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Recognised as having a “beautifully elegant” and “golden-toned voice”, Michael Petruccelli is one of Australia’s most versatile operatic tenors.
Michael is enjoying a busy 2026. He has recently received the 2026 Green Room Award for Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role for his portrayal of Tichon in Victorian Opera's critically acclaimed production of Katya Kabanova. On stage, he has recently performed the roles of Pang in Turandot and Goro in Madama Butterfly for Opera Australia's Sydney Summer Season at the Sydney Opera House. He has performed as tenor soloist in Bach's St John Passion with the Sydney Philharmonia choirs, Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the Bendigo Symphony Orchestra, for the Rachmaninoff Vespers with the Melbourne Bach Choir. Michael is also very recently made his debut with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in New Zealand performing the role of Goro in Madama Butterfly. Later this year he will perform the World Premier of Songs for the Stranger, composed by Sir Jonathan Mills with the Australian World Orchestra and will be tenor soloist for Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings with the Hobart Chamber Orchestra. Michael will finish the year performing Handel’s Messiah with the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall.
A graduate of The University of Melbourne, Michael began his career as a Developing Artist with Victorian Opera and the Melba Opera Trust. He has since been engaged by most of the leading opera companies and festivals in Australia and has also begun his international career having performed with Opera Frankfurt and Hessissches Staatstheater in Germany, for the Polish National Opera in Poland and at the Holland Festival in Holland.
Michael is no stranger to the concert platform. In Australia, Michael has been a soloist for Victorian Opera, Opera Australia, The Royal Melbourne Philharmonic, State Opera South Australia, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, West Australian Symphony Orchestra, The Orchestra of the Antipodes and for the City of Stonnington’s The Classics: Opera summer outdoor concert series. He has also performed as a soloist with various choirs and churches including St Patrick’s Cathedral and St Paul’s Cathedral.
Michael enjoys collaborating in recital with various pianists and chamber groups. In Australia he has performed recitals for the Fitzroy Chamber Music Series, Renaissance Tours, Music by the Springs, Melba Opera Trust, the Robert Stolz Viennese Music Society, the Lieder Society of Victoria, the Ardent Crescent Concert Series, the Team of Pianists and at St Patrick’s Cathedral. While in Germany he performed: regular “Intermezzo Lunchtime Recitals” in the foyer of the Oper Frankfurt opera house and a recital for the Frankfurt Museums Salon with acclaimed international repetiteur, Felice Venanzoni.
Michael has also been the recipient of various awards, scholarships and prizes. In 2025 Michael received a Green Room Award for Outstanding Performance in a Lead Role for his portrayel of The Stranger in Sir Jonathan Mills' operatic adaption of Eucalptus, a co-production between Opera Australia and Victorian Opera. In competitions he was the winner of the 2023 Sydney International Song Prize, was a finalist in the Herald Sun Aria, was a finalist in The Lady Fairfax New York Scholarship, won second prize in the 2020 Australian Singing Competition ASC@Home International Singing Competition, was a finalist and prize winner in the 3rd International Ljuba Welitsch Singing Competition in Vienna and was the second prize winner in the 2017 Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Aria. Michael has also been awarded a number of Scholarships which have aided his vocal and career development. These include: the 2021 Honor Sambrook Alumni Grant through the Melba Opera Trust, an Australian Cultural Fund grant, the Australia Council for the Arts ‘Career Development Grant for Individuals’, the Brian Boak Bursary, the Donovan-Johnston Memorial Scholarship as an alumnus of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, the RJ and AF Hamer Opera Scholarship as a Melba Opera Trust scholar and the Richard Bonynge Scholarship through Melbourne Opera.
