Born in Vienna, Claudio Otelli studied at the Hochschüle für Musik und darstellende Kunst, joining the studio of the Vienna State Opera in 1987, undertaking in Vienna a variety of rôles, ranging from Mozart to Wagner and Richard Strauss. At the same time guest engagements have taken him to major opera houses throughout Europe and to Toronto, while he has continued to record for a number of labels, taking part in a wide repertoire of complete opera performances and including among his recordings a recital of ballads by Loewe.