Opera Scotland

Rafael Rojas Suggest updates

Born Guadalajara, 15 September 1962.

Died Guadalajara, 19 January 2022.

Mexican tenor.

Rafael Rojas studied at the University of Guadalajara, continuing his training in Glasgow at the RSAMD and in Manchester at the RNCM.  He won the Domingo  Zarzuela Prize in the 1995 Operalia Competition, leading to a production of El Gato Montes at Washington National Opera.

While based in Manchester he sang with British Youth Opera (Rodolfo La bohème).  He also sang the title roles in student stagings including Roberto Devereux and Ernani.

Later performances in the UK were generally with Opera North, including Berlioz (Faust); Verdi (Duke of Mantua, Gustavus, Radames); Puccini (Cavaradossi, Pinkerton, Dick Johnson, Ruggero La rondine, Calaf) and Giordano (Andrea Chénier).  He also sang with Welsh National (Don José, Cavaradossi, Calaf) and ENO (Verdi Requiem).

He sang frequently in the USA - Washington; Houston (Ismaele, Macduff, Alfredo, Werther); Seattle; New York; Boston (Canio, Pinkerton); Glimmerglass (Pinkerton).

In Germany he worked at Berlin Deutsche Oper (Ismaele); Berlin Komische Opera (Duke); Leipzig (Don Carlos); Kassel (Pollione, Rodolfo Luisa Miller); Stuttgart (Pollione, Cavaradossi, Pinkerton); Hannover (Gustavus, Radames, Cavaradossi); Mannheim (Gustavus, Radames).

Other European appearances include Bregenz (Radames, Calaf); Basel (Otello); Paris Opéra National (Dick Johnson); Budapest (Otello); Savonlinna (Radames) and Zagreb (Pollione, Manrico).

He also appeared in Tel Aviv (Pinkerton), Australia and New Zealand (Duke of Mantua, Canio).