Marina Viotti

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Marina Viotti is a Swiss-French mezzo-soprano who sings opera. She was born on April 30, 1986, in Lausanne, Switzerland, to a musical family. Her father, Marcello Viotti, was a conductor, and she has siblings who also work in music. From a young age she loved singing, and she grew up surrounded by musicians.

In her youth she lived in France, where she first trained as a flute player at the Forbach Conservatory. She also explored many musical styles, from R&B and jazz to gospel and even metal. As a teenager she formed a metal band called Lost Legacy and sang in concerts around Forbach. Her father’s death in 2005 was a difficult moment that led her to rethink her path.

Viotti moved to Lyon with her family and began a more varied course of study, including literature and philosophy, while still making music. In 2011 she moved to Vienna to study opera with Heidi Brunner. Brunner saw her potential and helped her start formal vocal training. Viotti also studied in Barcelona and joined choirs in Vienna and in other places, gradually building her operatic career.

Her first major competition success came in 2014 when she won the Mâcon International Singing Competition. She continued to win prizes and sing with major opera houses in Switzerland, Germany, and beyond. In 2015 she won the Belcanto International Prize at the Rossini Opera Festival and earned other prizes in the following years. She also appeared in Brigitte Balleys’s master class at the Lausanne Conservatory and completed studies there.

In 2019 Viotti faced a serious challenge: she was diagnosed with cancer. She underwent treatment and later recovered, making a strong comeback in the opera world. She released an album called Melankhôlia: In Darkness Through the Light, which blends different musical styles and reflects her experience during and after treatment.

Over the years Viotti has taken on many important roles. She performed Rosina in The Barber of Seville in 2018, and in 2024 she debuted the title role in Carmen at the Zurich Opera, a role she had previously declined for being too young. She also performed in Paris, Dresden, and other leading stages, and she has been praised for a voice that can cover a wide range—from lyrical, classical repertoire to more modern and dramatic music.

Viotti has continued to receive recognition for her talents. She won the Victoire de la Musique Classique in 2023 as Lyrical Artist of the Year, and she has been honored with other prizes and invitations to top performances. In 2024 she took part in the Paris Olympic opening ceremony with Gojira, performing a metal-inspired rendition of a revolutionary song. She later joined Gojira again for high-profile projects, including a collaboration that won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2025.

Today Viotti’s career combines opera with bold, cross-genre projects. She is known for her strong stage presence, expressive singing, and the ability to bring depth to a wide variety of roles. Her journey—from metal guitarist to celebrated opera star—shows her resilience and adaptability as an artist.