Bio
Letiția Vițelaru was born in Comănești, a small town in eastern Romania, and discovered the magic of music at a very young age. She studied the violin from 6 years old: first at „Victor Karpis” Music School in Giurgiu and then in Bacău, graduating in violin studies at „George Apostu” Art High School.
At the same time, she pursued this passion even more: she was hired at the Cultural Center and was deeply in love with singing too, thus performing in shows of folk music, along with the institution’s band. The study of both the violin and folk singing provided her with the extraordinary experience that trained her voice and also for interacting with the audience. She invested time and energy in musical education and in continual self- improvement, something that is still paying off to this day.
Growing up, she attended „Dinu Lipatti” Music High School and unintentionally switched from Romanian folk music to opera, which came as a pleasant surprise even for herself. But she kept her folk music repertoire close to her heart for the moments when she used to meet her beloved grandmother. Her own path was already shaping itself since she found herself gradually falling in love with opera, listening to recordings of Mirella Freni and Renata Tebaldi, cultivating this talent more and more through intense study, hard work and consistency.
After graduating in Bucharest, she moved with her family and decided to apply for admission at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan for a singing degree, where she enhanced not only her vocal studies, but also the study of opera and theatre, graduating with the highest grades.
Throughout her fruitful career, Letiția Vitelaru was awarded numerous prizes, among which can be mentioned the National Arts Award, Cuneo 2009, and the Concorso Lirico Assami. Following her winning the Concorso Assami, she made her debut in John Gay’s ”Beggar’s Opera”. She participated in masterclasses alongside renowned singers, such as Daniela Dessi, Fabio Armiliato, Luciana D’Intino, Norma Fantini, Maria Slatinaru Nistor and Mariella Devia.
As though the borders of Romania and Italy were not enough to surpass, she transformed her still growing passion into an international experience of learning and personal and professional growth: she participated in concerts and recitals at international venues in Paris, Pretoria, London, Johannesburg, Rome, Athens, Bucharest, Hamburg. Other concerts include La Scala in Milan, Opéra Avignon, Busseto Theatre. She sang at the Saint Petersburg Museum Theatre, conducted by Mats Liljefors, at Sala Palatului in Bucharest and at Brașov with the Johannes Strauss Ensemble – The Best of Vienna, conducted by Russell McGregor. Moreover, she sang at the Johannesburg Symphony Hall and at the Musaion University Concert Hall in Pretoria. In 2010 she performed in a concert for an Expo event in Shanghai representing the Italian team.
She was invited to sing during the 50th anniversary of maestro Renato Bruson in Spoleto and for Magda Olivero’s anniversary concert in Milan. She appeared in concert at the Busseto Verdi Theater and in the Theocharakis Foundation recital.
In 2012 she debuted in Teatro alla Scala, singing Norina in Don Pasquale conducted by Enrico Mazzola and directed by Jonathan Miller. She returned to Teatro alla Scala in 2013 to interpret Giulia in La Scala di Seta by Rossini, conducted by Christophe Rousset and directed by Damiano Michieletto. Then she sang Giulietta in Un giorno di regno by Verdi at Teatro Filarmonico di Verona, conducted by Stefano Ranzani and directed by Pier Luigi Pizzi.
She also interpreted roles such as Valencienne in Die lustige Witwe at the Petruzzelli Theatre in Bari, Zerlina in Don Giovanni at the Mario del Monaco Theatre in Treviso, Violetta in La Traviata at Teatro Lirico di Cagliari conducted by Cristiano del Monte and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni at Romanian National Opera House in Iași.
In 2017 she sang her first Lucia di Lammermoor at the Mario del Monaco Theatre in Treviso and then at the Teatro Claudio Abbado Ferrara, conducted by Sergio Alapont, thus obtaining both the winning role and the public recognition Premio Belussi at the famous Toti dal Monte international competition. That same year, she sang the main role in Anna Bolena in Hamburg.
In the 2018/2019 season she sang Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City and the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor at the Dorset Opera Festival in England. In the 2019/2020 season she sang the role of Imogene in Il Pirata at Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania and all four soprano roles in Les Contes d`Hoffmann in Mexico City, at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. In 2020 she sang Norina in Don Pasquale at the Spira Culture Center in Sweden. In the 2020/2021 season, she sang Violetta in La Traviata by G. Verdi at Sala Mozart Zaragoza in Spain and at Auditorio Nacional Madrid.
In 2022 there were many performances in the role of Violetta (La Traviata) in Barcelona, Madrid, Zaragoza, then Gilda in Rigoletto at San Sebastian, the Messa da Requiem by G. Verdi with the National Philharmonic in Sofia, under the direction of Gustav Kuhn, then at Cathedral of Bressanone, under the direction of Roberto Zarpellon.
In November, she returns to San Sebastian for her debut as Mimi in La Boheme. In December, she took part in the Christmas Gala under the direction of conductor Kynan Johns at the Lope Vega Theater and the Real Theater in Madrid, enjoying great success.
Her journey continues like it started: with tremendous excitement towards what life and music may hold in their pockets for a girl who is continually falling in love with art.
