Newly engaged associate Music Director and conductor for the International Tour of Phantom of the Opera Carmine Aufiero began his journey with the company in May of 2024 in Shanghai, China. After 8 months, 7 cities, and over 350+ performances, it has broken all Chinese box office records with over 270,000 seeing the production so far. The tour continues this year in Mumbai (1st time in India) Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan before returning to China in October.

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Mr. Aufiero made his New York conducting debut with Chelsea Opera's Suor Angelica, after which he served as the company’s first Music Director with productions of Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci, William Walton's The Bear and Lee Hoiby's The Scarf (production commemorating 50th anniversary of its premiere), Gianni Schicchi, Madama Butterfly and The Ballad of Baby Doe to rave reviews. Maestro Aufiero led the first full production of Tom Cipullo’s Glory Denied, a masterwork that has since entered the repertoire of 21st century American Opera.

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He was engaged as pianist and assistant conductor for the American Symphony Orchestra's production of Janacek's Osud under Leon Botstein after completing his studies in orchestral conducting with Harold Farberman. He has also worked with Martina Arroyo’s Prelude to Performance as vocal coach and pianist.

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In the summer of 2022, Mr. Aufiero co-founded TerpsiKord, NYC’s newest musical ensemble. Since its inaugural concert, TerpsiKord has been proud to perform with Broadway and opera stars Raquel Suarez Groen, Carlton Moe, Maree Johnson, Gregory Mills, Julie Udine, Jeremy Stolle, Elizabeth Welch and Derrick Davis (the Phantom of the Opera) and Krysty Swann (the Metropolitan Opera).

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Performances thus far include a benefit concert of Handel’s Messiah, a two evening engagement at Don’t Tell Mama’s of Phantom Phorever, as well as a gala concert at NYC’S Symphony Space entitled ‘Crossroads’ in August of 2023

As a guest conductor, Mr. Aufiero led the Marcello Giordani Foundation Gala Concert where he collaborated with such celebrated artists as Marcello Giordani, Lise Lindstrom, Leah Crochetto, Stephen Costello, and Victor Antipenko. He has conducted productions for Syracuse Opera, Opera in the James, Toledo Opera, Opera Carolina, and most recently for New York City Opera, debuting as conductor for its production of Barbiere di Siviglia in 2022 as well as conducting his first production with Opera Idaho (Barbiere di Siviglia) in October of 2022. He returned to OI to lead its next season opener, Le Nozze di Figaro, in 2023.

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An active vocal coach and accompanist, Mr. Aufiero was principal pianist and studio coach to renowned vocal pedagogue and Metropolitan Opera soprano Diana Soviero, collaborating on master classes for vocal technique, style and repertoire study.