Erica’s story

Formal education

Born in December 1994 near Modena, Erica Cortese is a young Italian mezzosoprano.

She studied opera singing at Conservatorio “Arrigo Boito” of Parma, under the guidance of mezzosoprano Adriana Cicogna.

In 2018, she attended the Accademia del Belcanto “Rodolfo Celletti” of Martina Franca.

Recently, she completed her studies with soprano Raina Kabaivanska and has been selected for Accademia Verdiana 2025, the Young-Artist Program of Teatro Regio di Parma.

She performed as soloist in various theaters in Italy (Teatro Regio di Parma, Teatro dell’Unione di Viterbo, Teatro Ebe Stignani di Imola, Teatro Alighieri di Ravenna, Teatro degli Impavidi di Sarzana, Teatro Amintore Galli di Rimini) and abroad (China NCPA, Opéra de Nice, Sofia National Opera and Ballet, Kumamoto Prefectural Theater, Opéra de Marseille).

She worked with conductors Marin Alsop, Daniele Callegari, Michele Spotti, Beatrice Venezi and Stefano Rabaglia and has been directed by Stefano Monti, Rosetta Cucchi, Paul-Emile Fourny and Cristina Mazzavillani Muti.

2024-2025

In 2024, she debuted in many main roles, such as: the title role of Carmen in Carmen by G. Bizet at Kumamoto Prefectural Theater in Japan, the role of Amneris in Aida by G. Verdi at Teatro di Villa Mazzacorati in Bologna, the role of Zita in Gianni Schicchi by G. Puccini at Teatro Comunale in Modena. In the same time, she took part in Echoes of ancient Tang Poems world tour with iSING! Festival, with concerts in Beijing, Wuhan and Macau.

Performed roles

  • Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel by E. Humperdinck at Teatro Regio di Parma

  • Leonora in Il Trionfo dell’Onore by A. Scarlatti in the 44th edition of Festival della Valle d’Itria

  • Bersi in Andrea Chénier by U. Giordano at Teatro Magnani of Fidenza,

  • Clotilde in Norma by V. Bellini in Ravenna Festival,

  • Marianne in La chatte métamorphosée en femme by J. Offenbach in Vendôme,

  • La Badessa in Suor Angelica by G. Puccini in Teatro Antico di Taormina,

  • Carmen in Bizet’s Carmen at Kumamoto Prefectural Theatre,

  • Amneris in Aida by G. Verdi at Villa Mazzacorati Bologna,

  • Zita in Gianni Schicchi at Teatro Pavarotti-Freni Modena.

Sacred repertoire

Stabat Mater by G. Rossini at Auditorium Paganini of Parma

  • Stabat Mater by G. Pergolesi

  • Gloria by A. Vivaldi

  • Stabat Mater RV621 by A. Vivaldi.

Competitions

In many international competitions, she won :

  • the second prize in XXXVI Concours International de Chant Lyrique de Béziers

  • the second prize in VI Mimas Opera Singer International Competition

  • the Kumamoto Opera Special Award in II Concorso Internazionale di Canto Lirico Giuditta Pasta di Saronno

  • the role of Flora in La Traviata by G. Verdi in XI Concorso Internazionale di Canto Lirico Fausto Ricci di Viterbo.