Placido Domingo:The Spanish Impresario

January 21, 1941, saw the birth of one of the most versatile, talented and beloved operatic tenors of all time-Placido Domingo. A native Madrileno, his parents Placido Dominguez Sr. and Pepita Embil were deeply involved in theatre, and in the zarazuela-a form of operetta unique to Latin music. When Placido was 8 years old, he and his sister joined their parents in Mexico City, where they had formed their own troupe.

Placido from an early age had showed some hint of his musical promise, but yet enjoyed the usual boyhood interests in soccer and the corrida. His parents worked very hard to make a success of their company. Both children helped them during the early years with the theater, and as a consequence, grew up appreciating the long and often arduous hours of heartbreak and labor that are so much a part of show business.

At 14 years of age, Placido Domingo was entered into the Mexican National Conservatory Of Music. It wasn't to last longer than two years. Placido had met, married and gotten a young woman pregnant, which resulted in his being asked to leave the Conservatory. After the birth of his son Jose, the marriage ended. Meanwhile, he spent time training with his family's troupe, and sang in minor roles for a few years. During these formative years of his soon to be spectacular career, this earthy and gifted young man performed in just about every venue available to him. In the process, he developed a respect for and understanding of the musical intricacies of the operatic scene few possess.

His first big break came in 1961. After the Mexico National Opera hired him as a tenor in 1959, they allowed him to perform in Rigoletto, playing the minor role of Borso. Small though it was, he attracted enough attention to gain him his first really major operatic role in La Traviata, as the lead-Alfredo. He made his American debut in Dallas, as Arturo in Lucia di Lammermour.

!962 saw his marriage to the woman he describes as "his best helpmate and critic ...ever", Marta Ornelos Dominguez, who was a former student of the Mexican National Conservatory Placido attended. Extremely gifted in her own right, Marta performed with Placido in Tel Aviv, Israel, where the couple had settled after their marriage, joining the Hebrew National Opera. As a soprano, she performed in der Fledermaus as Rosalinde, Despina in Cosi Fan Tutti, and many other lead roles.

Together, during their years in Israel, they worked very hard for tiny wages, yet polished and honed their considerable talents. In the process, the marriage solidified into the loving and mutually supportive relationship they have today. After giving birth to Placido Jr. in 1965, Marta made the decision to remain home and rear her growing family. She gave Placido one more son, Alvaro in 1968. There is little doubt that this formidable woman is the bedrock of Placido's life.

He returned from Israel, and within 6 months was performing at the New York City Opera, and played the lead tenor in Don Rodrigo, at the Lincoln Center Inaugural. From this point on, his career skyrocketed to almost unheard of heights in the world of opera. Placido has performed in every major opera house in the world, from La Scala in Milan to the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. He has won 19 Grammy's for his recordings, beginning in 1971 with Guiseppe Verdi's Aida (Principal Soloist for Best Opera Recording) to 2000 for his Grammy for Best Mexican-American Performance: 100 years Of Best Mariachi. In the years 2000 and 2001, he won the Latin Grammy's for Best Classical Albums: Breton's Dolores, and I. Abeniz's Merlin.

He has been awarded France's highest honor, rarely given to a non -French citizen: Commandeur de La Legion d'Honneur, in addition to the Medal of Freedom, an honorary Knighthood, and many others, in gratitude and recognition of his signal talents, and contributions to the musical arts. He founded the highly acclaimed program Operalia, the World Opera Contest. This allows youth from around the globe to have a chance to bring their talents out, regardless of economic status. Operalia 2006 will be held in Valencia, Spain, October 24-30th, 2006.

For all his acclaim he is no effete snob, but a deeply caring man. During the terrifying and devastating Mexican earthquake in 1985, in addition to millions of dollars in financial assistance, Placido himself personally participated in search, rescue and relief efforts in that ravaged area. He has donated to AID's, and the victims of such other disasters as the Armenian earthquake, Hurricane Pauline victims and the mud-slides of Acapulco. His Concert In The Park Series, along with close friends Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras, raised millions for leukemia research. In 2001, a new city : Placido Dominguez City, part of a project in Acapulco, was opened to house many of the victims of Hurricane Pauline, which struck in 1997.

He is truly a man for all seasons. Compassionate, involved, down to earth, yet immensely gifted, he has been called the most significant singer of our age. In addition, Placido has been the Administrator for the Washington Opera, The Los Angeles Opera's Artistic Director, and has conducted major opera the world over, as well as some concerts. He will go down in history as the major force behind music in all it's dimensions, breaking down barriers of hate and pain through the simple gift of his magical voice.