Plácido Domingo
Plácido Domingo is probably the Spanish tenor most known throughout the world. He has been recognized as the “greatest tenor of all time” and the apple did not fall far from the tree as Plácido Domingo is the son of two Spanish Zarzuela opera singers: Plácido Domingo (Senior) and Pepita Embil.
Plácido's career has not only involved singing. He has also worked as a music conductor at the Washington National Opera and also the Los Angeles Opera. Additionally, he has worked as a producer and orchestra director.
Plácido Domingo was born in Madrid, although his family later moved to Mexico City, where he took piano lessons. His unique skills were recognized early on and he enrolled in the National Conservatory of Music of Mexico where he would continue to study piano and how to conduct music. There, he would meet his first wife with whom he would have his first son, although the matrimony did not last very long.
On May 12, 1959 Plácido Domingo made his stage acting debut as a baritone in the Degollado Theatre production of Marina in Guadalajara. Three years later, he would join the Tel Aviv Opera and become famous worldwide, having given 300 performances in just 2.5 years.
In 1985 the famous Spanish tenor lost some of his loved ones in a devastating earthquake in Mexico. Plácido Domingo himself aided in the rescue missions and later held various fund-raising galas in honor of the tragedy and also published an album.
Plácido Domingo has strong ties with Mexico and is very appreciated in the country. In 2007, a statue in the musician's honor was raised in Mexico City made of melted keys donated by the public. Alejandra Zúñiga was the sculptor in charge of the statue which was part of the Mexican “Grandes Valores” project.
The singer has performed in practically every important theatre in the world, from the New York City Opera to La Scala in Milan and worked with grand music conductors like Karajan or Zebin Mehta.
Even though Plácido Domingo has interpreted over 90 different roles, his repertoire includes mainly Italian, French, and German parts. His most famous performances include Il Trovatore, Otello and Tosca.
