Maria Motta, mezzo-soprano, was born in Catania and began her musical studies at the “Vincenzo Bellini” Music High School in her hometown.
She was discovered by soprano Luisa Maragliano during a stage performance masterclass.
She then moved to Genoa, where she studied with Maragliano for two years, learning the tradition of Italian Bel Canto.
She continued her training at the Accademia della Voce in Turin, under the guidance of mezzo-soprano Franca Mattiucci.
She performed at the Teatro Municipale di Piacenza, singing selections from Verdi’s Il Trovatore.
She was selected to participate in the Verdi Opera Festival at the Teatro Regio di Parma, studying under soprano Renata Scotto and Bruno Cagli.
She took part in the advanced training competition for solo singers organized by the Arturo Toscanini Foundation at the Teatro Giuseppe Verdi di Busseto, winning a two-year scholarship. During this time, she perfected her skills under the guidance of soprano Virginia Zeani and director Maestro Beppe de Tommasi, earning the corresponding diploma.
She performed at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa in the benefit Gala “Una Rosa per Genova” alongside prestigious opera figures such as bass Taddei and soprano Daniela Mazzuccato, and took part in the 41st International “Voci Verdiane” Competition at the Teatro Giuseppe Verdi di Busseto, where she was awarded a special prize by the Japanese jury.
She attended the Accademia Rossiniana in Pesaro, directed by Maestro Alberto Zedda, and was selected to perform the role of Marchesa Melibea in Il Viaggio a Reims at the Rossini Opera Festival.
Also in Pesaro, she participated in a charity concert for the O.N.L.U.S. association “Il Seme dell’Amore” alongside baritone Bruno Praticò, performing selections from Rossini’s La Cenerentola.
She was invited to Bonn to perform in Il Barbiere di Siviglia during the event “Belcanto in der Redoute”, and returned to Busseto to perform in Luisa Miller by Verdi with the A. Toscanini Foundation Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Gandolfi.
She was the lead in La Farse, featured in the Rossini Opera Festival, again under Maestro Zedda.
She performed Vivaldi’s Gloria in Reggio Emilia, conducted by Maestro G. Di Stefano.
She participated in the Iris Adami Corradetti Competition in Padua, winning third prize and a special prize consisting of a contract for the 2003–2004 season with the Stadttheater Klagenfurt in Austria.
She sang at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, conducted by Maestro Enrique Mazzola, and in Lucia di Lammermoor at the Stadttheater Klagenfurt, performing also the role of Fenena in Verdi’s Nabucco.
She was the sole lead in El Amor Brujo by Manuel de Falla, conducted by Maestro Hasting, accompanied by the Zürcher Kammerorchester at the Tonhalle in Zurich.
With Atelier della Musica, she toured Sicily performing in Petite Messe Solennelle.
She sang the role of Santuzza in Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana at the Teatro della Fortuna di Fano, conducted by Maestro Berdondini, and at the Teatro Rossini in Pesaro in a concert for the National Notary Convention and the World Neurology Conference at Palazzo Doria in Venice.
She also performed in Ljubljana as Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and in Donizetti’s Le convenienze e inconvenienze teatrali at the Teatro della Fortuna di Fano.
She has toured Germany several times for the Deutsch-Italienische Gesellschaft.
She has participated in numerous events promoted by the Sicilian Regional Tourism Department.
She appeared in Teatro Massimo di Palermo’s productions of Bizet’s Carmen and Verdi’s Rigoletto, alongside Maestro Leo Nucci.
More recently, she performed at the Ancient Theatre of Taormina in both Bellini’s Norma—broadcast worldwide—and Cavalleria Rusticana.
