The repertoire of the Austrian baritone Claudio Otelli encompasses a wide spectrum of classical and contemporary music theatre, and he is interested in acting as much in the musical interpretation of his roles. He has been strongly influenced by working with directors like Nicolas Brieger, Klaus Michael Grüber, Alfred Kirchner, Johannes Schaaf, Adolf Dresen, Giancarlo del Monaco, Christof Nel, Nikolaus Lehnhoff, Peter Mussbach, Nicolas Joel, Harry Kupfer and David Pountney as well as conductors like Riccardo Muti, Claudio Abbado, Pinchas Steinberg, Stefan Soltesz, Michael Gielen, Leopold Hager, Jeffrey Tate and Lothar Zagrosek. After completing voice studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, Claudio Otelli began his operatic career as a member of the ensemble of Vienna State Opera. Since 1994 he has worked freelance, appearing at leading opera houses in Europe, the USA and Japan. Otelli's debut performances in the USA were as Jochanaan at the Festival of Santa Fe, the Count Almaviva in Los Angeles and in the Lincoln Center, New York. He made his debut in Japan in the role of Ramiro in L’heure espagnole at New National Theatre in Tokyo, where he also sang Dr. Schön and Sharpless. In Tokyo's Santori Hall he made a guest appearance as Ryuji in a concert performance of Henze's Das verratene Meer. Forthcoming engagements are scheduled for Antwerp (Trinity Moses in Mahagonny), Cologne (Fred Graham in Kiss Me, Kate), Komische Oper Berlin (Pizarro in Fidelio) as well as Stuttgart (Klingsor in Parsifal).