Marcelo Álvarez was born in 1963 in Córdoba, Argentina, where he was
busy managing the family furniture factory after accountancy
studies at the university. Singing was mere entertainment
and Álvarez would most likely to do imitations of
other singers. In 1992, however, he decided he wanted to
begin proper vocal studies, won shortly after a major South
American vocal competition where Pavarotti was the head judge,
and eventually sold the business and left for Italy and Tortona
in June 1995 with his family in pursuit of a career.
In Italy he walked away with first prize in a local singing competition
and was given the chance to appear at La Fenice of Venezia in the
role of his choice. He debuted in La Sonnambula. The opera houses
of Europe then fell like ninepins.
In Italy he whirled through Genova, Trieste, Bologna, Verona
and Milano as Alfredo in La Traviata. In 1997 he was brought to
all the major opera houses of Europe, and in Berlin he sang under
Claudio Abbdao and in Baden Baden under Domingo. Sony signed him
for an exclusive recording agreement and his first recital was
released, Bel Canto. Sir Georg Solti picked him for La Traviata
at Covent Garden, and he appeared at Teatro Colón, Hamburg,
Toulouse, Wien, Bruxelles and Bilbao. Late 1997 he stepped in for
a quarrelsome Alagna in Traviata, making his debut at the Met.
- Curent schedule: check operabase.com
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