Antonio Figueroa, Tenor

Pacific Opera Victoria
Ferrando in Così fan tutte
April, 2010

In April 2010, Antonio Figueroa makes his Pacific Opera Victoria debut as Ferrando in Mozart's Così fan tutte.

Appreciated for his deep musicality, Antonio Figueroa recently made his debut in Avignon, singing Nadir in Les pêcheurs de perles. Winner of multiple awards and prizes, in the summer of 2006 the young Montrealer was honored with the Silverman prize for his remarkable interpretation of Belmonte (Die Entführung aus dem Serail) at the International Vocal Art Institute (IVAI) in Tel-Aviv. Mr. Figueroa was featured in the Quebec performances of 'Starmania', Norma for Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and has also toured in La veuve joyeuse for Jeunesses musicales du Canada.

In 2009 he debuted at Ottawa's National Arts Centre in “Opera under the Stars.” His 2009-10 season includes Tamino in Die Zauberflöte for Opera Lyra Ottawa, I Capuleti e i Montecchi in Tours, a reprise of L'amant jaloux at Versailles, Ferrando in Così fan tutte for Pacific Opera Victoria and Bach's Leipzig Cantatas for the Grand Philharmonic Choir.

During 2008-2009, he appeared as Nadir in Les pêcheurs de perles for l'Opéra de Montréal, as Beppe in Pagliacci for L'Opéra de Québec and was featured in Così fan tutte, Fra Diavolo, La traviata and Il Barbiere di Siviglia in France and Belgium. In concert he appeared with Les Violons du Roy (Charpentier), the Montreal Symphony (Messiaen) the Oratorio Society of New York (Bach's Mass in B Minor) and the San Antonio Symphony (Messiah).

In 2007-2008 he sang Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore in Tours and was heard in Toulon as Tybalt in Roméo et Juliette. He sang Messiah for the Grand Philharmonic Choir of Kitchener and the Bach Elgar Choir of Hamilton, Bach's St. John Passion in Montréal and Sharpe's Proud Music of the Storm with the Washington Chorus in D.C.

For L'Opéra de Montréal, he appeared in Il tabarro and La traviata and as Ecclitico in L'Atelier Lyrique's production of Haydn's comic opera Il Mondo della Luna. Also on his schedule were performances of Schubert's Die Schöne Müllerin in concerts for Les Jeunesses Musicales du Canada.

The multilingual tenor starred as Quint in L'Atelier Lyrique's production of The Turn of the Screw and was heard as Hérisson de Porc épic in the Montréal Opera's production of Chabrier's L'Étoile. He sang Ferrando (Così fan tutte) for IVAI in Tel Aviv and appeared as Nemorino (L'elisir d'amore) for Festival di Musica da Camera in Italy

He was also part of TechnOpera's productions of Don Pasquale, Carmen and L'Étoile in collaboration with the Society for Arts and Technology and has appeared for Les Escales Improbables, Les Journées de la Culture and he was Chef d'expedition in L'Arche, an opera for children composed by Isabelle Panneton, a creation of Le Festival des Coups de Theâtre, co-produced with le Nouvel Ensemble Moderne.

A Desmarais Foundation award winner, Antonio Figueroa completed a Master's Degree at Montréal University where he performed as Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi) and Le Chevalier de la Force (Dialogues des Carmélites).

The young Canadian tenor Antonio Figueroa was making his Avignon debut and his debut in the role of Nadir as well. It will be interesting to follow his development to be sure, but even now he displays a vocally luminous quality and a natural sense of the musical phrase, particularly in the romance “Je crois entendre encore.' His French diction is perfect and perfectly comprehensible, a major advantage in this genre of the repertoire.
Robert Pénavavre , La Voix du Midi

March 2010