Meet Virgilio Marino
28th May, 2020

Meet Virgilio Marino

Virgilio Marino credits his year as the Opera Queensland Young Artist as a springboard to being signed with an agent, allowing him to pursue his career as a professional singer.

Meet Virgilio Marino
Virgilio Marino - Quote
Above: Virgilio Marino performs in Opera Queensland’s Madama Butterfly (2016)

Virgilio Marino credits his year as the Opera Queensland Young Artist as a springboard to being signed with an agent, allowing him to pursue his career as a professional singer.

Virgilio immediately connected with opera after his very first encounter with the art form at a young age.

“I fondly remember watching the famous Three Tenors Concert at Caracalla as a child, and I think from that moment I was instantly hooked,” he recalls.

“At the time I was on a scholarship at St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney as a boy soprano and was lucky enough to have the opportunity to sing in the choir with one of my greatest inspirations and idols, Luciano Pavarotti, when he toured Australia performing Verdi’s Requiem.

Virgilio began working with Opera Queensland in 2006, undertaking a year of tutelage including voice coaching, language workshops and understudying Principal roles all while being immersed in the culture of a large opera company.

“It was an absolute honour to receive such incredible and professional support earlier in my career,” he said.

During the year as Opera Queensland’s Young Artist, Virgilio performed in more than 30 concerts in regional and city settings. He expanded his repertoire and developed stamina, learning to be flexible to adapt to new venues and challenges while on the road.

Virgilio has played numerous roles for Opera Queensland, including notable performances in productions such as The Pearlfishers, Turandot, The Barber of Seville, The Magic Flute, La traviataLa bohème, Don Giovanni, Madama Butterfly and La Cenerentola.

After completing the program VirgiIio worked extensively as a freelance artist throughout Australia, the United States, New Zealand, Asia and Europe.

“Opera Queensland’s Young Artist program gave me the perfect kickstart to my career. The support I received from the company was fundamental in my progression from student to professional artist,” he said.

“All the traits necessary for success in this precarious industry – versatility, being well prepared, having a strong vocal foundation, solid technique, language skills, consistency, reliability, resilience and being a good colleague – I learnt during my time with Opera Queensland. I simply would not be the singer I am today if I did not have access to this world-class training from the onset.

“These current times have exposed just how vulnerable and valuable the arts are. It is wonderful to see Opera Queensland investing in the development of emerging artists and the future of our precious art form.”

 

Opera Queensland’s Young Artist program offers professional artists at the beginning of their career a program of exceptional training and development activities including individual coaching, stagecraft technique, language tuition and involvement in Opera Queensland’s main stage productions, community and corporate engagement events.

Learn more about Opera Queensland's Young Artist Program

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