In 2008 Mexican soprano Maria Katzarava was the winner of the Opera and Zarzuela category of Operalia, and has subsequently performed at opera houses around the world. In 2010 she made her debut at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden as Juliette in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette under the baton of Daniel Oren, and has since performed the same role at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Teatro Filarmonico in Verona and with the Opéra de Lausanne and the Florida Grand Opera.

She has worked with conductors such as Zubin Mehta, Daniel Oren and Gustavo Dudamel, and recent projects have included Verdi’s Don Carlo at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia, where she appeared with Plácido Domingo, and Puccini’s Tosca at the Royal Swedish Opera. Forthcoming engagements include her debut in the title role of Verdi’s Aida at the Royal Swedish Opera, and the role of Lucrezia Contarini in I due Foscari at the Festival Verdi in Parma.