Grammy nominated artist, Michael Chioldi, acclaimed for his powerful baritone voice and magnetic stage presence, has carved an illustrious path, enchanting audiences worldwide with his rich timbre and emotive performances. Born with a natural affinity for music, Chioldi’s journey from humble beginnings to operatic stardom is a testament to his unwavering dedication and innate talent.
This season Chioldi returns to the Metropolitan Opera for Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Gerard in Andrea Chenier; the title role in Der Fliegende Holländer with Art Park in Niagara NY; Rigoletto with Vancouver Opera and Falstaff with Pittsburgh Opera.
In January 2022, Chioldi made a triumphant major role debut with the Metropolitan Opera, portraying the title role of Rigoletto in a new production. Critics lauded his performance as nothing short of a triumph, with Robert Levine of Bachtrack proclaiming it as “a true Verdian voice that displays booming power, tender softness, and ravaging tragic colors.” This debut solidified Chioldi’s status as one of the preeminent interpreters of Verdi’s iconic roles.
In the 24-25 season, Michael was seen at the Metropolitan Opera again in Rigoletto and Nabucco and made his role debut as Amonasro in the Met’s new production of Aida. Michael returned to Seattle Opera for Tonio in Pagliacci, made his Irish National Opera debut in the title role as Rigoletto, NYCO Bryant Park Summer Concerts as Scarpia in Tosca, Michonnet in Adriana Lecouvreur with Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Germont in La Traviata with Palm Beach Opera and a triumphant return to Santa Fe Opera for his major role debut as Rigoletto. Critics commented on Chioldi as becoming “one of the world’s finest dramatic baritones.”
In the 2023-24 season Chioldi returned to the Metropolitan Opera to reprise his role as Rigoletto and debuted the role of Don Alvaro in Daniel Catan’s Florencia en Los Amazonas, a production seen across the world as part of the MET’s Live in HD sereies and PBS’s Great Performances schedule. He sang the titular character in Verdi’s Falstaff at Palm Beach Opera, where critics lauded “ a bravura performance” and returned to Utah Opera for the title character of Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer. He sang one of his signature roles (over 100 performances) of Germont in Verdi’s La Traviata with the Pittsburgh Opera, where critic George P Parous of Onstage Performances hailed: “The most astonishing singing of the evening came from baritone Michael Chioldi.”
Chioldi’s ascent to prominence was marked by an array of notable performances in such places as São Paulo Brazil, Barcelona Spain, Macao, Tsingtao, Hong Kong and Shenzhen China, San Francisco Opera, over 250 performances with the New York City Opera (including Sharpless in Madama Butterfly which garnered an Emmy Award in 2008) and several performances across Japan with the late grate Maestro Seiji Osawa. With a repertoire spanning from Verdi, Puccini, to Strauss he effortlessly traversed the operatic landscape, infusing each role with a depth of emotion and artistry that resonated with audiences on a profound level.
As one review from The New York Times noted, “Chioldi’s performance was nothing short of revelatory, his voice imbued with a rare combination of power and vulnerability that left the audience breathless.” This sentiment encapsulates the essence of Chioldi’s artistry. His collaborations with esteemed conductors and directors have garnered widespread acclaim, earning him a reputation as one of the foremost interpreters of his generation.
Chioldi’s most recent recording can be found on classical-music.com. A live performance recording of Henry VIII by Saint-Saens, conducted by Maestro Gil Rose of Odyssey Opera. Chioldi’s performance of the infamous Henry VIII was marked by the Boston Classical Review saying, “the audience was treated to some true, world class baritone singing.”
2025-2026
