Polish tenor Maciej Kwaśnikowski was born in Poznań and started singing at the age of 9 as a boy soprano.
 

Maciej began to study voice with Polish countertenor Robert Nakoneczny in 2014. In 2015 he entered the Warsaw Opera Academy at the Polish National Opera. Whilst there, he worked with Izabela Kłosińska, Eytan Pessen and Matthias Rexroth. In 2017, in addition to his musical training, he earned a degree in engineering physics from the Poznan University of Technology. That same year he sang the role of Florville in Rossini’s Il Signor Bruschino with the Orchestre national d’Île de France under the baton of Enrique Mazzola and entered the Académie de l’Opéra national de Paris. He was also part of the Young Singers Project of the Salzburger Festspiele and the Académie du Festival Aix-en-Provence.

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During his tenure at the Académie de l’Opéra national de Paris he performed as Alfred in Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss, as well as the Young Gentleman in Philippe Boesmans’ Reigen. He was awarded the Prix Lyrique du Cercle Carpeaux (2018) and Prix Lyrique de l'AROP (2019).

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In 2019 he joined the prestigious Lindemann Program at the Metropolitan Opera. His MET debut as Young Sailor in Richard Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, alongside other engagements, have been cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.

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He has performed numerous tenor sections in oratorio works of Bach, Handel, Mozart and notably in Schubert’s Mass in E Flat Major, with the Wiener Philharmoniker at the Salzburg Festival (2018) as well as with the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks in Munich (2019), both under the baton of maestro Riccardo Muti.

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Season 2021/2022 marks his debut on the main stage of Opéra Bastille as Borsa in Verdi’s Rigoletto alongside Ludovic Tézier and Nadine Sierra, conducted by Giacomo Sagripanti. He makes his house and role debut as Ferrando in Mozart’s Così fan tutte at the Opéra de Dijon and interprets the role of 4. Knappe in Richard Jones’ production of Wagner’s Parsifal at the Opéra Bastille, under the baton of Simone Young. He also appeared at the Salzburg Festival in Schubert’s E Flat Major Mass with Camerata Salzburg under the direction of Franz Welser-Möst.

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In season 2022/2023 Maciej interpreted the roles of 3. Jude in Strauss’ Salome and 2. Fossoyeur in Thomas’ Hamlet as well as Young Sailor and Shepherd in Peter Sellars’ production of Tristan und Isolde by Richard Wagner, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. In June 2023 Maciej is performing as Tybalt in a new production of Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, conducted by Carlo Rizzi.

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This summer Maciej is returning to the Salzburg Festival to sing in Mozart’s Coronation Mass with Mozarteum Orchestra led by Roberto González-Monjas. In the upcoming 23/24 season Maciej is joining the newly created Troupe of the Paris Opera, appearing as Pang in Robert Wilson’s production Puccini’s Turandot under the baton of Marco Armiliato, as well as Gastone in Verdi’s Traviata, 3. Jude in Strauss’ Salome and Rodriguez in Don Quichotte by Massenet.

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Maciej has been studying voice with Neil Shicoff since 2016.