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Ramon Vargas (Tenor)

Biografia

Ramon Vargas is one of the leading tenors of our time and one of the most sought-after worldwide.

He began singing in church at age nine, as soloist in the Boys’ Choir of the Basilica of Guadalupe in his native Mexico City. He later pursued musical studies at the "Cardenal Miranda" Institute of Music and Arts, and vocal technics with Antonio Lopez and Ricardo Sanchez.

After winning the Carlo Morelli National Vocal Competition in 1982, he made his debut in Hayden's Lo Speziale, in Monterrey, Mexico. In 1983, mexican conductor Eduardo Mata gave him his first important role as Fenton in Verdi's Falstaff, and in 1984 as Don Ottavio in Mozart's Don Giovanni. In 1986, Vargas won the "Enrico Caruso" Tenor Competition in Milan, Italy, and moved to Austria where he completed his vocal studies at the school of the Vienna State Opera Theater under the guidance of Leo Muller.

He took part in several productions there, particularly in the creation of Ronnefeld's Die Nachtausgabe. In 1988, he signed his first contract as member of the Lucerne Opera company, in Switzerland. In the following two seasons he performed many leading roles, including several uncommon ones like Belfiore in Il viaggio a Reims, Nerone in L'incoronazione di Poppea, Werther, and Salieri's Axur, Re d'Ormus.
In 1990, he decided to become a freelancer and went on to play increasingly important roles in major opera houses and festivals worldwide: Lorenzo in Fra Diavolo (Zurich), Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor (Marseilles), Tamino in Die Zauberflote (Vienna State Opera), Rossini's Stabat Mater (Paris Opera-Bastille) and Amenofi in Mose (Bologna). It was then he met renowned musicologist and teacher Rodolfo Celletti, in Milan, under whose guidance he has studied for his new roles.

In 1992, the New York Metropolitan Opera House invited Vargas to play Edgardo in Lucia, opposite June Anderson, substituting Luciano Pavarotti; this was his first appearance in the United States.

Another decisive debut took place in 1993, in La Scala of Milan, where he portrayed Fenton in Strehler's new production celebrating the centenary of Falstaff, under Riccardo Muti's conduction. Vargas returned to the MET for the opening of the 1994-1995 season, as the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto.

Ramon Vargas has been working steadily in the biggest opera houses around the world ever since: La Scala (La Traviata, Falstaff, Rigoletto), Vienna State Opera (Maria Stuarda, L'Elisir d'Amore, Lucia di Lammermoor, Roberto Devereux, La Boheme), London Covent Garden (La Traviata, Rigoletto, La Boheme), Paris Opera-Bastille (Rigoletto, Traviata), New York MET (Rigoletto, Barbiere di Siviglia, Cenerentola, L'Elisir d'Amore, Lucia di Lammermoor, La Boheme) San Francisco Opera (Un Ballo in Maschera, Lucia di Lammermoor), Buenos Aires Teatro Colon (La Favorita), the Arena of Verona (Barbiere, Rigoletto), Madrid Teatro Real (Werther), and others.

His most recent role debuts include the lead in Les Contes d'Hoffmann (Houston Grand Opera) and Don Carlo (Washington), and Lensky in Eugene Onegin at the Maggio Fiorentino Festival.
Ramon Vargas took a relevant part in the great homage to Giuseppe Verdi on January 27, 2001, singing his Requiem in Milan under the conduction of Riccardo Muti.
Upcoming engagements include Un Ballo in Maschera (Bologna), La Boheme (New York MET, Vienna, Berlin, Florence), La Clemenza di Tito (Florence's, Maggio Musicale), Lucia di Lammermoor (Viena), Berlioz's Requiem (Salzburg Festival), La Traviata (New York MET), Rigoletto (Florence, New York MET), La Favorite (Vienna), Don Carlo (Berlin, Vienna), Idomeneo (Salzburg Festival).

Ramon has portrayed more than fifty leading roles on stage, mostly from bel canto and romantic repertoire (Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini), but has also won acclaim with Verdi's Traviata, Rigoletto, Don Carlo and Ballo as well as Massenet's Werther, Offenbach's Contes d'Hoffmann, Gounod's Faust, Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, Stravinsky's Rake's Progress, and Puccini's La Boheme, among many others.

In addition to his operatic appearances, he is an accomplished concert singer, with an extensive repertoire ranging from Italian classical songs to romantic German Lieder and melodies by French, Spanish and Mexican composers from the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1998, he offered a memorable recital at La Scala, and his rendition of Mexican popular songs has been acclaimed at massive concerts in Mexico and Europe over the past five years.

