Michael Maniaci
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Michael Maniaci (born 1976) is an American male soprano noted for his unusual ability to sing into the upper soprano register without using falsetto. Most men who possess this ability have it as a result of a hormonal imbalance or other physiological anomalies, but for some unknown reason Maniaci's larynx did not develop causing his voice to not "break" in the usual manner. This physical anomaly has given Maniaci the ability to sing in the soprano register without sounding like a typical countertenor or a woman singer.[1] For this reason, professional vocal pedagogists consider Maniaci's voice to be unique among countertenors, and compare his vocal quality to the castrato voice of the past.[2]
Castrato singers obtained their vocal ability to sing high as adult males due to castration as children. This practice ended however around the early to mid-19th century. Maniaci is like a castrato in that he does not sing falsetto, nor does he have a baritone/tenor/bass chest register, as countertenors do. Unlike a castrato, Maniaci is entirely physically intact and fertile.[1] Typically women dressed as men play the higher castrato roles in opera today as most male countertenors can not sing that high. What makes Maniaci such a unique singer is that he can sing these high castrato roles in a style and sound like the castrato of old.[2]
Maniaci is young but is quickly becoming an important presence on the international classical music scene having already appeared in lead roles at companies such as the Metropolitan Opera, La Fenice, and Opera North. He is known mostly for singing the works of Handel, Mozart and Monteverdi[2]
[edit] Education and career
Michael Maniaci graduated from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music with a Bachelors degree in Vocal Performance and went on to the Juilliard School of music where he graduated with a Masters in Vocal Performance. Maniaci first received notice when he received the Bronze Medal in the 1997 Rosa Ponselle International Opera Competition. He went on to gain experience with several prestigious American young artist programs such as Wolf Trap Opera, Glimmerglass Opera’s Young American Artists Program, Aspen Opera Theater and the Tanglewood Music Festival. In 1999 he won the Houston Grand Opera Competition. He is a winner of the 2002 Sara Tucker Study Grant and the 2002 Shoshana Foundation Career Grant.[3]
In the 2001-2002 season, 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. In the 2002-2003 season, Maniaci made his European debut as Ulisse in Handel’s Deidamia with the Goettingen International Handel Festival, his New York City Opera debut as the Sandman in Hansel and Gretel, and his return to Glimmerglass Opera as Medoro in Handel's Orlando[4]. In the 2003-2004 season, Mr. Maniaci sang Nerone in L’Incoronazione di Poppea with Chicago Opera Theater (which marked the opening of the company’s new theatre), and with Cleveland Opera. He also sang the title role in Handel’s Oreste with the Juilliard Opera Center, and at Glimmerglass Opera he appeared as Tirinto in Handel’s Imeneo. That same year, Maniaci won the 2003 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
In 2004, Maniaci portrayed the role of Cherubino in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro with Pittsburgh Opera. This was the first time the role was performed by a man in the United States. In 2005, Maniaci made his debut performances with Santa Fe Opera singing the role of Lucio Cinna opposite Susan Graham's Cecilio in Mozart’s Lucio Silla and his debut with the Royal Danish Opera.[2] In 2006, Maniaci made his Metropolitan Opera debut in the role of Nireno in Handel's Giulio Cesare. In 2007, he made his debut with Opera North as Atis in The Fortunes of King Croesus and with La Fenice in the role of Armando in Meyerbeer’s Il crociato in Egitto.[1] Also in 2007, Maniacci returned to Glimmerglass Opera to perform the title role in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice.
In 2008, Maniacci is scheduled to perform the role of Idamante in Mozart's Idomeneo re di Creta with Opera Atelier.[5] In 2009, Maniaci is scheduled to appear in Cavalli’s Eliogabalo with the Grange Park Opera and in 2010 in Martín y Soler’s L'arbore di Diana at the Liceu in Barcelona.[6]
Maniaci has also had a prolific concert schedule. His orchestral engagements have included appearances with Tafelmusik, the New Holland Baroque Orchestra, the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival, and a tour with Academie Baroque de Montréal throughout Canada and Germany. Maniaci has also performed with Boston Baroque and toured throughout Asia with the Shanghai Opera Orchestra. He has also been heard in concert with L’Opéra de Montréal and at the Tanglewood Contemporary Music Festival.[6]
[edit] Recording
- Meyerbeer: Il crociato in Egitto (Michael Maniaci, Patrizia Ciofi, Marco Vinco, Laura Polverelli, Fernando Portari, Iorio Zennaro, Silvia Pasini, Luca Favaron, Emanuele Pedrini; Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro La Fenice; Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume). Dynamic DV 33549 DVD
