Sebastian Catana

Romanian-born baritone Sebastian Catana has built in recent years an outstanding name in the opera world, mainly as an interpreter of Verdi baritone roles, making him "one of the most appreciated baritones of his generation"(Adnkronos). Catana was a member of the training programs at Seattle Opera and Baltimore Opera and made his operatic debut in 2001 as Thoré in Meyebeer's Les Huguenots at Carnegie Hall with the Opera Orchestra of NewYork. In 2003, he sang Schaunard in La Bohème under M° Daniel Oren for his debut at the Metropolitan Opera where he also sang his first Valentin in Faust during the 2006/07 season among many other supporting roles. In the 2007/08 season he made his European debutas Paolo in Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna.

His Nabucco, described by critics as “a revelation” (L'Arena), brought him to the stages of Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Arena di Verona, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Teatro San Carlo di Napoli, Avenches Festival, Philadelphia Opera, Teatro Colon Buenos Aires, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Israeli Opera, Oper Stuttgart, Palm Beach Opera and in concert with New Zealand’s Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.He has performed Rigoletto at the Royal Danish Opera, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma under the baton of M° Daniele Gatti, at Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Teatro Verdi Trieste, Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf, Northern Ireland Opera and at Berkshire Opera Festival, becoming one of his most significant roles, praised by the press asan “exceptional artistic creation” (Première Loge) and “an example of great Verdi singing” (WBRK Radio). Other Verdi roles include Giorgio Germont in La Traviata performed at theTeatro dell’Opera di Roma, Teatro Massimo di Palermo, Pittsburgh Opera, Opéra de Lausanne, the Savonlinna Festival and the Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv, Il Conte di Luna in Il Trovatore in Valencia under the baton of M° Zubin Mehta, the main role in I due Foscari at Théâtre du Capitole Toulouse, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Teatro Verdi di Trieste and Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Miller in Luisa Miller at Opéra de Lyon, Teatro Regio di Torino and Malmö Opera, the title role in Macbethboth in concert version with Münich Radio Symphony Orchestra under the baton of M° Friedrich Haider and on stage at Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, Ezio in Attila at Festival Verdi di Parma (released on DVD by C Major/Unitel Classica) and also Seid in Il Corsaro at Washington Concert Opera and the Klangvokal Music Festival in Dortmund (where he alsosang Don Carlo in Ernani), Ford in Falstaff at Opéra de Lausanne. In 2021, he made his debut in the title role of Falstaff at the Berkshire Opera Festival, being praised by critics for his innate 'power to seduce the audience' (Bachtrack); later, he reprised the role for his debut inconcert performances with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra under M° Myung-Whun Chung.

Another significant role represents Baron Scarpia in Tosca, particularly appreciated for “Catana’s ability to dominate the entire stage” (Operawire)which he performed at Opéra National de Paris, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Teatro La Fenice di Venezia, Teatro Massimo Palermo (later on tour of Japan with Angela Gheorghiu), Teatro Petruzzelli di Bari, Israeli Opera, Savonlinna Festival, Leipzig Oper and Opera Hong Kong.

Other milestones in his career include Diomede in Lauro Rossi’s Cleopatra at Macerata Sferisterio Festival (released on DVD by Dynamic/ Naxos),Barnaba in La Gioconda at Teatro Municipale di Piacenza (live broadcast Rai TV), Giovanni in Marco Tutino’s La Ciociara at Teatro Lirico di Cagliari (live broadcast Rai TV) and Demogorgon in Casella’s La Donna Serpente at Teatro Regio di Torino under M°Gianandrea Noseda (released on DVD by Naxos).

Most recent and upcoming engagements include Alfio/Tonio in a new production of Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci, title role of Nabucco (live broadcast Rai TV) and Amonasro in Aida at the Arena di Verona, Baron Scarpia in Tosca at the Royal Danish Opera of Copenhagen, title role of Rigoletto at Opéra Royal de Wallonie – Liège and the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, Tonio in Pagliacci at Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova (live broadcast Rai TV), Michele in Il Tabarro at Teatro dell’Opera di Roma under M° Michele Mariotti, Il Conte di Luna in Il Trovatore and Iago in Otello at Israeli Opera, Paolo in Simon Boccanegra at the Finnish National Opera, the title role of Macbethin concert performances with the Tokyo PhilharmonicOrchestra under M° Myung-Whun Chung, Alfio/Tonio in Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci at Pittsburgh Opera and the title role in Simon Boccanegra at Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera.

Sebastian Catana has been awarded prizes and awards in vocal competitions such as the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, First Prize in the 2006 Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation Voice Competition, SecondPrize in the 2007 Giulio Gari Foundation International Voice Competition, Second Prize in the 2006 Loren L. Zachary Society National Vocal Competition, First Prize in the 2003 Opera Index Competition, First Prize in the 2004 New Jersey State Opera International Voice Competition, Second Prize in the 2001 Jensen Foundation Competition for Opera Singers, First Prize in the 2000 Connecticut Opera Competition, Sixth Prize in the 2000 Palm Beach Opera Competition, grants from the Lee Schaenen Foundation and the Liederkranz Foundation, and was selected as one of the 10 finalists in the 2004 International Italian Opera Competition organized by Sächsische Staatsoper Semperoper in Dresden, Germany. He holds an Artist Diploma degree inVoice Performance from Duquesne University and graduate degrees in Chemical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and University of Michigan.

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