A native Texan, the esteemed tenor HUGO VERA is described as possessing a “truly heroic voice” that is both “beautiful and brilliant.”  Increasingly in demand and a frequently featured artist of The Metropolitan Opera, Mr. Vera has performed 34 roles and 20 choral orchestral works with distinguished companies in the US as a full lyric and spinto tenor.  In addition to The Metropolitan Opera, he has sung with Spoleto USA, Kansas City Symphony, New York City Opera, Illinois Symphony, Fort Street Symphony, Opera Memphis, Aspen Music Festival, Brevard Music Center, Sarasota Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Glimmerglass Opera, Opera North, Aspen Opera Theatre, Minnesota Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Nashville Opera, Shreveport Opera, and the Tanglewood Music Festival.  Mr. Vera portrayed Manrico in Il Trovatore with the Minnesota Concert Opera, and made his Carnegie Hall solo debut performing Gregory Singer’s Funeral Processional, conducted by the composer.  He sang Alfredo in La Traviata with Center City Opera, was featured at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival as Azael in Debussy’s L’enfant Prodigue with the Charleston Chamber Opera, and has sung numerous solo recitals throughout the United States.

Mr. Vera has performed important principal roles in his fach including Cavaradossi in Tosca, Radames in Aida, Hoffmann in The Tales of Hoffmann, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, the title role in Faust, Pietro Nuttini in The Glass Blowers, Luiz in The Gondoliers, Raffaele in Stiffelio, and Manuel the down and out boxer in Marcus Hummon's Surrender Road.  He has expanded his core repertoire with cover assignments of significant roles comprising Stiffelio, Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto, Jacopo Foscari in I due Foscari, and Sam in Susannah.

As a Metropolitan Opera artist, Mr. Vera's various roles include Abdallo in Nabucco, Trin in La Fanciulla del West, and cover of Kedril in Janáček’s From the House of the Dead.  Company and role debut performances include Cavaradossi in Tosca with Pittsburgh Opera, Neruda in Il Postino with Center City Opera Theater in Philadelphia, and Ismaele in Nabucco with Neue Eutin Festspiele in Germany.  Other notable engagements:  Radames in Aïda with Opera Memphis, Rodolfo in La bohème and Des Grieux in Manon Lescaut with Shreveport Opera, the title role in Werther with Winter Opera of St. Louis, Samson in Samson et Dalila with New Opera of Saint Louis, Rodolfo in La bohème with Sioux City Symphony, Don José in Carmen with Opera North and, at the celebrated Spoleto Festival USA, Philemon in Haydn's Philemon und Baucis and the role of Voce Tenore in Il Piccolo Marat.

As a concert artist, Mr. Vera has successfully performed works ranging from the cantatas of J.S. Bach to the works of Britten, Tippett and Vaughan Williams.  He has sung Verdi’s Requiem, Vaughan Williams Mass in G minor, Schubert’s Mass in G, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Handel’s Messiah, and various works of Beethoven including the Choral Fantasy, Mass in C, Missa Solemnis, and Symphony No. 9.  In addition, he has had the pleasure of performing both Bach’s Magnificat and the celebrated Mass in B minor.

Recognized as a significantly talented young singer, Mr. Vera enjoyed the privilege of training with several noteworthy young artist programs including Brevard Music Center, Tanglewood Music Festival, Aspen Music Center, Chautauqua Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Minnesota Opera, and Glimmerglass Opera.  He received the Bachelor of Music degree from University of Utah, and earned the Master of Music and Doctorate of Musical Arts degrees– both with Honors – from the University of Kansas.

Reviews
"Tenor Hugo Vera in the title role [of Werther]': He's a real find...he revealed a truly impressive instrument — big, beautiful, ringing and Italianate.”     - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

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“Among the large supporting cast, highlights were...  Hugo Vera's promising debut as comic sidekick Trin." [La Fanciulla del West, Metropolitan Opera]     - New York Post

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“[Vera] gave a winning portrayal of Cavaradossi. He sang with impressive consistency of tonal color throughout his range and had good power."     - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

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Personal Website

http://hugoveratenor.com/