Maria Natale, Italian-American soprano, has garnered praise from The New York Times for her “plummy, penetrating voice.” She is the proud recipient of numerous awards and prizes from esteemed organizations including the James Collier Foundation, Joan Sutherland Foundation – Elizabeth Connell Prize, the Gerda Lissner Foundation, the Loren L. Zachary Competition, and the Olga Forrai Foundation. Most notably, in 2025, she received the esteemed Alumni Praise Award from the University of Tennessee, where she earned her Master’s Degree.
Ms. Natale has captivated audiences with her portrayals of some of opera’s most iconic heroines, including Mimì in La Bohème, Nedda in Pagliacci, and the title roles of Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly, Manon Lescaut and Tosca. She has appeared with companies such as Opera San José, Sarasota Opera, Opera Maine, Vero Beach Opera, Opera Festival of Chicago, and Cedar Rapids Opera. Her performance in Tosca drew acclaim from Opera News, which praised her “powerful soprano that effortlessly filled the house.” Her Sarasota Opera debut as Liù in Turandot was lauded for its “unequivocal Italian sound,” and her portrayal of Lady Macbeth in Ernest Bloch’s Macbeth earned accolades for delivering “high voltage vocal thrills” and a “merciless stage presence.”
In the 2024–2025 season, Ms. Natale made her debut as Judith in Bluebeard’s Castle with Opera San José. She also reprised the role of Manon Lescaut with the Immling Festival in Halfing, Germany in the summer of 2025.
As a concert soloist, Ms. Natale made her Carnegie Hall debut as the soprano soloist in Fauré’s Requiem with the New England Symphonic Ensemble, and appeared in Dvořák’s Te Deum with the New York City Master Chorale. Last season, she expanded her concert repertoire with Verdi’s Requiem with the San José Symphonic Choir and a return to Dvořák’s Te Deum with the Knoxville Amadeus Ensemble.
Looking ahead to the summer of 2025, Ms Natale will return to the role of Tosca and Soprano soloist in Verdi’s Requiem at the Immling Festival in Halfing, Germany.
