Raphael Fusco is an Italian-American composer, keyboardist, and conductor praised by the international press as “a lively player and fine improviser” (Los Angeles Times), “one of the most outstanding composers of his generation” (El Mundo), and “a leader in the opera world today” (Operawire).
Fusco’s music stirs emotions through the dynamic blending of language and sound, merging historical traditions with contemporary innovations to create immersive experiences for both performers and audiences. His compositions span a wide range of genres, from opera and theater to orchestral works, art song, chamber music, and pieces for historical instruments. Fusco’s compositions have been commissioned by the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Cecilia Chorus of New York, Opera Lucca, and members of the New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Opera Orchestras, among others. They have premiered in prestigious venues across the world, including Carnegie Hall, Kimmel Center Philadelphia, Lincoln Center, Casa Milà in Barcelona, Oriental Art Center in Shanghai, and Église de Saint Séverin in Paris.
Recent premieres include Le parole dei mesi (Novafeltria, Italy, 2023), An American Requiem (Graz, Austria, 2022), La contesa canora (Lucca, Italy, 2022), Der Telefonist (Oldenburg, Germany, 2021), and inSOMNIA (Amberg, Germany, 2021), described as “a multifaceted, atmospheric sound-painting” (Mittelbayerische Zeitung). His debut album REMIXED, featuring original compositions for solo piano, was released in 2019 and praised for its “stunning sonic ideas” (Jazz Corner).
Fusco has earned awards from the NATS Art Song Composition Competition, the American Prize for Music, the Ruzickova Composition Competition, and the Aliénor International Harpsichord Competition. His works are published by Universal Edition Vienna, Verlag Ries & Erler, Prima la Musica and Hinshaw Music.
An accomplished pianist and harpsichordist, Fusco has performed with the New York Philharmonic, American Ballet Theatre, and GRAMMY Award-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis. A passionate educator, he has given masterclasses and lectures at institutions such as the Sorbonne, Manhattan School of Music, Boston University, the Escuela Superior de Canto in Madrid, and Strasbourg Conservatoire. He is the founder and artistic director of Opera Lucca’s Composer Institute and has served as conductor and vocal coach at Classic Lyric Arts since 2017.
A native of New Jersey, Fusco studied at the Mannes College of Music, Manhattan School of Music, G. Verdi Conservatory of Turin, and the Paris Schola Cantorum. He holds a doctorate from the University for Performing Arts in Graz, Austria, where his research explored empathy and expressive agency in vocal composition.
