"he rendered the psychological evolution of Attila very well: soldier, lover and
oppressed by an unknown supernatural power. The interpretation of the grand aria
Mentre gonfiarsi l’anima was assuredly the best moment of the evening."
Domenico Ciccone – Opera Click magazine (Italy)

Born in Winnipeg, Mark Booden began his studies in 1985 and proceeded to the University of Manitoba, the University of British Columbia, L’Accademia Musicale Chigiana (Siena, Italy), and the Accademia Verdiana di Busseto (Busseto, Italy).

He moved to Italy in 1996 to study under Gianfranco Pastine. There he began his career as a soloist and resided in Europe until 2005. He also studied with Maria Chiara, Katia Ricciarelli, Mario Basiola, Carlo Bergonzi, Piero Cappuccilli, Gianni Raimondi and, most recently, with Roland Hermann in Germany.

Early in his career he interpreted roles such as Roderigo (Don Carlo), Germont, Enrico (Lucia), Belcore, Count Almaviva and Sharpless and now focuses on more dramatic roles such as Iago, Amonasro, Scarpia, Attila, Rigoletto, Don Giovanni, and Escamillo. He has also begun to approach roles such as Wotan, the Dutchman, Amfortas and Jochanaan. A consummate musician, he has performed modern works such as Ginastera’s Bomarzo, Colabianchi’s modern opera Il Mago in which he created the role of Cassius at the world premiere in Rome.

While in Italy, he received the distinguished Ettore Bastianini award in recognition of his contribution to Italian opera.

Future engagements include La Traviata and the world premier of Victor Davies’ Transit of Venus for Manitoba Opera and a return to Rome for Rossini’s Stabat Mater.

Career highlights include:

• The role of Cassius in the world premiere of  Il Mago at the Teatro dell’Opera Brancaccio (Rome)
  

• Mascagni’s Nerone with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Rome
  

• A Verdi gala at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow with the Moscow Symphony
  

• Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni at Rome’s historic Teatro Argentina
  

• The title role of Verdi’s Attila for Teatro Marrucino (Italy)
  

• The Ettore Bastianini award presented in Modena (Italy) in recognition of his contribution as a young artist to Italian opera
  

• Internationally televised concerts from Moscow, Beijing and Israel
  

• Two gala concerts for the Manitoba Opera with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.