Mauro Augustini (Sharpless)
Baritone Mauro Augustini was born near Venice, Italy. Upon winning several Italian vocal competitions, he made his professional debut singing Baron Scarpia in Tosca at Saragozza, Spain. His vocal preparation with famous tenor Mario Del Monaco later included interpretive studies with Tito Gobbi.
Augustini’s extensive international repertoire as a Verdi baritone is characterized by a richness of color and generous vocal power that enables him to interpret many roles in the verismo which frequently include: Nabucco, Rigoletto, Luna in Il Trovatore, MacBeth, Posa in Don Carlo and Germont in La Traviata. He performed in Aïda at the Verona Arena in Italy and has toured Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Russia and other noteworthy eastern European theaters in addition to performing in Korea, Japan, South Africa, Brazil, Greece, Turkey and Egypt. Augustini’s other Puccini roles have included Michele in Tabarro (Portugal) and Sheriff Jack Rance in La Fanciulla Del West in Germany and The Netherlands. In the United States, he has performed with the Palm Beach Opera, under the direction of the late Maestro Anton Guadagno in La Traviata, Aïda and Otello and in 2007 performed as Germont in La Traviata in New Orleans. In Canada, he has performed in Aïda, Nabucco, and Tosca as well as Forza Del Destino and Il Trovatore throughout Mexico and Central America. Mauro Augustini is often requested as a vocal technique teacher and frequently gives master classes throughout the world. He debuted as Scarpia in Phoenix Opera’s 2008 production of Tosca.