Pronouns
they/them
Hometown
Philadelphia, PA
Biography
Known for their “sonorous baritone” (Broad Street Review) and “commanding stage presence," (Miami Herald) Matthew Maisano enjoys performing a varied repertoire from the classical, operatic, musical theater, and popular canons.
Matthew is thrilled to join Portland Opera this season as one of five resident artists! You can see them as Baritone Soloist in The Juliet Letters, Horace Dewent in The Shining, and Pisola in Falstaff. This summer, Matthew sang Director/Gendarme in Poulenc’s Les Mamelles de Tirésias with Hogfish (Portland, ME).
They first appeared with the company in 2022 as Thomas (cover)/Woodland Spirit in Gluck’s L'arbre Encanté. Opera/theater highlights include: The Sergeant in La Bohème and as Soloist in the O23 Festival’s Late Night Snacks Cabaret Series (Opera Philadelphia), Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro (Wilmington Concert Opera), Senex in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Natchez Festival of Music), Morbio in Die schweigsame Frau.
Also appeared as Baptista in Kiss Me, Kate! (Pittsburgh Festival Opera), Pandolfe in Cendrillon (Miami Music Festival), The title role in Eugene Onegin (Russian Opera Workshop), Melissa in Alcina REVAMPED (Alter Ego Chamber Opera), Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors (Three Pines Opera), Bob in The Old Maid and the Thief (Opera Tutti!), Strong Man in Sid the Serpent Who Wanted to Sing (Penn Square Opera), Albert in Werther (Temple Opera Theater), and Leporello in selections from Don Giovanni and Schlendrian in Bach’s Coffee Cantata (Lancaster Symphony).
Matthew is co-founder of Prismatic Arts Ensemble, a Philadelphia-based performing arts collective committed to shifting the way audiences encounter classical music through bold programming, immersive stagings, and fearless storytelling. This August, PAE premiered their first full scale production, Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette.
Inspired by Philly’s vibrant queer history & culture, this exciting adaptation transformed Shakespeare's two feuding families into two rival drag clubs, “Capulets” and “Montegues.” In this updated version, Matthew originated the role of “Drag Queen Host/Narrator” guiding the audience through the action of the opera. In December 2024, PAE will premiere Katabasis, a musical film highlighting various art songs by composers and poets of marginalized backgrounds. Each song weaves together a story that explores the soul's journey from death to the afterlife. To learn more about Matthew visit their website here
Matthew will perform the following roles in the 24/25 Season: Soloist in The Juliet Letters, Horace Dewent in The Shining, and Pistola in Falstaff.
