Michael Maniaci (born in 1976) is an American opera singer. 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 and lengthen completely, 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.