Marco Voleri was born in Pisa on October 6, 1975. He graduated with honors from the “G. Verdi” Conservatory in Milan in Lyric Singing in 2005. Subsequently, he attended the Academy of Arts and Entertainment of Teatro alla Scala in Milan and the Lyrical Academy of Rotary International. He further perfected his skills at the International Academy of Belcanto in Modena under the guidance of soprano Mirella Freni. In 2011, he earned a master’s degree in Musical Disciplines with an interpretative-compositional focus from the “G. Puccini” Conservatory in La Spezia with a score of 107/110. In 2019, he obtained the ISIPM-Base® Project Manager certification from the Italian Institute of Project Management. In 2021, he completed the Master’s in Artistic Vocology at Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna with a score of 30/30.

Throughout his career as a lyric singer, he collaborated with directors such as Franco Zeffirelli, Beppe De Tomasi, Pierluigi Pizzi, Antonello Madau Diaz, Renato Bruson, Renzo Giacchieri, Walter Pagliaro, Nall, Gino Zampieri, and conductors such as Bruno Bartoletti, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Miguel Gomez-Martinez, Daniele Callegari, Michele Mariotti, Gustav Khun, Marco Boemi, Elio Boncompagni, Patrick Fourniller, and Donato Renzetti. He has performed more than 50 operatic roles in Italy and abroad and presented over 100 concert programs in Italy, Europe, South America, South Africa, and the East in five languages, covering sacred, operatic, lieder, operetta, chamber, and contemporary repertoires. He has recorded for Kicco Music, Isea Arts, and Naxos. In the lieder repertoire, he performed R. Schumann’s “Dichterliebe” with pianists Bruno Canino and Gabriele Baldocci. In 2008, he debuted at Teatro La Fenice in Venice with “Death in Venice” by B. Britten (directed by Pierluigi Pizzi and conducted by Bruno Bartoletti). In the same year, he debuted as a soloist at Teatro alla Scala in Milan, interpreting Don Curzio in W. A. Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” (directed by Giorgio Strehler, conducted by Giovanni Antonini). In 2011, he performed G. Verdi’s “La Traviata” at the Seul Centre Arts alongside soprano Mariella Devia. In 2012, he gave gala concerts in Luxembourg and Germany and sang in “La Bohème” at Teatro Alla Scala in Milan directed by Franco Zeffirelli. In 2013, he performed G. Verdi’s “Rigoletto” at Xinghai Concert Hall in Canton, China. In 2014, he was the Emperor in “Turandot” at the 60th Puccini Festival. In 2013, he participated in G. Verdi’s “Falstaff” in the centenary edition by the Verdi Festival in Parma. In 2015, he took part in “Falstaff” at the Royal Opera House in Muscat, Oman, co-produced by the Academy of Teatro alla Scala and Teatro Regio di Parma. In 2014 and 2015, he was Altoum in “Turandot” at the Puccini Festival. In 2016, he reprised the role of Altoum in “Turandot” at Teatro Grande in Brescia, Teatro Donizetti in Bergamo, Teatro Sociale in Como, Teatro Fraschini in Pavia, and Teatro Ponchielli in Cremona. Also in 2016, he played a page in P. Hindemith’s “Sancta Susanna” and Gherardo in G. Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi” at Teatro Verdi in Pisa. The same year, he debuted at Teatro delle Muse in Ancona, interpreting Spoletta in “Tosca.” In 2017, he was Harry in “La Fanciulla del West” at Teatro Lirico in Cagliari and Teatro Giglio in Lucca. In 2018, he reprised the role of Harry in “La Fanciulla del West” at Teatro Verdi in Pisa, Teatro Goldoni in Livorno, Teatro Comunale Pavarotti in Modena, and Teatro Alighieri in Ravenna. In 2018, he played Goro in “Madama Butterfly” at the Puccini Festival, Pang in “Turandot,” and Spoletta in “Tosca” at the Savonlinna Opera Festival in Finland. In the same year, he held sacred and operatic concerts in New York and Santiago de Compostela. In 2019, he performed Dichterliebe at Espai Bes in Barcelona, a lyric concert at the Tokiwagi Auditorium in Sendai, Japan, and two lyric concerts at the Italian Cultural Institutes in Beijing and Tokyo. In the same year, he played Harry in La Fanciulla del West, Goro in Madama Butterfly, Pang in Turandot, and Parpignol in La Bohème at the Puccini Festival. On June 21, 2015, he was selected as the tenor soloist for the performance of Vavilov’s Ave Maria in front of Pope Francis at the Basilica of Maria Ausiliatrice in Turin. On June 15, 2020, he sang the Italian national anthem in front of the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, at Teatro Goldoni in Livorno during the conference “Remembering Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, statesman and Head of State.”

