María Esther Pérez

Lyric singer, soprano

Born in San Antonio de los Baños, province of La Habana. She studied singing with Margarita Horruitiner, Ramón Calzadilla and Adolfo Casas. She completed a Bachelor's degree in Music (specializing in singing) at the Instituto Superior de Arte (1991).

She developed her repertoire with Ada Llampallas, Luis Ernesto Lecuona, Alfredo Levy and Raúl Iglesias. She had begun her artistic career as an amateur in 1967.

She was a member of the Lyric Group "Blanca Becerra," from Bejucal, directed by Juan B. Barona (1969). With this institution, she participated in productions of the zarzuelas Los gavilanes (Rosaura, 1970), Cecilia Valdés (title role, 1971), La viuda alegre (Valencienne, 1989) and La princesa de las czardas (Stassi, 1989), among others.

She made her professional debut as a guest artist of the Teatro Lírico Nacional de Cuba in Los payasos (Nedda, 1983). In 1985 she joined the company's cast, performing in Cecilia Valdés (Isabel Ilincheta, 1984), El barbero de Sevilla (Rosina, 1986), La traviata (Violetta, 1987), La bohème (Mimì, 1987), Bastián y Bastiana (Bastiana, 1988), Lucia di Lammermoor (title role, 1988), Faust (Marguerite, 1988), Rigoletto (Gilda, 1989), Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San, 1994), El cafetal (Niña Flor, 1995).

She also performed as a guest artist of the Teatro Lírico de Holguín "Rodrigo Prats" in its production of La traviata (Violetta, 1989). She premiered the lead roles in the Cuban lyric works Ana Betanccourt (title role, 1993) and La taza de café (Marquesa de la Pacotilla, 1994).

Parallel to her stage performances, this soprano has conducted intensive work as a concert music performer, participating in various presentations of the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional (Requiem, by Mozart and Las últimas siete palabras de Cristo, by Theodore Dubris); the Orquesta Sinfónica de Matanzas (Requiem, by Mozart; Stabat Máter, by Rossini and Novena Sinfonía, by Beethoven, all conducted by Elena Herrera) and the Orquesta Sinfónica de Oriente.

She performed the Cuban premiere of the cycle Canciones bohemias, by Dvorák as well as some vocal works by Hilario González. María Esther Pérez has performed in several countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Currently she is a member of the soloist cast of the Teatro Lírico Nacional.