Jorge de León

Jorge de León, a distinguished tenor from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, began his musical education at the local conservatory, studying voice under Isabel García Soto. He later refined his technique in Italy with Giuseppe Valdengo and, from 2004 onwards, with Alfonso García Leoz. His early promise was recognized when he won First Prize at the IV National Competition of Villa Abarán in Murcia, which opened the door to performances of opera and zarzuela across Spain in venues such as the Auditorio Nacional de Madrid, Palau de les Arts in Valencia, Auditorio de Gran Canaria, Teatro Campoamor in Oviedo, and Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid.

In 2004, de León's growing international reputation was further cemented when he won First Prize at the Julián Gayarre International Singing Competition and Second Prize at the Jaime Aragall International Singing Competition in 2005. These achievements led to leading roles in productions of La Bruja, Doña Francisquita, Marina, Lucia di Lammermoor, Gianni Schicchi, Il Tabarro, Macbeth, La Vida Breve, Andrea Chénier, and West Side Story, among others. A defining moment came in 2010, when he delivered a celebrated last-minute performance of Andrea Chénier at the Teatro Real in Madrid in a production directed by Giancarlo del Monaco. This success propelled him onto the stages of many of the most prestigious opera houses in Italy and Spain, including Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, the Arena di Verona, Teatro Regio in Turin, and Teatro Verdi in Salerno. He went on to perform major roles in Aida, Tosca, Turandot, Madama Butterfly, Manon Lescaut, Otello, Il Trovatore, Le Cid, Jerusalem, and Cavalleria Rusticana / Pagliacci in cities such as Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao, Oviedo, Seville, and Málaga.

One of his most significant milestones was his portrayal of Calaf in Turandot in 2012 under the baton of Maestro Zubin Mehta. His international career has since flourished, with engagements at the Vienna State Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Staatsoper Hamburg, and other leading European houses, where he has interpreted roles in Aida, Macbeth, Tosca, Cavalleria Rusticana, Un Ballo in Maschera, La Forza del Destino, and Manon Lescaut. He made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 2017 in Aida, returning in 2019 and again in 2023. He has also appeared at the New National Theatre in Tokyo and recently performed Pagliacci and Aida at the Royal Opera House in London.

Throughout his career, Jorge de León has collaborated with some of the most respected conductors in the world, including Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Daniel Oren, Gustavo Dudamel, Sir Simon Rattle, Marco Armiliato, Gianandrea Noseda, Nicola Luisotti, Francesco Ivan Ciampa, and many others. His performances have been captured on film in major productions such as La Vida Breve under Lorin Maazel at the Palau de les Arts in Valencia, Aida in Beijing under Zubin Mehta, and Turandot in Turin with Gianandrea Noseda and stage direction by Stefano Poda.

His artistry has earned him significant recognition, including the Oscar de la Lírica for Best Tenor in 2016, the Premio Taburiente in 2022, and the Premio Talía in both 2023 and 2024, awarded by the Academia de las Artes Escénicas de España for Best Male Lyric Performer. In the coming months, he will debut as Don José in Carmen at the Opera di Roma and is set to return to the Teatro Real in Madrid in the 2025/26 season to reprise the title role in Otello.