Mario Antonio Diaz Varas

Univ.-Prof. for Solo Voice / Representative for International Affairs & Coordinator ASEA-UNINET⋅Department Vocal Studies⋅Pre-College

Since 2009 Mario Diaz has been a professor at the Mozarteum University, accompanying young talents on their way to the opera world. He has been a singing professor several times at the Summer Academy and is in great demand internationally for masterclasses. In 2018 Mario Diaz received the "Honorary Professor of Kemerovo Sate University of Culture" of the Russian Federation.

The Chilean tenor Mario Diaz began his musical career at an early age. He first studied concert guitar as a young student at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest. This was followed by singing studies at the Stockholm University College of Opera with Maestro Nicolai Gedda. His teachers also included Prof. Monica Pick-Hieronimi, Prof. Kerstin Meyer, Maestro Ubaldo Gardini and Maestro Bruno Rigacci. Also the collaboration with Birgit Nilsson, Giuseppe Giaccomini, Ingvar Wixell and Gösta Winberg promoted his vocal development. He was a finalist in the "Concorso Internazionale Voci Verdiane Busseto" and the "Luciano Pavarotti Singing Competition Modena". After completing his opera studies at the Stockholm University College of Opera, he had his first engagement at the Royal Dramatical Theater, where he was able to demonstrate his acting talent under the direction of Ingmar Bergman. An international singing career followed. He had the opportunity to work with well-known conductors such as Carlo Franci, Bruno Rigacci, Sixten Ehrling and Siegfried Köhler. He gained important experience by taking part in productions by directors such as August Everding or Folke Abinius. Mario Diaz has a special, personal relationship to late romanticism and verismo. That is why he specialized in spinto-dramatic opera. His favorite roles, which brought him particular success, include Luigi ("Il Tabarro"), Don José ("Carmen"), Cavaradossi ("Tosca"), Moritz ("Adriana Lecouvreur"), Don Carlo, Otello and Andrea Chénier . Mario Diaz's artistic genius also proved itself in the composition of the songs. Due to his South American origins and his longstanding connection to Sweden, he is particularly familiar with the song culture of these countries. He dedicated himself to songwriters such as Carlos Guastavino and Astor Piazolla as well as works by Grieg and Sibelius.