichester Psalms
with The Orchestra of St. Luke’s, sang Nerone in L’Incoronazione
di Poppea for Toronto’s Opéra Atélier, and
the title role in Xerxes with Wolf Trap Opera.
Recent operatic
appearances for Michael Maniaci include Nerone in L’Incoronazione
di Poppea with Wolf Trap Opera, Pastore in L’Orfeo
with Chicago Opera Theater, Narciso in Agrippina with Glimmerglass
Opera, Idamante in Idomeneo for The Juilliard School, Mirtillo
in Handel’s Il pastor fido and Nireno in Giulio Cesare
in Cincinnati. His performance as Nerone in Houston Grand Opera’s
2001 production of Poppea was broadcast throughout the United
States on NPR’s World of Opera.
Equally
at home with contemporary music, Mr. Maniaci has originated a number
of roles in world premiere operas, such as Brittany Peters in Bernard
Rand’s Belladonna for Aspen Opera Theater, Lenin in Christopher
Butterfield’s Zurich 1916, and Priest/Whore in Andrew
Toovey’s Spurt of Blood for the Banff Centre of the Arts.
Michael Maniaci has recorded Chichester Psalms with The Dale
Warland Singers.
Concert engagements for Michael Maniaci are highlighted by performances
for New York City Opera – at Showcasing American Composers, a
Gala Concert for the Rosa Ponselle Foundation at Lincoln Center (after
receiving the Bronze Medal in the 1997 Rosa Ponselle International Opera
Competition), Bernstein’s Missa Brevis for the Dale Warland
Singers, St. Matthew Passion and Bach’s Mass in B
minor in Cincinnati and performances with the Tanglewood Contemporary
Music Festival.
Michael
Maniaci trained at The Juilliard School and Cincinnati Conservatory,
while gaining experience with several prestigious American young artist
programs such as Wolf Trap Opera, Glimmerglass Opera’s Young American
Artists Program, Aspen Opera Theater and Tanglewood Music Festival.
He is a winner of the 2002 Sara Tucker Study Grant, 2002 Shoshana Foundation
Career Grant and the 1999 Houston Grand Opera Competition.
