Maria Todaro
Born into a family of opera singers, Maria Todaro was immersed in music and the performing arts from an early age. A versatile artist, cultural entrepreneur, and creative leader, she has built an international career as a stage director, costume designer, fight choreographer, stunt artist, writer, conductor, educator, and arts executive.
biography
Meet Maria Todaro
Since 2024, Maria has served as CEO & General Director of Florida Grand Opera, the oldest performing arts institution in Florida, based in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area. Under her leadership, the company has embarked on an ambitious artistic and organizational renaissance, expanding its community impact while reimagining the role of opera in the 21st century.
Maria is also the co-founder of the Hudson Valley International Festival of the Voice (formerly the Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice), which she established in 2009 in the Catskill Mountains of New York.
The festival has become internationally recognized for its innovative productions, interdisciplinary programming, and commitment to developing new audiences.
A former opera singer and pianist herself, Maria brings a performer’s insight to every production and is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of artists.
In 2026, Maria made her debut at the prestigious Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago, serving as both Stage Director and Costume Designer for a new production of Tosca, presented in the composer’s hometown. In 2027, she will make her debut at Teatro La Fenice in Venice, directing a brand-new production of Norma, entirely conceived and designed by Maria Todaro.
Throughout her career, Maria has become known for productions that combine strong dramaturgy with bold visual storytelling.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she achieved international recognition by creating the first live drive-in opera in the United States—a fully socially distanced, science-fiction-inspired production of Tosca for the Hudson Valley Festival of the Voice. The production attracted international attention for demonstrating how opera could continue to thrive during unprecedented circumstances. As Opera UK observed, “Todaro’s concept worked because she stayed true to the drama at its core.”
Her recent productions include L’Amant Anonyme by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges for Minnesota Opera (2022), set in 18th-century Guadeloupe as a tribute to the composer’s Caribbean heritage and librettist Félicité de Genlis. She later created a substantially revised version for The Atlanta Opera (2023), featuring a newly adapted libretto translated and reimagined by Todaro herself.
Other notable productions include L’Elisir d’Amore for Hawaii Opera Theatre (2023), relocated to a Hawaiian sugar plantation; Le Nozze di Figaro, praised for its “fresh take and whip-smart humor”; an acclaimed Pagliacci set in the American Wild West featuring horses, carriages, and circus artists; Carmen set during the Spanish Civil War; a unique and hilarious Cenerentolla set in the roaring 20’s; Madama Butterfly; Don Giovanni; La Bohème; La Traviata, Die Walküre and Cavalleria Rusticana, among many others.
In addition to directing, Maria is an accomplished librettist. She wrote the libretto for the opera Les Trois Mousquetaires, based on Alexandre Dumas’ classic novel, with music by composer Mitchell Bach and the operatic comedy: The Benefit with Michelle Jennings.
Maria Todaro is a passionate advocate for opera as a powerful instrument of cultural diplomacy, fostering dialogue, mutual understanding, and international cooperation through the performing arts. In October 2025, she addressed the Italian Senate in Rome, speaking on the role of opera as a bridge between nations and cultures. She is equally committed to the belief that the arts are essential to the elevation of the human spirit and the transformation of society. An advocate for interdisciplinary collaboration, she also works alongside researchers exploring the relationship between wellness, neuroscience, and the human voice, promoting scientific research into the therapeutic and transformative potential of singing and music. Frequently speaking on these subjects, she champions the idea that, in an increasingly technological world, we must relearn how to become fully human through art—using beauty, emotion, and shared artistic experiences to cultivate empathy, compassion, and deeper human connection.
Whether leading a historic opera company, directing new productions, or creating innovative artistic experiences, Maria Todaro is driven by a single conviction: that opera remains one of the most powerful art forms for bringing people together, inspiring dialogue, and transforming communities.