Arizona Opera Cast Members & Creatives
Javier Abreu
Puerto Rican tenor Javier Abreu has been described as a commanding force on stage, incorporating a rich, sweet and agile voice, with ample dramatic skills. Opera News described him as "…a natural Rossini singer," and The Washington Times stated that "his high, supple lyric voice possesses great conviction."
Javier starts his 2014-15 season with a debut as Pirelli in Virginia Opera’s much anticipated production of Sweeney Todd. He returns to Nashville Opera as Arcadio in Daniel Catan’s Florencia en el Amazonas, to Opera Santa Barbara as Lindoro in L’italiana in Algeri, in addition to future contracts with Opera Saratoga, and with The Lismore Music Festival in Ireland. He debuts with the Louisville Orchestra in Carmina Burana, with Collegiate Chorale of New York at Town Hall in Handel's Susanna and returns to the Jacksonville Symphony for Mozart’s Requiem.
Mr. Abreu has garnered critical acclaim for his portrayal of Rossini’s leading men over the past few seasons. He has portrayed Ramiro in La cenerentola for Nashville Opera, Lyrique en Mer, Wolf Trap Opera and New Jersey Opera, Lindoro in L’italiana in Algeri for Theater Basel, Opera de Oviedo, Teatro Municipal de Chile, and Austin Lyric Opera, Count Libenskof in Il viaggio a Reims for New York City Opera and The New Israeli Opera, the title role in Le comte Ory for Wolf Trap Opera and Tacoma Opera, and Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia for Atlanta Opera, The New Israeli Opera, Lismore Music Festival, Central City Opera, Knoxville Opera, Opera on the James, and the Stuttgart Staatsoper. Additionally, he debuted with Minnesota Opera as The Cat in the North American premier of Jonathan Dove’s The Adventures of Pinocchio, Pepe in the world premier of Jorge Martín’s Before Night Falls at Fort Worth Opera, Padre Ruffiano in the world premier of John Musto's The Inspector with Wolf Trap Opera, and as El Enano de Salnés in the world premier of Enric Palomar’s La cabeza del bautista at the Gran Teatro del Liceu in Barcelona.
In recent seasons, he also performed Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni with Opera de Oviedo, Valletto in L'incoronazione di Poppea with Opera de Oviedo, Teatro Valladolid, and Teatro Arriaga in Bilbao, Ernesto in Don Pasquale for Opera Santa Barbara, and Anchorage Opera, Tonio in La fille du régiment with Madison Opera, and Sugar Creek Music Festival, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore with Opera on the James, Telemaco in Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria for the Greenwich Music Festival, Tobias in Sweeney Todd for Wolf Trap Opera, Alexis in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Sorcerer for the Bard Summerscape, and Pedrillo in Die Entfhürung aus dem Serail for Opera Omaha and, Florida Grand Opera
Also an accomplished concert singer, the tenor sang Carmina Burana with the National Symphony, the Phoenix Symphony and the Pennsylvania Ballet, as well as Messiah with the Pennsylvania Ballet, the Jacksonville Symphony, the Phoenix Symphony, and the Lexington Philharmonic. He has been a featured soloist with the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra and the Brazos Valley Symphony. He is the recipient of awards from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and the Macallister Awards in the same calendar year. He also received a 2003 Richard F. Gold Career Grant given by the Shoshana Foundation of New York, and Third Prize at the 2005 Liederkranz Foundation Competition. Also, he was awarded the Olsen Artist Debut Award by Florida Grand Opera. Mr. Abreu made his Alice Tully Hall debut as the tenor soloist in Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle with the Juilliard Choral Union. He was a young artist at Seagle Music Colony, and Music Academy of the West, and an apprentice with Central City Opera. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Miami. After finishing a Master of Music degree at the University of Houston, he worked as a Young Artists with the Pittsburgh Opera Center for two seasons. Mr. Abreu is also an alumnus of the Juilliard Opera Center.
