Opera Scotland

Plácido Domingo Suggest updates

Born Madrid, 21 January 1941.

Spanish tenor.

Plácido Domingo studied piano, conducting with Igor Markevitch, and finally singing in Mexico. His professional debut in 1957 was as a baritone in the zarzuela Gigantes y cabezudus by Caballero. His first principal tenor role was in 1960 (Alfredo). From 1962-65 he was a member of the Israeli National Opera in Tel Aviv. He gave over 300 performances of 12 operas, mainly singing in Hebrew. During this period he worked under the guidance of the British conductor Arthur Hammond.

In 1965 his European debut was at Marseilles (Pinkerton). In 1966 he appeared at the New York City Opera (title role in Ginastera's Don Rodrigo). In 1968 he made his New York Met debut at short notice replacing an indisposed Franco Corelli (Maurizio Adriana Lecouvreur). His debut at the Verona Arena came in 1969 (Don Carlos, Calaf).

His British appearances began in 1969 with a Verdi Requiem in London under Giulini. His Edinburgh Festival Debut came the following year, a Missa Solemnis, also with Giulini. His debut with the Royal Opera came in 1971 as Cavaradossi, and he returned regularly