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 acting skills. Opera News described him as “… a natural Rossini singer,” and The Washington Times stated “his high, supple lyric voice possesses great conviction.”
Javier Abreu’s engagements in the 2008-2009 season currently include the title role in Rossini’s Le Comte Ory with Tacoma Opera, a concert version of The Death of Klinghoffer with The Juilliard Opera Center, and conducted by its composer, John Adams, his debut with The Minnesota Opera as the Cat in the American premiere of Jonathan Dove’s The Adventures of Pinocchio, and his debut at the Gran Teatro del Liceu in Barcelona, as El Enano Salnés in the world premiere of Enric Palomar’s La cabeza del bautista. Upcoming engagements for the 2009-2010 include his debut with Fort Worth Opera and his return to The New Israeli Opera as Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia.
Among his contracts for the 2007-2008 season figured his role debut as Ernesto in Don Pasquale with Anchorage Opera, Count Libenskof in Il viaggio a Reims with The New Israeli Opera, Telemaco in Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria with the Greenwich Music Festival and Ramiro in La Cenerentola with both New Jersey Opera and Opera Fairbanks. In addition, he was seen in concert with the New York Festival of Song and sang the tenor solo in the Messiah for the Pennsylvania Ballet.
Mr. Abreu’s 2006-2007 season included four company debuts: Pedrillo in Die Entfürung aus dem Serail with Florida Grand Opera, Almaviva in Cedar Rapids Opera Theater’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, his role debut as Lindoro in Theater Basel’s L’italiana in Algeri and Alexis in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Sorcerer with Bard Summerscape. During the 2005-2006 season, the tenor garnered critical acclaim for his portrayal of two of Rossini’s leading men: Count Libenskof in Il viaggio a Reims with New York City Opera and the title role in Le Comte Ory with the Wolf Trap Opera. This season also included his European debut as Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Stuttgart Stattsoper, Pedrillo in The Abduction from the Seraglio with Opera Omaha, a solo appearance with New York Festival of Song, and the tenor solo in Carmina burana with the National Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of maestro Emil de Cou. In the 2004-2005 season, Mr. Abreu made his New York City Opera debut in the world premier of Charles Wuorinen’s Haroun and the Sea of Stories, as well as his Wolf Trap Opera debut as Tobias in Sweeney Todd and his much praised performance as Don Ramiro in La Cenerentola. With American Opera Projects, he sang the role of Pepe in a reading of Jorge Martín’s new opera, Before Night Falls, based on the book by Reinaldo Arenas.
Additional operatic roles for Mr. Abreu include the title roles in Albert Herring, La clemenza di Tito, Plateé, Nadir in Les pêcheurs des perles, Beppe in I pagliacci, Flute in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Belmonte in The Abduction from the Seraglio, Pilade in Handel’s Oreste, and both Daniel Buchanan and Sam Kaplan in Street Scene.
Also sought after as a concert singer, the tenor has appeared with the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra and the Brazos Valley Symphony. His awards include Second Place at the 2002 Great Lakes Region of the Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions and Finalist of the Macallister Awards the same year. He is also the recipient of a 2003 Richard F. Gold Career Grant given by the Shoshana Foundation of New York, and a Third Place at the 2005 Liederkranz Foundation Competition. Most recently, he was awarded the Olsen Artist Debut Award by Florida Grand Opera and was nominated for a Richard Tucker Career Grant. Other prizes include the Second Place in the Junior Division of the 1998 Palm Beach Opera Competition. Mr. Abreu made his Alice Tully Hall debut as the tenor soloist in Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle with the Julliard Choral Union. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Universtiy 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 years. Mr. Abreu is also a recent alumnus of the Juilliard Opera Center.
