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.
Currently, she is completing her studies with soprano Raina Kabaivanska and attending the opera studio program of Teatro Comunale di Modena.
In 2024-25 season, she makes her debut in Carmen by G. Bizet in the lead role at Kumamoto Prefectural Theater in Japan, she takes part in Echoes of ancient Tang Poems world tour with iSING! Festival, she reprises the roles of La Badessa in Suor Angelica by G. Puccini (Amici della Lirica di Piacenza) and Flora in La Traviata by G. Verdi (OperÆtruria Festival) and prepares new debuts in Aida by G. Verdi (TeatrOperando) and Gianni Schicchi by G. Puccini (Teatro Comunale di Modena).
She sang the title role of Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel by E. Humperdinck at Teatro Regio di Parma, the protagonist role of Leonora in Il Trionfo dell’Onore by A. Scarlatti in the 44th edition of Festival della Valle d’Itria, the role of Bersi in Andrea Chénier by U. Giordano at Teatro Magnani of Fidenza, the role of Clotilde in Norma by V. Bellini in Ravenna Festival, the role of Marianne in La chatte métamorphosée en femme by J. Offenbach in Vendôme, the role of La Badessa in Suor Angelica by G. Puccini in Teatro Antico di Taormina.
In sacred repertoire, she sang as soloist Stabat Mater by G. Rossini at Auditorium Paganini of Parma, Stabat Mater by G. Pergolesi and Gloria by A. Vivaldi. Conducted by Federico Maria Sardelli, she sang Stabat Mater RV621 by A. Vivaldi.
Winner of many international competitions, she won the second prize in XXXVI Concours International de Chant Lyrique de Béziers, 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 and the role of Flora in La Traviata by G. Verdi in XI Concorso Internazionale di Canto Lirico Fausto Ricci di Viterbo.
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 (Opéra de Nice, Sofia National Opera and Ballet, Kumamoto Prefectural Theater, Opéra de Marseille).
She worked with conductors Daniele Callegari, Michele Spotti, Beatrice Venezi and Stefano Rabaglia and has been directed by Rosetta Cucchi, Paul-Emile Fourny and Cristina Mazzavillani Muti.
