Juan Diego Flores, Peruvian opera singer: biography, personal life

Juan Diego Flores is a famous Peruvian tenor, who won worldwide fame and fame primarily as a performer of Rossini's parties. His voice is light, graceful and extraordinarily flexible, which puts the singer in a number of leading masters, working in the bel canto repertoire.

Briefly about biography

Juan Diego Flores was born in 1973. He is the son of a famous Peruvian guitarist and singer, who worked with famous performers of his time. The future tenor studied at a college in Lima, then was educated at the National Conservatory in Peru, went to Philadelphia, where he studied for three years. Solid education helped the future star to finally decide on its repertoire and place in the music world.

The fact is that at first Juan Diego Flores acted as a performer of Peruvian music. The singer admitted that he was very fond of rock and roll, he composed songs and sang to the guitar. However, very soon it was discovered that he had a unique operatic voice. Already in the conservatory, he was commissioned to perform classical works. But the final turn towards the opera was made thanks to the training of another Peruvian tenor E. Palacio, who drew attention to the fact that he has a very rare type of voice.

Despite the rapid rise of his career, the singer is an exemplary family man. Juan Diego Flores, whose personal life, perhaps, is an example for imitation, is married to the beautiful singer Julia Trapp, they have children. A happy and beautiful couple is often seen at concerts, performances, social gatherings.

Carier start

Since then, the singer began to engage in classics seriously. The first serious breakthrough of the young performer on the world opera scene took place in 1996, when he performed the main male part in the opera "Matilda di Shabran". Until now, this role remains one of the most iconic in his repertoire. This performance immediately brought him world fame. The leading theaters of the world, including the famous La Scala, hurried to conclude contracts with him, and soon his first album was released. Juan Diego Flores and his fascinating arias immediately became the standard for the performance of works in the style of bel canto.

Features of the repertoire

As a rule, it turns out that in the operas the leading performer is a tenor. Singers with this type of voice occupy a prominent place on the world opera scene. That's why the unique tenor Flores immediately brought him great popularity. However, the singer's repertoire may seem limited. The fact is that his gentle soft voice does not allow him to perform the so-called heavy parties of Verdi, Puccini and other famous composers. But in the bel canto he is an unsurpassed performer. It is easy for him to give complex coloratures and high notes. His repertoire is primarily lyrical and melodramatic parts, as the light and elegant tenor of Flores is not suitable for heavy dramatic roles. But in the image of flamboyant characters or romantic heroes (Count Almaviva, Umberto, Don Ramiro), the singer is a true master of vocal skill and acting.

The most famous roles

Flores works and collaborates with the world's leading opera scenes: Covent Garden, the Metropolitan Opera. In addition, he performs at the La Scala Theater. It was within their walls that he presented his interpretation of the famous heroes from the operas of famous Italian composers to the court of the general public. Practice has shown that he is able to perform with ease what other singers often failed to do. One of the most iconic roles of the singer is the count's party from the sparkling "The Barber of Seville". The final aria of his hero differs complexity and virtuosity, coloratura passages are very effective, but very difficult to perform. For the tenor, this aria is given very easily.

Another famous role of the singer is the Prince's party from the opera "Cinderella". The title role of this character also differs virtuosity and unusual effectiveness of technique. In addition, duets, recitatives, quartets also require great skill and extraordinary talent. The above-mentioned parties are roles from the operas of Rossini. The singer is ideally suited for performing music precisely from his works, as the voice of the Peruvian nightingale is distinguished by its flexibility and extraordinary mobility, which allows him to perfectly perform virtuoso coloratura and to take the highest notes.

Bel canto

In addition to these parties, you should also mention a few other images created by the singer on stage. Very often he is allowed to sing a magnificent part from the opera of the same composer "The Maid of the Lake". Unlike the above roles, this role is not comedy, but melodramatic. This time his arias are sensual and sad. However, coloratura, ruladas are no less effective and therefore just as complex.

The Peruvian tenor often performs parties and other composers of the bel canto era: Donizetti and Bellini. These roles also require considerable skill in performance: coloratures and high notes require filigree technique in performance. It should be noted that the tenor worked with world opera stars in the performance of all these roles: D. di Donato, N. Dessay, E. Garanch and others. One of the most famous parts in this repertoire is the aria from the opera The Daughter of the Regiment, in which he took all the seven top notes "to", which are very difficult to perform and are often a stumbling block for so many performers. In Bellini's repertoire, of course, first of all, it is necessary to name the part from the opera "Somnambula", which still remains cult on the world opera scene.

Other parties

The tenor does not remain within the Belkant's repertoire. He tries his hand in other genres of the opera, but he does it very competently and carefully. So, recently he sang the title role in "Romeo and Juliet" (Sh. Gounod). Juan Diego Flores was able to afford it, because over the years his tenor became more dense, which makes it possible to gradually move on to heavier and dramatic parties.