BIO
Leonardo Neiva is a member of the Vienna State Opera ensemble, one of the world's leading opera houses. He is an artist known for his stage presence and vocal versatility, and he has performed at major theaters throughout Latin America.
Since his professional debut at the age of 23, he has received acclaim from both audiences and critics. He won the Bidu Sayão international singing competition and has since been recognized as a versatile artist with excellent stage skills, capable of interpreting a wide-ranging repertoire.
After starring in the musical Les Misérables in Brazil and Mexico, he received the XII Carlos Gomes Award for Best Male Singer in 2009 for his performances in the operas "Samson et Dalila" (High Priest), "Dido and Aeneas" (Aeneas), and the symphonic poem "Kullervo" by Jean Sibelius. In 2013, he achieved great success with Roger Waters' rock musical "Ça Ira."
Some of his notable works include Falstaff (Ford) with OSESP, Les Pêcheurs de Perles (Zurga), I Pagliacci (Silvio), and Thaïs (Athanael) at the Municipal Theater of Santiago, Chile, "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" (Figaro) at the debut of the Brazilian Opera Company, Wozzeck and Carmina Burana for the Teatro São Carlos in Lisbon, "Dialogues des Carmélites" (Marquis de La Force), Tristan und Isolde (Kurwenal), and Hänsel und Gretel (Father) at the Amazonas Opera Festival, Ariadne auf Naxos (Music Teacher), Götterdämmerung (Gunther), and the title role in Don Giovanni for the Municipal Theater of São Paulo, "La Bohème" at the Palácio das Artes in Belo Horizonte, Roméo et Juliette (Mercutio) at the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro.
Some years ago, he participated in the Brazilian premiere of Benjamin Britten's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," creating the role of Bottom with great success, and made his debut in France in Wagner's opera "Rienzi" at the Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse, directed by the veteran Jorge Lavelli. This production was internationally released on DVD by the OPUS ARTE label. He has also recorded Villa-Lobos' Symphony No. 10, "Ameríndia," with OSESP under the baton of Isaac Karabtchevsky.
Additionally, he is an expert in musical theater and in 2018, he starred in the musical "The Phantom of the Opera" in Brazil.
REVIEWS
Richard Strauss: Friedenstag
Theatro Municipal de São Paulo
"Leonardo Neiva delivered a secure and well-projected vocal performance, composing his character with conviction and sobriety, revealing a lyrical baritone of good emission and expressive control adequate for the role. Within his vocal and dramatic possibilities, he built an internalized commander in constant conflict."
Marco Antonio Seta, July 20, 2025
Critica com o Seta Website
Mozarts Réquiem
OSESP Sala São Paulo
"[...] baritone Leonardo Neiva combined clear vocal lines with their respective beautiful timbres."
Nelson Rubens Kunze, May 4, 2025
Concerto Magazine
Tosca, G. Puccini
Theatro Municipal de São Paulo
"In other words, (...) Leonardo Neiva could interpret Cavaradossi in any major theater in the world. [...] Leonardo Neiva possesses a beautiful, round, velvety timbre. I confess I didn't imagine he could give voice to Scarpia. Once again: everything is possible for an artist. The most interesting thing is that he did it with complete naturalness, he seems to have used a simple recipe: he let himself be guided by the music and the text – to which, incidentally, he gave strong emphasis. [...] In Neiva's Scarpia, there was no room for exaggerations, and at no point did he flirt with a caricatured character, but his Scarpia was firm, never wavered, either from a musical or expressive point of view. His voice sounded homogeneous and very well placed all the time, full of nuances, with colors that changed according to the situations the character went through."
Fabiana Crepaldi, August 14, 2023
Notas Musicais Website
Tosca, G. Puccini
Theatro Municipal de São Paulo
"Entering through the middle of the audience, Leonardo Neiva there proposed a Scarpia without histrionics or verismo outbursts, above all austere. And, if his aria at the end of the act, one of the most interesting constructions in Puccini's theater, combining religiosity, desire, and death, already revealed an interpretation attentive to the words, the second act made the interesting characterization of the character even clearer, at ease with the declamatory nature of the singing and attentive to the words."
João Luiz Sampaio, August 13, 2023
Concerto Magazine
Carmen, G. Bizet
Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro
"The baritone Leonardo Neiva, who a few days ago announced his hiring for the cast of soloists of the Vienna State Opera, safely interpreted the bullfighter Escamillo, with good presence and a well-placed voice."
Leonardo Marques, July 24, 2023
Notas Musicas Website
The Consul, Giancarlo Menotti
Teatro Colón de Buenos Aires
"The Brazilian Leonardo Neiva took the brief, but significant, role of John Sorel, the persecuted militant, with assurance and conviction."
Jorge Coli, May 14, 2022
Concerto Magazine
The Rake’s Progress, Stravinsky
Theatro Municipal de São Paulo
"Leonardo Neiva led the devil Nick Shadow with propriety (...)"
Nelson Rubens Kunze, November 16, 2021
Concerto Magazine
Rienzi, der letzte der Tribunen, R. Wagner
"In the same register, young Brazilian Leonardo Neiva gives a flattering impact to the fiery Cecco, a character he makes particularly endearing."
Bertrand Bolognesi, October 10, 2012
ANACLASE
Rienzi, der letzte der Tribunen, R. Wagner
"Leonardo Neiva often manages to overcome this handicap and bring their characters to life, reinforcing the coherence of a homogeneous and first-rate cast."