From 2007 to 2010, he served as Artistic Director of Risonanze Armoniche ONLUS, organizing seasons of classical and operatic music with the aim of raising funds for various volunteer associations in Livorno, including AIPS, AISM, ADMO, Palliative Care Association, and others. Among the many artists featured in the program were Martha Argerich, Bruno Canino, Roberto Prosseda, Katia Ricciarelli, Lando Bartolini, Gabriele Baldocci, and Alessandro Luongo.

Since 2013, he has been the Artistic Director of the Social Promotion Association “Sintomi di Felicità,” organizing vocal and instrumental music concerts nationally (Milan, Rome, Bari, Florence, Brescia, Bergamo, Pavia, Como, Livorno, Cremona, Mantua) and internationally (Barcelona, Valencia, Thessaloniki, New York, Sendai, Tokyo, Beijing) with the goal of raising awareness about multiple sclerosis. Among the many artists featured in the program were Peppe Vessicchio, Mariella Devia, Fabio Armiliato, Jessica Pratt, Roberto Prosseda, Amanda Sandrelli, Michele Mirabella, and Giusy Versace.

From June 1 to September 15, 2020, he served as Interim Artistic Director of the opera season at the Fondazione Teatro della Città di Livorno “C. Goldoni.”

Since March 2020, he has been the Artistic Director of the International Festival “Pietro Mascagni” and artistic coordinator of the Mascagni Department at the Fondazione Teatro della Città di Livorno “C. Goldoni.” He is also the artistic director of the “Opere Pubbliche” series and the Educational and Training Coordinator in the lyrical field at the Fondazione Teatro della Città di Livorno “C. Goldoni.

He has conducted Masterclasses on Vocal Technique, Interpretation, and in-depth analysis of nineteenth/twentieth-century repertoire at:

• Fondazione Festival Pucciniano – Puccini Academy
• Fondazione Teatro Goldoni Livorno – Mascagni Academy
• Belcanto Academy, Trento
• Jerusalem Opera Studio, Jerusalem
• Singus Academy, Madrid
• Belcanto Academy, Helsinki
• Trinity Laban College, London
• Cercle Jasmin-Rencontres Musicales franco-chinoises, Paris

Since his youth, he has been actively involved in theatrical activities. At the age of 10, in 1985, he participated in an experimental television directing workshop, culminating in a presentation on Raiuno in the program “Passione Mia” hosted by Monica Vitti and Nanni Loy. As an adult, he decided to refine his theatrical knowledge by attending courses in diction and acting with Enzina Conte.

He made his directorial debut in 2007, directing “G come Gaber,” a musical/theatrical production produced by Risonanze Armoniche Onlus with the patronage of the Gaber Foundation. In February 2010, he worked as a director for “La Traviata” by G. Verdi and “La Bohème” by G. Puccini at the Teatro Adyar in Paris (France). In March 2021 and March 2022, he created commercials for the Mascagni Festival 2022 at the Fondazione Teatro Goldoni in Livorno (Italy). In July 2022, he curated the staging of “Mascagni vs Verga” at the Mascagni Festival, Fondazione Teatro Goldoni in Livorno (Italy), with the participation of Alessandro Preziosi and Marco Bocci. In December 2022, he directed “Cavalleria rusticana” by P. Mascagni and “Pagliacci” by R. Leoncavallo at the Teatro Bio Bio in Conception (Chile), as well as “Sgombero / La Patente” by M. Bargagna at the Fondazione Teatro Goldoni in Livorno (Italy). During August 2023, he directed “Sabbia Rusticana,” “Mascagni incontra D’Annunzio,” and “Callas @100” as part of the Mascagni Festival. In September 2023, he directed “12 anni dopo” by M. Menicagli at the Kitakyushu City Opera in Kitakyushu (Japan). In November 2023, he directed “Madama Butterfly” by G. Puccini at the Teatro Rendano in Cosenza (Italy), followed by a replica at the Teatro Politeama Greco in Lecce (Italy) in December 2023.

In 2013, he made his debut as a writer with the autobiography “Symptoms of Happiness,” published by Sperling & Kupfer, quickly becoming a literary sensation.

“If there were a world championship of strong emotions, Marco Voleri would reach the final, and his book explains why.” – Stefano Rodi Sette, Il Corriere della Sera

In January 2017, his first novel, “Without You, the Train Doesn’t Depart,” was released, published by Vanda Epublishing. Shortly after its release, critical acclaim was unanimous:

“Those who have already read his first book, ‘Symptoms of Happiness,’ know that an exciting journey awaits them through the small and precious pleasures (and more) of life, a path in which, to quote Jonathan Safran Foer, ‘everything is illuminated.'” – Ilaria Liberatore, La Stampa

In 2021, the second edition of “Symptoms of Happiness” was released, published by Castelvecchi Editore.

Since March 2015, he has been a contributor to the newspaper Avvenire.

On December 27, 2014, he was awarded the title of “Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic” (OMRI) by President Giorgio Napolitano, for his achievements in the social and cultural fields.

On July 17, 2016, he was appointed an honorary member of the National Association of Knights of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic – ANCRI.

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