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. Most recently, you might have seen him performing at the international launch of Bloomingdale’s newest campaign: From Italy, With Love. This fall, Matthew will be joining Palm Beach Opera as a Bailey Apprentice Artist for the 2024-2025 season. There he will perform the role of Giuseppe while also covering Gastone and study covering Alfredo in La traviata. He will also be covering the role of Benvolio in Roméo et Juliette. This summer, Matthew was a Lehrer Fellow at the renowned Music Academy of the West. While there, he co-starred alongside one of his tenor heroes: Met Opera’s Lawrence Brownlee in their recital Uprising/Rising Up. During his residency, he performed and covered Don José in Carmen. He also performed Le Petit Vieillard in Mary Birnbaum’s production of L'Enfant et les Sortilèges. In April, Matthew brought his solo cabaret show, An Evening with Matthew Cerillo, to the iconic NYC venue Don’t Tell Mama. At the beginning of 2024, Matthew was 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, Cristina Fontanelli. In 2023, Matthew made his European debut as Don José with Teatro Grattacielo. Matthew has been 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 one of the Met Opera’s shining sopranos, 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. He also graduated from Hofstra University in 2020 with a B.S. in Voice (Honors).
