Florin Cezar Ouatu was born in Romania in 1980. Grown in a musicians’ family, he began his musical studies at the Academy of Art and Music in his home town, where he obtained the piano and choral direction diploma. In 1998 he began the study of singing, immediately distinguishing himself as a rare "falsettista". In 2001 he was admitted at the Conservatory of Milan, where he graduated with special mention in 2004, under the guidance of Margaret Hayward. He attended masterclasses with Jordi Savall, Sara Mingardo, René Clemencic and Mariana Nicolesco.

He won several prestigious international competitions, including "Francisco Viñas" of Barcelona (Best Countertenor), "Competizione dell’Opera" of Dresden (First Prize), "Riccardo Zandonai" of Riva del Garda (Jury Special Prize), Voice Competition "Renata Tebaldi" of San Marino (Baroque Prize) and "Spiros Argiris" Prize of Sarzana.

He has performed in concert in Italy and abroad and has frequently appeared with La Cappella Musicale of Lodi and Claudio Monteverdi Choir of Crema. His concert repertoire includes Händel’s Dixit Dominus, Purcell’s Te Deum, Vivaldi’s Nisi Dominus and Stabat Mater, Cavalli’s Requiem. In august 2007 he was the protagonist of a recital with arias by Händel and Vivaldi in San Marino, with the Baroque ensemble "Venti, turbini", led by Sergio Ciomei.

His operatic repertoire also includes the roles of Goffredo and Rinaldo in Rinaldo by Händel and Bertarido in Rodelinda. He recorded the Requiem and Two Voices Motets by Cavalli (Tactus), Vespero delli Cinque Laudate by Cavalli (Dynamic), Bizzarrie, follie, stravaganze (Amadeus).

In 2007 he made his debut at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice singing the role of Armando d’Orville (title role) in Meyerbeer's Il crociato in Egitto with Emmanuel Villaume conductor and Pierluigi Pizzi director.

Recent engagements include: Händel's Giulio Cesare (Nireno) at the Opéra de Lausanne under the baton of Ottavio Dantone; Vivaldi’s Ottone in Villa (Caio Silio) at the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, with l’Arte dell’Arco and Federico Guglielmo (the studio recording of this production will be released by Sony/BMG); Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea (Nerone) at the Corinth Festival under George Petrou; the world première of Bononcini’s La conversione di Maddalena (Amor Divino) at the MITO Festival with Accademia d’Arcadia under Diego Fasolis.

Among his future engagements: Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine with Ensemble Matheus and Jean-Christophe Spinosi in Brest and at the Théâtre du Châtelet, in a new production directed by Oleg Kulik; a concert with Simone Kermes with arias and duets from Händel’s Rinaldo with L’arte del mondo led by Werner Ehrhardt in Steinfurt (Bagno-Konzertgalerie) and in Dortmund (Klangvokal Musikfestival). In April 2009 he will make his debut ad Didymus in Händel’s Theodora at the Cuenca Festival with Il Complesso Barocco and Alan Curtis. He will return at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice for Händel’s Agrippina (Nerone), under the baton of Fabio Biondi.

January 2009