Juan Diego Florez

He soon joined the Coro Nacional and in a short time, he sang as a soloist of the choir in works such as Mozart's "KRONUNGSMESSE" and Rossini's "PETITE MESSE SOLENNELLE". In 1993, he was admitted to the courses of Curtis Institute of Music of Philadelphia where he studied until 1996: during this period, he appeared in local perfomances of "I CAPULETI E MONTECCHI", "LE NOZZE DI FIGARO", "IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA", "IL VIAGGIO A REIMS".

The following year, he was invited by the famous peruvian tenor Ernesto Palacio (with whom he has been preparing his repertoire since then to take part to some opera productions in Italy and they sang together in the first modern performances of Zingarelli's oratorio "LE TRE ORE DI AGONIA DI CRISTO" and in Martìn y Soler's opera "IL TUTORE BURLATO". He sang at the Sully-sur-Loire Festival and at the International Festival of Gerace (Italy). In 1995 he attended Marilyn Horne's summer classes at Academy of Santa Barbara.

In 1996 he obtained his first important success. He was in Pesaro to sing the small role of Ernesto in "RICCIARDO E ZORAIDE" and in the pot-puorri concert at Rossini Opera Festival. Tenor Bruce Ford, who had to sing the role of Corradino in "MATILDE DI SHABRAN", fell ill and Flòrez learnt the role in a hurry with the help of Palacio who had sung that role in 1974.

He was extremely succesfull and since then he has been appearing in all the most important opera houses in Europe: Meyerbeer's "L'ETOILE DU NORD" and "DON ASQUALE"(Wexford Festival, 1996), Gluck's "ARMIDE" (Milan, 1996 and 1999),LA CENERENTOLA" (Genua 1997, Pesaro 1998 and 2000), "IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA" (Trieste, Hamburg and Munich, 1997, Rome, Toulouse, Milan and Vienna 1999), "FALSTAFF" (Nice and Milan, 1997), "IL SIGNOR BRUSCHINO"(Pesaro, 1997), Rota's "IL CAPPELLO DI PAGLIA DI FIRENZE" (Milan,1998),"SEMIRAMIDE" (Vienna, 1998), Donizetti's "ELISABETTA"(London, 1998: first modern performance),"LE COMTE ORY"(Florence, 1998 and Genoa 2000), "LA SONNAMBULA"(Turin, 1998), Donizetti's "ALAHOR EN GRANADA" (Seville, 1998: first modern performance), "L'ITALIANA IN ALGERI" (Verona 1998, Las Palmas 1999, Vienna 1999 and 2000, Turin 2000,),"MARIA STUARDA" (Turin, 1999), Rossini's Otello as Roderigo (London, 2000), Rossini's STABAT MATER (Rome and Verona 1997, S.Francisco, Turin, Vienna and Barcelona 1999), Rossini's "IL VIAGGIO A REIMS" (Pesaro, 1999),Rossini's "LA PETITE MESSE SOLLENNELE" (Pesaro and Milan 1997, Pesaro 1999), Paisiello's "NINA OSSIA LA PAZZA PER AMORE" (Milan 1999 and Ravenna 2000). In April 2000, Juan Diego Flòrez won "Premio Abbiati della Critica" as 1999 best singer; in July 2000 he received "Rossini d'Oro" prize in Pesaro.

music teacher, October 9, 2005

Reviewer: J Carr (, NY)

I think Mr. Florez is the most exciting singer today. A recent second visit to Pesaro, found him singing in Barbiere once again. You would think he would be tired of this role. No! With the superb casting (he and Joyce DiDOnato were electrifying. She is the perfect partner for him and is fantastic in Rossini) It was like hearing him sing it for the first time.

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