Jean Toulouse, ODB Opera
'Götterdämmerung' with a touch of virtuosity
"On the other hand, Leonardo Neiva's Gunther is an example of skillful characterization combined with excellent vocal performance."
João Luiz Sampaio, August 16, 2012
Estado de São Paulo
La Boheme, G. Puccini
"Baritone Leonardo Neiva, one of the most beautiful and expressive voices of today."
Nelson Kunze, November 3, 2011 - Concerto Magazine
Tristan and Isolde, R. Wagner
"Leonardo Neiva is a baritone with a warm, tropical, incandescent voice, who links phrases beautifully and shows an amazing understanding of the text."
Opernwelt – Germany 2011
Tristan and Isolde – XV Amazonas Opera Festival
"Leonardo Neiva had a memorable night as Kurwenal, the squire of the hero Tristan. With a brilliant voice and very natural stage movement, Neiva, who already has an important career, is undoubtedly one of our most prominent singers today."
Nelson Kunze, May 24, 2011 - Concerto Magazine
Tristan and Isolde – XV Amazonas Opera Festival
"Inspired and competent participation of young Brazilian talent Leonardo Neiva (Kurwenal). With excellent musical performance, excellent vocal projection, and natural stage movement, Neiva, who already has an important career, is undoubtedly one of our most prominent singers today."
Leonardo Martinelli, May 23, 2011 - Concerto Magazine
Notes on the Brazilian Opera Company
"The cast, led by Leonardo Neiva... is homogeneous and efficient both vocally and theatrically."
João Luiz Sampaio, June 25, 2010
Estado de São Paulo
Pagliacci, R. Leoncavallo
"...a high technical level of voice and a lot of emotion in his character... excellent Brazilian baritone Leonardo Neiva (Silvio)."
Johnny Teperman, May 13, 2010
Mundoclassico Website
Ariadne auf Naxos
"… it is impossible not to mention Leonardo Neiva (Professor)…"
Arthur Nestrovski, August 19, 2008
Folha de São Paulo
Opera Pecheurs des Perles, Chile
"A second cast introduced a new and intriguing Zurga in the person of Leonardo Neiva, who brought to life the character's ongoing interior drama."
Opera Magazine
"Leonardo Neiva, proved to be a good actor in the role of John Sorel, Magda's tormented husband, singing as a strong baritone who combined very well with Filipcic Holm's voice."
Bataglia Website
"The Brazilian baritone Leonardo Neiva, substantiated as John Sorel, imprinted on his voice and character the correct seal of the persecuted."
Martin Wullich Website
OPERA REPERTOIRE
A. Berg – Wozzeck – Wozzeck
G. Bizet – Carmen – Escamillo
G. Bizet – Les Pêcheurs de Perles – Zurga
B. Britten – Billy Budd – Billy Budd / Redburn
B. Britten – A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Bottom
E. Chabrier – Une Education Manquée – Pausanias
L. Delibes – Lakmé – Nilakantha
G. Donizetti – Don Pasquale – Don Pasquale / Malatesta
G. Donizetti – Il Campanello di Notte – Enrico
G. Donizetti – La Favorita – Alphonso XI
G. Donizetti – Lucia di Lammermoor – Enrico
E. Ferrari – Il Segreto di Susanna – Gil
G. Gershwin – Porgy and Bess – Porgy
C. Gomes – Colombo – Colombo
C. Gomes – Fosca – Cambro
C. Gomes – Il Guarany – Gonzáles
G. Holst – Savitri – Death
E. Humperdinck – Hänsel und Gretel – Peter
R. Leoncavallo – Pagliacci – Tonio
P. Mascagni – Cavalleria Rusticana – Alfio
J. Massenet – Thaïs – Athanael
G. Menotti – The Telephone – Ben
G. Menotti – Amelia al Ballo – Il Marito
W. A. Mozart – Cosi Fan Tutte – Guglielmo
W. A. Mozart – Don Giovanni – Don Giovanni
W. A. Mozart – Le Nozze di Figaro – Figaro
G. Puccini – Manon Lescaut – Sargento Lescaut
G. Puccini – La Bohème – Marcello
G. Puccini – Tosca – Scarpia
G. Puccini – Il Tabarro – Michele
G. Puccini – Gianni Schicchi – Gianni Schicchi
G. Rossini – Il Barbiere di Siviglia – Figaro
C. Saint-Saëns – Samson et Dalilah – Le Grand Prêtre de Dagon
J. Sibelius – Kulervo – Kulervo
R. Strauss – Ariadne auf Naxos – Musiklehrer
S. Rachmaninoff – Lady Macbeth – Police Officer
G. Verdi – I Due Foscari – Jacopo Loredano
G. Verdi – La Traviata – Germont
G. Verdi – Un Ballo in Maschera – Renato
G. Verdi – Falstaff – Ford
R. Wagner – Tristan und Isolde – Kurwenal
R. Wagner – Das Rheingold – Wotan / Donner
R. Wagner – Götterdämmerung – Gunther
CONCERT REPERTOIRE
L. v. Beethoven – 9ª Symphony
J. S. Bach – Ich Habe Genug
J. Brahms – Ein Deutsches Requiem
A. Bruckner – Te Deum
C. Debussy – L’enfant Prodigue
A. Dvořák – Te Deum
G. Fauré – Requiem
C. Gounod – Messe solennelle de Sainte-Cécile
J. Haydn – Missa in Tempore Belli
G. Mahler – Das Knaben Wunderhorn
G. Mahler – Kindertotenlieder
W. A. Mozart – Requiem
H. Villa-Lobos – 10ª Sinfonia Ameríndia