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BIOGRAPHY

Praised for his “ample voice of arresting quality” (Opera News) and his “power, passion and lyrical finesse” (Opera Magazine), in the 2022/23 season, rising young Argentinian-Spanish-American tenor Jose Simerilla Romero joins the ensemble of Staatsoper Hannover for various leading roles which include Rodolfo in La bohéme, Prince Gwidon in Tsar Saltan, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, and Chevalier de la Force in Dialogues des Carmélites. He also makes his Komische Oper debut as Laërte in Hamlet. Last season, he joined the Nederlandse Reisopera as both Alfredo in La traviata and Rodolfo in La bohéme, made his Los Angeles Philharmonic debut as Jaquino in Fidelio under the baton of Maestro Gustavo Dudamel, sang Rodolfo in La bohéme with the Grand Tetons Music Festival under the baton of Donald Runnicles, sang the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto in his Florida Grand Opera and Daytona Symphony debuts, made his San Francisco Symphony debut as the Shepard in Oedipus Rex, and sang further performances of Alfredo in La traviata with First Coast Opera.

He is a recent alumni of the Dutch National Opera & Ballet Studio where he was engaged to sing Wagner and Nereo in Mefistofele, the Messenger in Aida, and Boy 1 in Trouble in Tahiti as a part of the 2021 Opera Forward Festival, which were all unfortunately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He sang his first performances of Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore in a coproduction with Opera Zuid, Nederlandse Reisopera, Dutch National Opera & Ballet, which was live-streamed by Opera Vision. He was also engaged as an Apprentice Artist with Santa Fe Opera in their productions of Il barbiere di Siviglia, Die Zauberflöte, and Tristan und Isolde, Rusalka, and Huang Ruo’s M. Butterfly as well as engaged to sing concerts with soprano Kristin Opolais with the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra and the Polska Filharmonia, and sang performances in “Land and Sea” with Tampa Bay Symphony. Other recent performances include Alfredo in La traviata, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, B.F. Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Don Curzio in Le nozze di Figaro, Rodolfo in La bohéme, Duca in Rigoletto, the world premiere of Frédéric Chaslin’s Monte Cristo with LA Opera, Dr. Blind in Die Fledermaus, Albert in Albert Herring, Ottone in L’incoronazione di Poppea, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Danilo in The Merry Widow, Captain Tarnitz in The Student Prince, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, and Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus. On the concert stage, the tenor has performed Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Bach’s St John Passion, Handel’s Messiah, and Brahms’ Liebeslier Walzer.

Mr. Simerilla Romero is an Award Winner from the Chicago International Music Competition, the Vero Beach Opera Competition, the Camerata Bardi International Vocal Competition, the Jensen Foundation International Vocal Competition, the Opera Foundation, Metropolitan Opera National Council District Auditions, Kyrenia Opera Vocal Competition, Vienna International Music Competition, Berliner International Music Competition, the Orpheus Vocal Competition, and the Tampa Bay Symphony Jack Heller Competiton. He has participated in Houston Grand Opera’s Young Artist Vocal Academy, the LA Opera Young Artist Program, the Dutch National Opera & Ballet Studio, the Carnegie Hall Weill Music Institute, and holds degrees from both Valencia College and Stetson University.

"MY COMMITMENT TO AUTHENTICITY WILL BE MY GUIDE."

WHY DO YOU SING ?

"Music has always filled my household. Both of my parents are huge lovers and admirers of classical music and opera. The voices of Mario Lanza, Jussi Björling, Franco Corelli, and the popular Three Tenors surrounded me growing up. Since the crib, I have always enjoyed the emotional connection and joy I feel when listening and singing along with their music. My father is my greatest inspiration. People truly love his voice. He always wanted to be a singer and possessed natural raw talent to succeed, but due to his family's views toward a musical career, he was never given the chance. It's his greatest regret. So when I chose to pursue a career in music, his encouragement became my source of inspiration.

I honestly feel that I have found my true calling. I am never more passionate or feel more free than when I sing. I believe music is truly the most perfect expression of emotion, and as long as I make music and pursue this dream, I know that my commitment to authenticity will be my guide. There are millions of singers with great voices, but many of them don't sing from the heart. Singing with heart is the goal; singing with heart is the key ingredient. Anything less is cheating the audience, and ultimately cheating yourself."

                                                                      -Jose Simerilla Romero,

The Singer's Audition & Career Handbook, By Claudia Friedlander

JOSE SIMERILLA ROMERO

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