Biography
Matthew Cerillo is an Italian-American tenor from Freehold, NJ. Making a Lincoln Center solo debut at age 24, Matthew is one of opera’s most sought after young tenors. This April, he will be bringing his solo cabaret show, An Evening with Matthew Cerillo to the iconic NYC venue Don’t Tell Mama. In the summer, Matthew will be a Lehrer Fellow at the renowned Music Academy. While there, he will be co-starring alongside one of his tenor heroes: Met Opera’s Lawrence Brownlee in their recital Uprsing/Rising Up. He will also be covering Don José in Carmen, competing in the 2024 Marilyn Horne Song Competition, as well as performing Nemorino and Faust in the Opera Scenes concert. At the beginning of 2024, Matthew was a a Studio Artist at St. Petersburg Opera, performing the role of Pong in Turandot. Matthew returned to Merkin Hall in December for the 20th Annual Christmas in Italy with PBS-Host and mentor, Cristina Fontanelli. In 2022, Matthew was a Resident Artist at Portland Opera performing the role of El Remendado in opera superstar Denyce Graves’s production of Carmen; as well as covering Don José. He has been a finalist in the Giulio Gari Foundation International Vocal Competition and placed 3rd in the National Opera Association’s Carolyn Bailey Vocal Competition. Matthew has performed as a lead character in the workshop for The Listeners, the newest opera by Missy Mazzoli; working in close collaboration with the composer. Matthew has also been a featured guest in recital with Met Opera’s Angel Blue. During his studies, he performed the roles of Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Don Basilio (Le Nozze di Figaro), Demetrius (The Fairy Queen), as well as Dianna Trapes, Filch, and Ben Budge (The Beggar's Opera) with Hofstra Opera Theater. He has participated in Teatro Grattacielo’s Young Artist Program in Greece with the Athens Philharmonia, CoOPERAtive at Westminster Choir College, Ukrainian Artists Music in Kiev (with the National Presidential Orchestra of Ukraine), Music in the Alps in Austria, and Westchester Summer Vocal Institute in Bronxville. Matthew received his Masters in Music (Summa Cum Laude) in 2022 from The Mannes School of Music in the studio of Arthur Levy. He also graduated from Hofstra University in 2020 with a B.S. in Voice (Honors).
