Jesús León


Mexican tenor Jesús León is one of the most acclaimed ‘bel canto’ tenors of his generation. His vocal studies began with the Cuban tenor Jesús Li, followed by attendance at the UCLA Opera Studio, the Solti Accademia di Bel Canto, the Boston University Opera Institute and the Domingo-Thornton Young Artist Program at Los Angeles Opera. He also trained in Italy under the direction of legendary soprano Mirella Freni, who granted him the Nicolai Ghiaurov scholarship.

Early years

His music studies began with guitar lessons at age ten and then voice lessons in the Casa de la Cultura of Sonora at age 14 while at the same time he was singing for private events in his self-created rock band, "Garage". From 1990 to 1995, he played guitar and sang with local bands, Herson Rucks, Europa and Sahuaro and won third prize in the Valores Bacardi national music competition in 1995.
In 1996 León began professional opera studies at the University of Sonora. He sang as a tenor soloist with the university choir and performed in music festivals such as the Festival Ortiz Tirado and the Festival of Las Fronteras. In 1998 he sang in the theatrical production, La Mandrágora.
Between 1998 and 2004, as tenor and pianist, León was a member of several sacred ensembles that led him to create his own ensemble, Cantiquo. For six years he sang in the Notte di Pasta of the hotel Fiesta Americana of Hermosillo. He also recorded a CD called Recuerdo de una Notte di Pasta.

Opera career

León's engagements in the 2017-18 season include Duca Rigoletto, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor Florida Grand Opera, Christmas concerts with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, New Year's Eve and New Day's year concert at Dubai Opera House, his role of Elvino in La Sonnambula in Staatsoper Stuttgart Opera, 7 concerts at Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and as Ismael in Nabucco Opéra de Nice and Toulon Opera.
León's engagements in the 2016-18 season include Nadir in Les pêcheurs de perles, Il Duca Rigoletto, Roméo in Roméo et Juliette and Elvino La Sonnambula.
Other recent engagements have included Roméo in Roméo et Juliette at the Atlanta Opera, Arturo in I Puritani at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence, Tebaldo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi at Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania, Elvino La Sonnambula at Teatro Massimo Bellini, Teatro Comunale Mario del Monaco in Treviso, Teatro Comunale Ferrara and Teatro Alighieri Ravenna, Nadir Les pêcheurs de perles at, Pâris in La Belle Hélène at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris, Ernesto in Don Pasquale at Tyrolean State Theatre, Alfredo in La Traviata at Scottish Opera, Dijon Opera, Théâtre de Caen, Vorarlberger Landestheater, Il Duca di Mantova in Rigoletto at Vorarlberger Landestheater, as Riccardo in Donizetti's Maria di Rohan in Berlin and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni at Garsington Opera and Birgitta Festival.
León is also an active concert performer and has performed with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Barbican Hall, Wigmore Hall, Orchestra Verdi in Milan and the Orquesta Sinfonica de Mineria.

Recordings

His debut recording Bel Canto with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Toby Purser, including arias by Vincenzo Bellini, Gaetano Donizetti and Giuseppe Verdi, was released on April 2015 by Opus Arte.

Grants

He has won grants from Jose Iturbi Foundation, The Vilcek Foundation, The Nando Peretti Foundation, The Solti Foundation, the Palm Springs Opera Guild, the Institute Sonora of Culture, Festival Ortiz Tirado, the American Institute of Fine Arts, and the Opera Buffs Inc. of Los Angeles.

Repertoire

;Vincenzo Bellini
;Ludwig van Beethoven
;Hector Berlioz
;Georges Bizet
;Gaetano Donizetti
;Charles Gounod
;Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
;Jacques Offenbach
;Giacomo Puccini
;Giuseppe Verdi
CD Bel Canto - Jesús León & Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra /Toby Purser, Conductor.