A native Texan, tenor Hugo Vera is described as possessing a “truly heroic voice” that is both “beautiful and brilliant.” in addition to The Metropolitan Opera artist roster, Mr. Vera has performed 34 roles and 20 choral orchestral works with distinguished companies in the US as part of his musical and artistic development of the full lyric and spinto tenor repertoire. In addition to The Metropolitan Opera, Mr. Vera has sung with Spoleto, USA, Kansas City Symphony, New York City Opera, Illinois Symphony and Chorus, Fort St. Symphony and Chorus, Opera Memphis, Aspen Music Festival, Brevard Music Center, Sarasota Opera, the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Glimmerglass Opera, Opera North, Aspen Opera Theatre, The Minnesota Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Nashville Opera, Shreveport Opera, Tanglewood Music Festival and The Metropolitan Operawhere he returned for a fifth season in 2013-2014 where he worked in productions of Tosca, The Nose and Norma. He also performed recitals as an Artist in Residence at Dartmouth College and University of Texas-Pan America, Tenor Soloist in Verdi’s Requiem with the Long Island Choral Society and Orchestra. Sports Anchorman in the world premier of the opera Bum Phillips with the experimental NYC Monk Parrots and Don Jose (Carmen) with GLOW Lyric Opera and returned to Piccolo Spoleto for a series of concerts. In 2014-2015 he returns to The Metropolitan Opera to work on productions of Aida, and Don Carlos, a debut with New Opera NYC, concert entitled Kaleidoscope: Concert for Healing EG Music Productions in NYC, Artist in Residence Tour at Westminster College (UT), Presbyterian College (SC), University of Texas-Rio Grande, and Glow Lyric Theatre. Debut, and world premiere as Carl Jung in the opera Sabina Spielrein with the Center of Contemporary Opera. Don Jose with Local Opera Local Artists (LOLA) Austin, TX, and with Lawrence Opera Theatre. Solo concerts with The Long Island Philharmonic, Lawrence Arts Center, Spoletta in Tosca with Chelsea Opera, and Tenor soloist in Verdi’s Requiem with Concert Choir of the Brattleboro (VT).
Mr. Vera has performed important principal roles in his fach including Manrico (Il Trovatore), Cavaradossi (Tosca), Radames, (Aida), Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffmann),Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), Faust (Faust), Pietro Nuttini (The Glass Blowers), Luiz (The Gondoliers), Alfredo (La Traviata), Raffaele (Stiffelio) and Manuel the down and out boxer in Marcus Hummon;s opera Surrender Road. He has expanded his core repertoire with cover assignments of significant roles comprising Stiffelio, Duke of Mantua (Rigoletto), Jacopo Foscari (I due Foscari), and Sam (Susannah).
The 2011-2012 Season saw Mr. Vera in a return to The Metropolitan Opera for various assignments including Abdallo (Nabucco), he returned to Spoleto USA, made a company debut with the distinguished Pittsburgh Opera singing Cavaradossi (Tosca), made a company and role debut with Center City Opera Theater in Philadelphia singing Neruda (Il Postino), and returned to Neue Eutin Festspiele in Germany for a role debut singing Ishmael (Nabucco).
The 2010 -2011 Season included noteworthy roles and company debuts with performances of Radames (Aïda) for Opera Memphis and Trin (La Fanciulla del West) for The Metropolitan Opera. Assignments in the 2009-2010 Season for Mr. Vera comprised a cover of Kedril in Janáček’s From the House of the Dead for The Metropolitan Opera, a reprise of Rodolfo (La bohème) for Shreveport Opera, a role debut as Werther for Winter Opera of St. Louis, several concerts, and a role and company debut singing Haydn’s Philemon (Philemon and Baucis) for the celebrated festival, Spoleto USA In addition to the role of Voce Tenore in Il Piccolo Marat, projects in the 2008-2009 Season included several role debuts. Mr. Vera sang Rodolfo (La Bohème) in a debut with Sioux City Symphony, Des Grieux (Manon Lescaut) for Shreveport Opera, Samson (Samson et Dalila) for New Opera of Saint Louis, and he reprised Don José (Carmen) for Opera North. .
As a concert artist, Mr. Vera has successfully performed works ranging from the cantatas of J.S. Bach to the works of Britten, Tippett and Vaughn Williams. Of the oratorio/concert repertoire Mr. Vera has sung Verdi’s Requiem, Vaughn William Mass in G minor, Schubert’s Mass in G, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Handel’s Messiah, and various works of Beethoven including the Choral Fantasy, the Mass in C, Missa Solemnis, and the great Symphony No. 9. He has had the pleasure of performing both Bach’s Magnificat, as well as, the celebrated Mass in B minor.
Recognized as a significantly talented young singer, Mr. Vera enjoyed the privilege of training with several noteworthy young artist programs including the Brevard Music Center, the Tanglewood Music Festival, Aspen Music Center, Chautauqua Opera, The Lyric Opera of Kansas City, The Minnesota Opera, and Glimmerglass Opera .
