María José Montiel facts for kids
María José Montiel (born June 24, 1968) is a famous Spanish mezzo-soprano opera singer. She was born in Madrid, Spain. A mezzo-soprano is a female singer whose voice is lower than a soprano but higher than a contralto. In 2011, she won a special award called the Premio Teatro Campoamor for her amazing performance as Carmen in the opera Carmen.
Contents
Life and Career
Early Life and Training
María José Montiel was born in Madrid, Spain. She loved music from a young age. She studied singing at the Madrid Conservatory, learning from great teachers like Pedro Lavirgen. She then went to Vienna, Austria, to continue her training. She also studied law and the history of music, showing she has many talents!
Performing Around the World
María José Montiel has performed in many famous opera houses and concert halls all over the world. She has sung the main role in Carmen in many countries, including Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France, Spain, and Japan.
She has also been a soloist in the Verdi Requiem, a famous piece of music, conducted by Riccardo Chailly. She performed this in major cities like Vienna, Frankfurt, Milan, and Tokyo.
María José Montiel has sung in very famous places such as:
- Carnegie Hall in New York City
- The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
- Salle Pleyel and Paris Opera in Paris, France
- La Scala in Milan, Italy
- Vienna State Opera in Austria
- New National Theatre Tokyo in Japan
In Spain, she has performed at the Teatro Real in Madrid and the Gran Teatro del Liceo in Barcelona.
Special Performances
When the Teatro Real in Madrid reopened, María José Montiel sang the main role in the opera La vida breve. She also performed with other famous singers like Montserrat Caballé and Alfredo Kraus at special events.
She has sung with the world-renowned tenor Plácido Domingo. They performed together at the reopening of the Teatro Avenida in Buenos Aires. They also toured with the zarzuela (a Spanish musical play) Luisa Fernanda, performing it at La Scala, the Washington National Opera, and the Los Angeles Opera.
Repertoire
María José Montiel has a very wide "repertoire," which means she knows and performs many different operas and concert pieces. She is especially known for her roles in operas by famous composers like:
- Georges Bizet (Carmen)
- Giuseppe Verdi (Aida, Don Carlo)
- Vincenzo Bellini (Norma)
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Così fan tutte)
She also performs many concert pieces, including:
- Les nuits d'été by Hector Berlioz
- Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen and symphonies by Gustav Mahler
- Verdi's Requiem
- Beethoven's Ninth Symphony
María José Montiel also loves to perform music by Spanish composers. She has helped bring back older Spanish operas like Pepita Jiménez by Isaac Albéniz. She has also performed new works by modern Spanish composers.
Prizes
María José Montiel has won many important awards for her singing, including:
- The Lucrecia Arana award
- The SGAE Federico Romero prize
- The RNE Ojo Crítico award
- The CEOE prize
- The Spanish Coca-Cola Foundation award for best singer
In 2007, the Community of Madrid gave her the Culture Prize in the music section, recognizing her great contributions to music.
Discography
María José Montiel has recorded 17 albums with different music labels. Her CD of Brazilian songs, Modinha, was even a finalist for a Grammy Award! Her DVD called Madrileña Bonita sold so many copies that it went gold.
See also
In Spanish: María José Montiel para niños
