Italian soprano Sara Cortolezzis is rapidly establishing herself on the international stage, with a repertoire encompassing Mozart and bel canto as well as the major lyric and dramatic heroines of Verdi and Puccini. Recent seasons have brought important debuts at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Staatsoper Stuttgart, Teatro La Fenice, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, New National Theatre Tokyo and Opera North.

2026/27 SEASON

In the 2026/27 season, Sara Cortolezzis makes her debut at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa as the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, before appearing at the Teatro Regio Torino as Mimì in a new production of Leoncavallo’s rarely performed La bohème, conducted by Andrea Battistoni and directed by Francesco Micheli.

She then returns to Opera North as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, touring the production to Leeds, Salford, Newcastle, Nottingham and Hull between February and April 2027. In April, she returns to the Fondazione Haydn di Bolzano e Trento as Mimì in Puccini’s La bohème, in a new production directed by Fabio Cherstich and conducted by Alessandro Bonato.

In summer 2027, Cortolezzis makes her debut at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires in Mozart’s Così fan tutte.

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS

Recent highlights include her Royal Opera House debut as Hélène in Verdi’s Les Vêpres siciliennes, Desdemona in Otello at the Staatsoper Stuttgart, Maria in Simon Boccanegra at Teatro La Fenice, Anna in Puccini’s Le Villi at the Teatro Filarmonico di Verona, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni at the New National Theatre Tokyo, and Susanna in Wolf-Ferrari’s Il segreto di Susanna with the Fondazione Haydn di Bolzano e Trento. Her concert engagements have included Bernstein’s Symphony No. 3, Kaddish, and Ravel’s Shéhérazade with the Taipei Symphony Orchestra under Eliahu Inbal.

Further recent engagements include Amelia in Simon Boccanegra with Opera North, Mimì in La bohème at the Tiroler Festspiele Erl, Violetta in La traviata at the Latvian National Opera, the title role in Anna Bolena at the Teatro Verdi di Trieste, Leonora in Il trovatore at the Teatro Coccia in Novara, Elena in I vespri siciliani at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Desdemona in Otello at the Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari, and Musetta in La bohème at the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago.  

Cortolezzis has received numerous distinctions at international singing competitions. In 2025 she was awarded the Audience Prize at the Tenor Viñas International Singing Competition in Barcelona. She previously won First Prize “Carlo Bergonzi” and the Special Prize “Renata Tebaldi” for Best Female Voice at the Voci Verdiane International Singing Competition in Busseto, as well as the 75th Singing Competition of the Teatro Lirico Sperimentale di Spoleto.  

Born in Mestre near Venice, Cortolezzis studied with Francesco Signor, Rosetta Pizzo, Lucia Mazzaria, Alessandro Pierfederici and Stefano Gibellato, and since 2019 has worked with Elisabetta Tandura. She has also participated in masterclasses with artists including Mariella Devia, Carmela Remigio and Renato Bruson.

SELECTED ROLES

Hélène · Les Vêpres siciliennes
Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

Desdemona · Otello
Staatsoper Stuttgart · Teatro Petruzzelli di Bari

Amelia / Maria Boccanegra · Simon Boccanegra
Opera North · Teatro La Fenice

Donna Anna · Don Giovanni
Opera North

Mimì · La bohème
Tiroler Festspiele Erl · Fondazione Haydn di Bolzano e Trento

INTERVIEW

Sara Cortolezzis on her Royal Opera House Debut & Verdi
OperaWire, May 2026
READ INTERVIEW → here