Critically acclaimed as a performer with a noble voice and engaging musicality, and a specialist in the Italian bel canto and Mozartian repertoire, Mirco Palazzi made his debut at the Wexford Opera Festival in 2001. Since then, he has performed in the most important theaters and concert halls worldwide, including La Scala in Milan, ROH Covent Garden in London, Liceu in Barcelona, Teatro Real in Madrid, Zurich, Washington Opera, Chicago Opera, Dallas Opera, Teatro Regio in Turin, Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Opera di Roma, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Philharmonie in Cologne, Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Barbican in London, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, and ROF in Pesaro. He has collaborated with conductors such as R. Abbado, Alessandrini, Chailly, Chung, Dantone, Fasolis, Gergiev, Hogwood, Oren, Pappano, Nagano, Noseda, Rousset, Zedda, and directors such as Ronconi, Pizzi, Alden, Carsen, and Vick.
Among the numerous roles he has sung in his long career, his Rossini interpretations stand out: Assur in Semiramide(Albert Hall and ROH in London, Marseille, Amsterdam, Bordeaux), Maometto II (Opera di Roma, Rossini Festival in Wildbad), Lord Sidney in Il viaggio a Reims (Santa Cecilia, Florence, Wildbad, Copenhagen), Il Podestà in La gazza ladra (Lisbon and Verona), and Le Gouverneur in Le Comte Ory. He has also been a distinguished interpreter of Bellini and Donizetti, particularly as Count Rodolfo in La sonnambula (Budapest, Bilbao, Beijing, Parma, Ravenna), Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor (Venice, Genoa, Barcelona, Washington, London, Seville, Las Palmas, Macerata), Duke Alfonso in Lucrezia Borgia (Tenerife, Padua, Liège, Bologna), and Henry VIII in Anna Bolena (Marseille, Verona).
Mozart holds a special place in his repertoire, with roles such as Figaro and Leporello (Turin, Nice, Marseille, Dallas, La Scala). He has recorded for Decca, Naxos, Bongiovanni, Opera Rara, Arthaus, Unitel, Opus Arte, Urania, and Warner. His interpretation of Assur in Semiramide for Opera Rara won the Opera Award in 2019. In the Baroque repertoire, Mirco Palazzi has sung Seneca in L'incoronazione di Poppea (Barcelona, Liceu), Achilla in Handel’s Giulio Cesare (Genoa and Bologna), Handel's Messiah (Rome), Pluto in Cavalli's La Rosinda at the Potsdam Festival, and Charon and Pluto in Monteverdi's Orfeo.
Mirco Palazzi graduated with top marks, honors, and distinction from the Gioachino Rossini State Conservatory in Pesaro, under the guidance of Robleto Merolla. While still a student in 2001, he won first prize at the Zandonai Competition in Riva del Garda, first prize at the Masini in Reggio Emilia, and second prize at the Tagliavini Competition in Deutschlandsberg. During his career, he has continued his training with the bass Bonaldo Giaiotti.
This masterclass will be aimed at 6 young professional singers and 3 repetiteurs, who will also be invited to perform at the Accademia dell’Opera Italiana Summer Gala in July, at Lauderdale House. Each student will have the unique opportunity to work with Maestro Palazzi and Brian Hughes for an hour on 2 Italian operatic arias from the early Belcanto, we recommend to select one from the XVIII century and one from the early Belcanto, until 1830s. The sessions will be focusing on vocal technique, language, the art of coloratura and the stylistics of Italian bel canto. Each repetiteur will be assigned to 2 singers, at the panel discretion.
Our masterclasses are offered on a full scholarship base for all Vocal Masters and Opera school students as part of our educational program. We also welcome professional singers and adult learners who may wish to join. The sessions will take place on Friday 15th November and Saturday 16th at our London studio, In 64 Squires Lane, Finchley, London N32AP. Our Opera Gala will crown the masterclass as the final public performance, in the wonderful setting of the Grade 2 listed Lauderdale House in Highgate.
Please complete the form below to apply to the masterclass. We will review all applications and announce all 8 selected singers and 3 repetiteurs by March 1st.
Listeners will be welcome and a small donation of 20£ will be used to support the initiative that is offered free of charge to all young artists.
Massimo and Brian