Michael Maniaci is a renowned classical music artist known for his exceptional countertenor voice. He was born on January 4, 1978, in Inglewood, California, to a family of musicians. His father was a jazz pianist, and his mother was a singer. From a young age, Maniaci showed a keen interest in music and began singing in his church choir. Maniaci's family moved to Reno, Nevada, when he was six years old. He continued to sing in his church choir and also began taking piano lessons. However, it was not until he was in high school that he discovered his true passion for singing. He joined the school choir and began taking voice lessons with a local teacher. After graduating from high school, Maniaci attended the University of Nevada, Reno, where he studied music. He continued to develop his voice and began performing in local productions. In 1999, he won the Nevada District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, which gave him the opportunity to compete in the regional auditions. Maniaci went on to win the regional auditions and was invited to participate in the national finals in New York City. Although he did not win the competition, he received positive feedback from the judges and was encouraged to continue pursuing a career in opera. In 2001, Maniaci moved to Boston to attend the New England Conservatory of Music. He studied with renowned voice teacher Patricia Craig and continued to develop his voice. He also began performing in local productions and gained a reputation as a talented countertenor. Maniaci's breakthrough came in 2005 when he was cast in the lead role of the opera "Orfeo ed Euridice" by Christoph Willibald Gluck. The production was staged by the Boston Early Music Festival and was a critical and commercial success. Maniaci's performance was praised for its emotional depth and technical skill. Following the success of "Orfeo ed Euridice," Maniaci began receiving offers to perform in productions around the world. He made his European debut in 2006 in the role of Ottone in the opera "L'incoronazione di Poppea" by Claudio Monteverdi. He also performed in productions of "Orlando" by George Frideric Handel and "The Coronation of Poppea" by Monteverdi. Maniaci's talent and hard work were recognized in 2007 when he was awarded the Richard Tucker Career Grant. The grant is awarded annually to a young American singer who shows great promise in the field of opera. Maniaci was the first countertenor to receive the award. In 2008, Maniaci made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in the role of Nireno in the opera "Giulio Cesare" by Handel. The production was a critical and commercial success, and Maniaci's performance was praised for its technical skill and emotional depth. Maniaci continued to perform in productions around the world, including in the United States, Europe, and Asia. He also began recording albums, including "Tesori d'Italia" and "Caldara in Vienna." In 2013, Maniaci made his debut at the Royal Opera House in London in the role of Arsace in the opera "Partenope" by Handel. The production was a critical success, and Maniaci's performance was praised for its technical skill and emotional depth. Maniaci has continued to perform and record music, and his talent and hard work have been recognized with numerous awards and honors. In addition to the Richard Tucker Career Grant, he has received the George London Foundation Award, the Sullivan Foundation Award, and the ARIA Award.

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