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Justino DiazPuerto Rican opera singer, bass-baritone
Date of Birth: 29.01.1940
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Justino Diaz
Justino Diaz is a Puerto Rican opera singer, bass-baritone, and one of the most renowned performers of his time. He was born on January 29, 1940, in San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico, and grew up in the small town of Cataño on the country's northern coast.
Early Life and Education
At the age of eight, Diaz began participating in school performances as a singer at Robinson Elementary School. When he was ten years old, he sang the song "Old Black Joe" in one of the school plays, which became one of his favorite compositions for life. In high school in Río Piedras, Diaz dedicated a lot of time to vocal training and participated in concerts throughout the island.
Diaz became a member and soloist of the University of Puerto Rico Choir under the direction of Augusto Rodríguez. His operatic debut took place in 1957, playing the role of Ben in Gian Carlo Menotti's comic opera "The Telephone, or L'Amour à trois." Soon after, Diaz received a scholarship to study at the New England Conservatory in Massachusetts, where he was mentored by renowned pianist Boris Goldovsky, who greatly influenced his career.
Professional Career
Diaz made his professional debut as an opera singer on the stage of the Opera Theater of New England. In 1960, Goldovsky invited Diaz to join his opera company for tours across 20 American states. Following the tour, Diaz participated in the Metropolitan Opera's competition, winning third place in the New England region.
After completing his studies at the conservatory, Diaz moved to New York. He was recommended by Goldovsky to agent Hans J. Hoffman and soon began performing with the American Opera Society, as well as singing with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. On March 29, 1963, Diaz won the annual national competition organized by the Metropolitan Opera in New York, becoming the first Puerto Rican to receive such an honor. As a result, in October 1963, he made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in Verdi's "Rigoletto" as the Count of Monterone.
From then on, Diaz performed on the stages of the world's leading theaters, including La Scala in Milan, the Paris Opera, the Vienna Staatsoper, the Salzburg Opera House, the New York City Opera, the Rome Opera, the Royal Theatre in Covent Garden, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, the Zarzuela Theater of Madrid, and many others. In 1966, he participated in the grand opening of the Lincoln Center in New York, singing in Samuel Barber's "Anthony and Cleopatra." Diaz was also a frequent participant in the annual Pablo Casals Festival in Puerto Rico.
Achievements and Later Life
Diaz has received numerous awards throughout his career, including an honorary doctorate from the New England Conservatory, the Handel Medal from the City of New York, and the National Medal of Culture from the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. In March 2003, after forty years in the profession, Diaz retired from the opera stage. He concluded all his farewell tour performances with the song "Old Black Joe," the same one he sang as a ten-year-old boy on the school stage. Currently, he holds a position as one of the directors of the Casals Festival, which is held annually in San Juan.