Ramon Vargas' multi-awarded discography comprises Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia, La scala di seta, Tancredi, Maometto II, Il Turco in Italia; Donizetti's La Favorite; Bellini's Zaira, I Capuleti e i Montecchi; Massenet's Werther; Granados' Goyescas; Verdi's Falstaff and Alzira; opera arias recitals, Christmas carols, and several Italian and Mexican popular song albums, as well as a part included in the soundtrack of the motion picture Possession. Since 1999, he is an exclusive artist of BMG/RCA.

Ramon Vargas received the "Lauri-Volpi" Award to the best opera singer in the 1993 Italian season, and in 1995 Italian critics were unanimous in awarding him the "Gino Tani for the Arts". In 2000, British Opera Now declared him "Artist of the Year". Each year, since 1999, Austrian Festspiele Magazin has given him the first place among the best tenors in the world. In 2001, received the "ECHO Klassik - Singer of the Year" Award from the German Phono Academy.



Excerpts from international newspapers and magazines about Ramon Vargas
"The role of Carlo [was] splendidly sung by silvery-voiced tenor Ramon Vargas [...]. Mr. Vargas is luminous in his brief first-act arioso, "Io la vidi" and truly stirring in his militaristic duet with Rodrigo "Dio che nell'alma".

On his first Don Carlo, at The Washington Opera,
T.L. Ponick, The Washington Times, USA, 2001



"Ramon Vargas gilt als hei`ester Kandidat fur den Titel des 'besten Tenors des 21 Jahrhunderts'."

Vogue, Germany, 2001-08-01



"Ma il migliore della terna [Rigoletto-Gilda-Duca] e stato il tenore Ramon Vargas: Un Duca elegante, pur nel cinismo, turbato dall'amore, pur nella sua consuetudine godereccia; accurato nel fraseggio, nelle sottigliezze della parola; nelle increspature di una modulazione, nello smalto restituito a pagine logore come "Questa o quella" o "La donna e mobile".

On Rigoletto, at La Scala, Milano, Carla Moreni, Il Sole, Italy, 2001



"Ramon Vargas e adeguatissimo al ruolo del Duca: unita e luminosita del timbro, perfezione di fiati, precisione di fraseggio, sono i suoi punti di forza. Aver un elemento come lui rende doveroso eseguire, come il Maestro Muti pretende, la cabaletta dopo "Parmi veder le lagrime...", un tour de force."

On Rigoletto, at La Scala, Milano, Paolo Isotta, Il Corriere della Sera, ltaly, 2001




"Il Duca di Mantova puo compiacersi della voce brunita e dell'eccellente tecnica di Ramon Vargas, oggi probabilmente il miglior tenore lirico sulla piazza."

On Rigoletto, at La Scala, Milano, Giorgio Gualerzi, Italy, 2001



Disco
Possession
Original soundtrack of the motion picture Possession
Possesso (Aria)
Gabriel Yared, Composer and Conductor
(BMG, 2002, 09026-63882-2)


Arie Antiche 17th & 18th century songs
Songs of the 17th and 18th centuries by Caccini, Carissimi, Scarlatti, Lotti, Caldara, Bononcini, Marcello, Vinci and Ciampi, among others.
Arrangements by Sascha Goetzel (Edition EAI) and Joseph Turrin.
(RCA Red Seal, 2002, 09026-63913-2)

Alzira (Verdi)
Role: Zamoro
with Marina Mescheriakova (Alzira), Paolo Gavanelli (Gusmano)
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande; conductor: Fabio Luisi
(Philips, 2001, 464 628-2)
Listen to audio (429KB)

Verdi Arias
Munich Radio Orchestra; conductor: Edoardo Muller
(RCA Red Seal, 2001, 74321-79603-2)
Listen to audio I Masnadieri (199KB)
Listen to audio Rigoletto (332KB)

La Favorite (Donizetti)
ECHO Klassik Award 2001(Ramon Vargas "Singer of the Year")
Role: Fernand
with Vesselina Kasarova (Leonore); Munich Radio Orchestra; conductor: Marcello Viotti
(live recording - RCA Red Seal, 2000, 2CD 74321-79603-2 )

Mexico lindo
Mexican popular songs
La Camerata de las Americas; conductor Enrique Barrios
Mariachi de la Casa de la Musica Mexicana; Trio Los Morales
(RCA Red Seal, 2000, 74321-75478-2)

Werther(Massenet)
Role: Werther
with Vesselina Kasarova (Charlotte)
Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin;
conductor: Vladimir Jurowski
(RCA Red Seal, 1999, 2CD 74321-58224-2)
Listen to audio (156KB)

L’Amour, l’Amour...
Arias from operas by Gounod, Massenet, Donizetti, Chaikovski, Verdi, Puccini
Munich Radio Orchestra; conductor: Marcello Viotti
(RCA Red Seal, 1999, 74321-61464-2)
Listen to audio L`elisir d`amore (236KB)

