Juan Diego Flórez
Born in Peru and acclaimed worldwide, tenor JUAN DIEGO FLÓREZ (b. 1973) began singing and playing Peruvian folk and pop music at an early age, studying later at Peru’s National Conservatory of Music, and eventually winning a scholarship to the renowned Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. In 1996 he made his professional debut at the Rossini Opera Festival, Pesaro, stepping in at the last minute to sing the leading role of Corradino in Matilde di Shabran This triumph marked the beginning of his stellar career.
Since his début at La Scala in autumn 1996, he has made regular appearances at all major international opera houses and venues, with the world’s leading conductors. He has received numerous accolades and awards including Peru’s highest distinction, the Gran Cruz de la Orden del Sol, and the Austrian’s government title of Kammersänger. In 2011, Juan Diego Flórez founded ‘Sinfonía por el Perú, an inclusive social project inspired in the Venezuelan ‘El Sistema’, which aims to enhance the personal and artistic development of the most vulnerable children and youth in the country through music. In recognition of his work, he was appointed UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in 2012 and received the Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum in 2014.