Michael Maniaci (born 1976) is an American opera singer who has appeared at many of the world's best opera houses. Possessing a unique male soprano voice, Maniaci is noted for his unusual ability to sing into the upper soprano register without using falsetto. Most men who possess this ability have it as a result of a hormonal imbalance, but for some unknown reason, Maniaci's larynx did not develop causing his voice not to "break" in the usual manner. This physical particularity has given Maniaci the ability to sing in the soprano register without sounding like a typical countertenor or a woman singer. For this reason, professional vocal pedagogists consider Maniaci's voice to be unique among countertenors, and compare his vocal quality to the castrato voice of the past. Maniaci is becoming an important presence on the international classical music scene, having already appeared in lead roles at companies such as the Metropolitan Opera, La Fenice, and Opera North. He is known mostly for singing the works of Handel, Mozart, and Monteverdi.