RECENT AND UPCOMING HIGHLIGHTS
Verdi Aïda Radames Memphis Opera (2010)
Verdi Nabucco Abdallo The Metropolitan Opera (2011)
Puccini Tosca Cavaradossi Pittsburgh Opera (2012)
Catán Il Postino Pablo Neruda Center City Opera Theater (2012)
Verdi Nabucco Ishmaele Neue Eutin Festspiele (2012)
Verdi Aïda Messenger The Metropolitan Opera (2012)
Verdi Il Trovatore Ruiz The Metropolitan Opera (2012/2013)
Zadonai Francesca da Rimini Archer The Metropolitan Opera (2013)
Verdi Don Carlo Lerma/Herald The Metropolitan Opera (2013)
Verdi Il Trovatore Manrico Minnesota Concert Opera (2013)
Verdi La Traviata Alfredo Center City Opera (2013)
Debussy L’enfant Prodigue Azael Piccolo Spoleto USA (2013)
Bellini Norma Flavio* The Metropolitan Opera (2013)
Puccini Tosca Spoletta The Metropolitan Opera (2014)
Stopschinski Bum Phillips (world premiere)Anchor Monk Parrots Experimental (2014)
Orff Carmina Burana Tenor soloist Gulf Coast Symphony (2014)
Bizet Carmen Don Jose Glow Lyric Theatre (2014)
Verdi Aida Messenger The Metropolitan Opera (2014)
Puccini Tosca Spoletta Martha Cardona Theatre (2014)
Verdi Don Carlo Lerma/Herald The Metropolitan Opera (2015)
Verdi Aida Messenger The Metropolitan Opera (2015)
Verdi Requiem Tenor Brattleboro Symphony, VT (2015)
Bizet Carmen Don Jose Local Opera Local Artist, TX (2015) Puccini Tosca Cavaradossi Long Island Philharmonia (2015)
Brahms Libeslieder Walzer(Staged) Tenor New Opera NYC (2015)
Puccini Tosca Spoletta Chelsea Opera (2015)
Bizet Carmen Don Jose Lawrence Opera Theatre (2015)
REVIEWS
Spoletta (TOSCA)
CHELSEA OPERA
“ Agent Spoletta (tenor Hugo Vera) sneered…were so convincing that we felt fear just sitting there on those hard wooden pews. Voce di Meche
Don Jose (CARMEN)
LOLA (Austin, TX)
“Hugo Vera as Jose belted out a high tenor and excelled in softer, sweeter vocal sections…Ultimately he mined his character’s sympathies: adoring at first but then marking a darker course.”- Austin 360
Cavaradossi (TOSCA)
PITTSBURG OPERA
“Hugo Vera, a young tenor whose credits include the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, gave a winning portrayal of Cavaradosi. He sang with impressive consistency of tonal color throughout his range and had goodpower. His dramatic range was impressive, too – from the lightness with which he interacts with the Sacristan to his confidence in handling his lover’s jealousy and above all in his emotional roller coaster in the last act.” Pittsburgh-Tribune Review
The Messenger (AIDA)
THE METROPOLITAN OPERA
“Miklos Sebestyen and Hugo Vera sang well as the King and the Messenger, respectively.”
The Classical Review
Abdallo (NABUCCO)
THE METROPOLITAN OPERA
“Singing very well in supporting roles were David Crawford as the High Priest of Baal, Hugo Vera as Abdallo and Amber Wagner as Anna, Zaccaria’s sister.” The Classical Review
Trin (LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST)
THE METROPOLITAN OPERA
““Among the large supporting cast, highlights were baritone Dwayne Croft’s gruff miner Sonora, bass Oren Gradus’ ballad singer Jake, and tenor Hugo Vera’s promising debut as comic sidekick Trin.””
New York Post
Radames (AIDA)
OPERA MEMPHIS
“As Radames, tenor Hugo Vera made an immediate and lasting impression…His notes are clear, well-considered and cut to the heart of every phrase without overdoing it.” The Commercial Appeal
Werther (WERTHER)
WINTER OPERA SAINT LOUIS
“tenor Hugo Vera in the title role: He’s a real find…he revealed a truly impressive instrument — big, beautiful, ringing and Italianate.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Hoffman (TALES OF HOFFMAN)
THE MINNESOTA OPERA
“…tenor Hugo Vera played Hoffmann and was pitch-perfect as the boozing, heartbroken poet and composer.” Post Bulletin Online
Don José (CARMEN)
OPERA NORTH
“… this performance had another standout performer ….That singer was tenor Hugo Vera, who sang the role of Carmen’s pursuer, Don José, with passion. Vera displayed solid stage presence…a nicely done performance…. Bravo! ” OperaOnline.us
“[Hugo Vera ]… sang the role of Don José passionately and powerfully….Vera’s able singing and beautiful voice made him convincing.” Rutland Herald Online
HUGO VERA
Tenor
www.hugoveratenor.com/www.facebook.com/hugoveratenor
La fleur Carmen Bizet
Ah la paterna mano Macbeth Verdi
Dovunque al mondo Madama Butterfly Puccini
Desnuda Il Postino Catan
Prologue The rape of Lucretia Britten