I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Vincenzo Bellini)
Role: Tebaldo
with Vesselina Kasarova (Romeo), Eva Mei (Giulietta);
Munich Radio Orchestra; conductor: Roberto Abbado
(RCA Red Seal, 1998, 3CD 09026-68899-2)

Il Turco in Italia (Gioachino Rossini)
Gramophone Award 1998 (Best Opera Recording)
Role: Narciso with Cecilia Bartoli (Fiorilla), Michele Pertusi (Selim); Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano;
conductor: Riccardo Chailly
(DECCA, 1998, 2CD 458-924-2)

Corazon mexicano
Mexican popular songs
wth Eugenia Leon; Trio Los Triunfadores; Mariachi de America;
Orquesta Filarmonica de la Ciudad de Mexico;
conductor: Enrique Barrios
(Gobierno de la Cd. de Mexico, 1998)

Canzoni
Italian songs - XXIII Festival Internacional Cervantino
with Roberto Negri (piano)
(live recording - LaserLight, 1998, 14 307)

Goyescas (Enrique Granados)
Role: Fernando
with Maria Bayo (Rosario)
Orquesta Sinfonica de Madrid; conductor: Antoni Ros Marba
(Auvidis Valois, 1996, V 4791)

Tancredi (Gioachino Rossini)
Role: Argirio
with Vesselina Kasarova (Tancredi), Eva Mei (Amenaide)
Munich Radio Orchestra; conductor: Roberto Abbado
(RCA Red Seal, 1996, 3CD 09026-68349-2)

Navidad desde Mexico
Christmas Carols
Orquesta Filarmonica Latinoamericana;
conductor: Enrique Barrios
(Sony Masterworks, 1996, CDIC 486074)

Christmas with Ramon Vargas
Live recording
Lucerne Boys Choir; Convivium Musicum Vienna;
conductor: Paul Angerer
(Claves, 1996, CD 50-9612 )

Suite espanola (Agustin Lara)
Orquesta de Camara de Bellas Artes;
conductor: Enrique Barrios
(PolyGram, 1996, 532-817-2-24)

Falstaff (Giuseppe Verdi)
Special production for the centennial of Falstaff
Role: Fenton
with Juan Pons (Falstaff)
Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala; conductor: Riccardo Muti
(live recording - Sony Classical, 1994, 2CD S2K-58-961)

Otello (Giuseppe Verdi)
Role: Cassio
with Placido Domingo (Otello), Cheryl Studer (Desdemona); Orquestre de l`Opera de Paris-Bastille;
conductor: Myung Whun Chung
(Deutsche Grammophon, 1994, 2CD 439-805-2)

Maometto II (Gioachino Rossini)
Role: Paolo Erisso
with Michele Pertusi (Maometto), Cecilia Gasdia (Anna)
Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart; conductor: Gianluigi Gelmetti
(Ricordi, 1994, 3CD RFCD 2021)

Manon Lescaut (Giacomo Puccini)
Role: Edmondo
with Luciano Pavarotti (Des Grieux), Mirella Freni (Manon)
New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra;
conductor: James Levine
(DECCA, 1993, 2CD 440-200-2)

Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Gioachino Rossini)
Role: Conte Almaviva
with Roberto Servile (Figaro), Sonia Ganassi (Rosina)
Failoni Chamber Orchestra; conductor: Will Humburg
(Naxos, 1993, 3CD 8.660027-29 )

La scala di seta (Gioachino Rossini)
Role: Dorvil
with: Teresa Righolz (Giulia)
English Chamber Orchestra; conductor: Marcello Viotti
(Claves, 1992, CD 50-9219-2)

Rossini & Donizetti
Opera arias
English Chamber Orchestra; conductor: Marcello Viotti
(Claves, 1992, CD 50-9202)

Opera stars in concert
Opera arias and songs
with Alfredo Kraus, Renata Scotto, Paolo Coni
Slovak Philarmony Orchestra; conductor: Konrad Leitner
(live recording - Radio Nacional de Espana, 1991, 650006)

Zaira(Vincenzo Bellini)
Role: Corasmino
with Katia Ricciarelli (Zaira)
Orchestra del Teatro Massimo “Bellini” di Catania;
conductor: Paolo Olmi
(Nuova Era, 1991, 2CD 6982/83)

I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Vincenzo Bellini)
Role: Tebaldo
with Lucia Aliberti (Giulietta), Anna Holroyd (Romeo)
Warsaw National Opera Orchestra; conductor: Arturo Tamayo
(live recording - Fondation Elf, 1990, JPC 171912-3)




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