Tenor Luigi Boccia, a second-year Resident Artist at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, hails from Serino, Italy. While studying musicology at the University of Pavia, Mr. Boccia began voice lessons with legendary tenor Gianni Raimondi. His academic studies included a year at the Freie Universität in Berlin, which he capped with a complete performance of Schubert's Die Schöne Müllerin. He graduated cum laude with a Master's Degree in Musicology and was awarded the Premio Cariplo (National Valedictorian of Musicology).
Mr. Boccia made a highly-praised international debut with the Wexford Festival in 2011 as the Chevalier de Mérac in Thomas’s La Cour de Célimène. In the US, he has sung leading roles in Don Giovanni, Gianni Schicchi, The Merry Widow, The Barber of Seville, Lucia di Lammermoor and La Traviata. Such notable singers as Carlo Bergonzi, Martina Arroyo, Elinor Ross and Licia Albanese selected him to sing in master classes. In September 2007 he was invited to prepare the role of Ferrando in Mozart's Così Fan Tutte as part of the Young Artists Program of Teatro alla Scala, Milan. Later that year he was featured in an international telecast of the Columbus Day festivities in New York City and appeared in concert at New York's Zankel Hall with the Musicians Emergency Fund and at Weill Hall with Pacific Opera Company.
In March 2009 he sang Rinuccio, the leading tenor role in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi with Opera Tampa (Florida) under the baton of Anton Coppola. A year later he made his Carnegie Hall debut as a soloist in Mozart's Coronation Mass and Handel's Messiah. Last summer Mr. Boccia appeared as Alfredo in Verdi's La Traviata as part of the 2010 Estate Lirica Festival in Sicily as well as with Opera at Florham. A versatile recitalist, he is at home in repertoire ranging from florid Handel arias to the romantic outpourings of Italian and Neapolitan song.
In May 2011 he was Don Ottavio in AVA's production of Mozart's Don Giovanni. Mr. Boccia will perform his first Nemorino in the 2012 AVA production of Donizetti's L'Elisir D'Amore under the baton of Christopher Macatsoris.
Mr. Boccia has garnered numerous awards and recognitions, including Third Prize in the 2008 Giulio Gari Competition, Grant Winner in the 2008 and 2009 Licia Albanese Puccini/Foundation Competitions, First Prize in the 2008 Gerda Lissner International Singing Competition in New York, First Prize in 2011 the Violetta DuPont Competition and 2011 Winner/Finalist of the L. Zachary National Vocal Competition.
Mr. Boccia studies with renowned voice teacher Bill Schuman.
