Eric Margiore
Lyric tenor Eric Margiore, who was praised by Opera News for his “brilliance and style, brio and high-octane vocalism,” is establishing himself as an international contender in the principal Italian bel canto and romantic tenor repertoire. The tenor is quickly becoming known for his uniquely Italianate timbre and his “American Idol looks,” with a “real presence, intelligence, and level-10 intensity.”
Eric was recently heard as Alefrdo in La traviata and as the tenor soloist in Verdi’s Requiem with the Utah Festival Opera. Engagements this season include his debuts with Hawaii Opera Theatre as Alfredo as well as Minnesota Opera as Edgar Linton in Wuthering Heights. He will appear as the featured soloist in a Holiday Pops Concert with the Stockton Symphony Orchestra and will also appear in concert with Mississippi Opera, and sings Verdi’s Requiem with Victoria Symphony Canada.
During the past season, Eric performed as a soloist in concert with Marcello Giordani, for the Marcello and Friends encore series. The year 2009 had Mr. Margiore reprising the role of Il Duca di Mantova in Rigoletto with Opera Naples. He was then again commended by Opera News, in his return to the Opera Theatre of St. Louis for his official company debut and role debut as Narraboth in Salome under the baton of Stephen Lord. He also sang gala concerts with the Opera Theatre of St. Louis as well as with the Virginia Opera. Eric also recently made his debut in Asia with Opera Hong Kong in performances of Tamino in Die Zauberflöte in Hong Kong and Beijing, China, with Paul Curran directing and Jari Hamalainen conducting.
The 2008 season saw Eric Margiore making his stage debut with the role of Gérald in Lakmé at Tulsa Opera. He then made his role and house debut of Il Duca di Mantova in Rigoletto with the in Palm Beach Opera. Eric also made his role and house debut with the Sarasota Opera singing Conte Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia and had a further invitation to reprise this role with Baltimore Opera. Other notable appearances included his role debut of Alfredo in La traviata at the Shreveport Opera and Cassio in Otello with the Vero Beach Opera under the baton of Maestro Steven Crawford. Concert appearances included a musical revue at Radio City Music Hall, Mozart’s Coronation Mass in his third appearance at Carnegie Hall, The World of Opera: Concert of Arias and Duets for the Vero Beach Opera, and a Sicilian-themed holiday concert with the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra in Louisiana.
During the 2007 season, Eric joined the New York City Opera to make his State Theater debut in a gala concert Opera for All led by principal conductor Maestro George Manahan. As well in his debut season, he was assigned to cover Le Prince Charmant in Massenet’s Cendrillon. The year 2007 also saw Mr. Margiore’s collaboration begin with the Opera Theatre of St. Louis where he covered both Arturo and Riccardo in the Malibran version of I puritani. While in residence, he was selected as a soloist for the Colin Graham Memorial Concert and had his unofficial debut with the company when he stepped in last minute to sing Arturo in two important performances of I puritani that were praised by Opera News. Mr. Margiore then joined the Charleston Symphony Orchestra for a concert performance of West Side Story in which he was praised for his singing of Tony. Eric then sang his role debut of Rodolfo in La bohème with the Opera Ischia Festival in Italy, while also performing several concerts in southern Italy. Further projects included a gala concert Tutti in Piazza in Stockton, California as well as a compact disc recording of Thomas Pasatieri’s La Divina as the Young Conductor on Albany Records with the Opera Company of Brooklyn.
In 2006, after his transition from baritone, Eric sang Azael in Debussy’s L’enfant prodigue for his debut with Opera Naples, a concert of Neapolitan songs and opera arias, Festa Italiana, with the Stockton Symphony Orchestra as well as Alfredo in La traviata, Rodolfo in La bohème, and Il Duca di Mantova in Rigoletto with the New Opera Festival di Roma, in Rome, Italy.
In addition to his performing, Eric has been recognized by many important vocal competitions and foundations. He was the winner of a grant from the William Matheus Sullivan Foundation, the Licia Albanese/Puccini Foundation and was an international quarterfinalist in Placido Domingo’s Operalia in both 2007 and 2009. He was also a two-time winner in the Connecticut Opera Guild Competition, a finalist in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Young Artist Auditions and a Metropolitan Opera National semifinalist.
Eric hails from Long Island, New York, and he is a proud Italian-American coming from a Sicilian and Neapolitan family heritage. Eric finished his professional training at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Glimmerglass Opera and Chautuaqua Opera’s young artist programs and holds degrees from New York University and the Mannes College of Music.
