Brazilian baritone Mario Solimene was born in Sao Paulo from an Italian family and began studying privately with the Brazilian singing teacher Carlos Vial in 1996. One year later he was accepted at the Sao Paulo Municipal School of Music, continuing to work under the same tutor and completing the course with Distinction in 2002. At the same time he continued to follow parallel professional directions, graduating in Law from Sao Paulo University and briefly working as a lawyer.

Leaving Brazil for England, he completed his training with distinction at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), obtaining a Post Graduate Diploma (2004) and a Master’s Degree (2005) in Performance - always under the guidance of Patrick McGuigan. At the same time developed his concert and operatic repertoire with Paul Wynne Griffiths, from London's Royal Opera House - Covent Garden.

Mario is a recipient of many singing awards, including The Vitae Foundation Award  (2003 and 2004), The Rose Goulding Scholarship (2003 and 2004), The Anne Ziegler Award (2004), The John Cameron Prize for Lieder (2004) and The William McLeod Johnstone Prize for Male Singers (2005). He has also performed in public master classes held by international artists, including Sir Thomas Allen, Sir John Tomlinson, Paolo Gavanelli, Ileana Cotrubas and John Fisher.

In Brazil he worked together with the Sao Paulo State Orchestra Ensemble and with Sao Paulo Opera Theatre, participating in a series of concerts and first-ever recordings of the music of the Brazilian Colonial Period. Since then he has expanded his career to an international stage, appearing in Concerts and Operas throughout Europe, South America and Asia. Welsh National Opera (WNO), Opera North and London’s Royal Albert Hall are places in which he has been heard, having performed roles such as Scarpia, Falstaff Gianni Schicch, Don Giovanni and many others. Recent engagements include Schaunard in La Boheme, directed by Sam West, performed in Israel and Palestine; Albert in  Werther, directed by Walter Sutcliffe; and Alidoro in La Cenerentola, directed by Anette Leistenschneider at the Theater Magdeburg.

Recent concert appearances include Bach's Christmas Oratorio with The Macao Orchestra China, in Macao, conducted by Philip Pickett; Mozart’s Requiem with The Manchester Camerata; Stravinsky's Pulcinella, with Magdeburgisch Philharmonie conducted by Thomas Rösner; and Sir William Walton's Belshazzar's Feast with  Nottingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Richard Roddis. His concert repertoire includes the most significant works by J.S. Bach, C.P.E. Bach, Brahms, Elgar, Faure, Gounod, Haydn, Handel, Mozart, Puccini, Rossini, Williams and Verdi.

Mario Solimene is a resident soloist of the Oper Magdeburg, Germany. Future projects for the season 2011-2012 include Sharpless in Madame Butterfly, the four villains in The Tales of Hoffmann, Peter in Hansel und Gretel and Leporello in Don Giovanni.