BEATNIKBARITONE
About
Michael Pistorio is a lyric baritone whose mission is to bring modern finesse to classical singing. As an artist he blends his commanding voice with intimate drama, making him an audience favorite. Michael has performed as an opera principal, concert soloist, and with professional ensembles in the Mid-Atlantic region for over a decade. Of note was his debut as Joseph De Rocher in Jake Heggie’s opera Dead Man Walking which was described as “vocally and dramatically stirring”, “fully portraying the character”; DC Theatre Arts noted ”the defiance and fear in his portrayal.”
Michael made his international solo debut in 2015 as an invited artist of the Assisi Performing Arts Festival, performing the concert roles of Dancäire (Carmen), Masetto (Don Giovanni), and Marcello (La Bohéme), additionally soloing in Faure’s Requiem, Mozart’s Mass in C, and Schubert’s Mass in G.
In recent seasons Michael has made multiple role and company debuts including Really Spicy Opera and the American Friends of LaFayette, OperaAACC, Naptown Philharmonic Orchestra, Bach in Baltimore, the Heritage Signature Chorale, Maryland Opera, Opera Baltimore, and Opera Delaware.
Upcoming performances in the 2025-2026 season include a return to Bach in Baltimore for Himmelskönig, sei willkommen by J.S. Bach (BWV 182); Seven Songs of the Rubaiyat as part of The Hailstork Project with The Heritage Signature Chorale Chamber Singers; soloist in Vivaldi's Dixit Dominus and Magnificat with St. Bartholomew's Concert Series; Messiah with conductor Ed Polochick of Baltimore Concert Artists; and the titular role of Tartuffe with Shakespeare Opera Theatre.
Michael currently serves as music director of the historic St. Joseph’s Monastery in Baltimore, MD. He is a passionate Teaching Artist, providing clinics and workshops to vocal ensembles and maintains a private voice studio. Additionally, Michael is the co-founder of Charm City Opera Retreat, a summer intensive for emerging vocal artists preparing for upcoming auditions.
