Birth Data
|
| Birth Name: |
|
| Birth Date: |
1/21/1941 (Jan. 21,
1941) |
| Birth Time: |
22:00 (10:00 PM) GWT
(-1:00) |
| Birth Place: |
Madrid, Spain |
| Latitude /
Longitude: |
40 N 24 / 03 W
41 |
| Rodden Rating /
Source: |
AA / BC/BR in hand |
| Source Notes: |
LMR quotes B.C. in hand. The year and the date have been
questioned over some years and it has taken two decades to finally
obtain a copy of the B.C.
A recent biography by Helena Matheopoulos on Placido Domingo,
2001, presents the same data. She also prints a photo-copy of the
original certificate of baptism (dated March 22, 1941), which
repeats his date of birth as January 21, 1941. (This copy was
apparently obtained from the church especially for her publication
as it is dated November 25, 1988.)
Covent Gardens in London celebrated Domingo's birthday on
1/21/2001, as did the New York Metropolitan. When Domingo sang the
Romanza from "Maravilla" at the New York Met on 1/21/2001,
he himself chose the 4:00 PM starting time (although it is not the
usual time to start a matinee) because he said it was the exact
(equivalent) time of his birth in Madrid 60 years ago and he hoped
his mother was enjoying this zarzuela choice in heaven.
There is a thorough and informative website: www.tenorissimo.com
(Formerly, Joe Fitzgerald sent a note to Rodden c. 1980 that read
“January 31, 1941, 9:00 PM, Madrid,” allegedly from Domingo. It
may have been scrawled hastily, but Grietje Versavel quoted
colleagues in Spain for the same data. However the date of January
21, 1941 is given in all reference books, including his
autobiography. In the TV Letterman show in which Drew Barrymore
flashed her bare breasts at Letterman in celebration of his
birthday, Domingo on the same show joked with his usual good humor,
"Tell Drew that my birthday is January 21.")
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Biography
Spanish operatic tenor, international music celebrity, conductor, music
director and humanitarian, awarded Mexico's highest civilian honor, the
Order of the Aztec Eagle for his heroic work during the 1985 Mexico City
earthquake. Handsome, dark good looks and his magnificent grand physical
command have helped Domingo achieve fame as a prolific and versatile opera
artist with over 50 complete recorded operas. He sings up to 65
performances of 20 different roles a year.
His musical talents were nurtured by his parents, Spanish zarzuela
stars from Madrid. In 1946 when Domingo was a young boy, his parents left
him, his sister and aunt in Spain to tour Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Cuba
under zarzuela composer, conductor, Federico Moreno Torroba. Taken by the
beauty and hospitality of the Mexican culture, in 1949 his parents decided
to settle in Guadalajara and form their own zarzuela company. At eight,
Domingo, his sister and aunt rejoined their parents in Mexico and his
musical tutelage began with voice and piano lessons. In his teens, he sang
in the chorus of his family's zarzuela troupe. The family company achieved
success from determination and hard work after many setbacks.
Domingo studied in the Mexico City Conservatory and played piano in
nightclubs for experience. He loved sports and played baseball and soccer
for the Mexico City Conservatory sport teams. He toyed with idea of a
career as a bull fighter. At 16, he married a fellow conservatory pianist
and his son, Jose was born in 1958. Knowing he needed to support his young
family, Domingo joined the National Opera in Mexico City at the age of 18.
His stage debut in a major role was on 9/23/1959 in Mexico City,
singing Borsa in Verdi's Rigoletto. In 1962, Domingo auditioned for the
Tel Aviv opera that turned into the role of the lead tenor. His
charismatic stage presence became increasingly noticed in the mid 1960s
when he expanded his career playing diverse opera roles in French, Italian
and German around the world's opera stages.
In 1967, Domingo met the man who would be his operatic rival on the
international scene. Luciano Pavarotti and Domingo met at a canteen table
near the Vienna State Opera. At the time, Pavarotti was the leading
Italian opera tenor, concentrating on Italian roles and signed exclusively
with Decca records. Domingo remained more flexible with varied roles and
recording with many music labels from the time of his first studio
recordings in August 1968. He frequently changed his agents. The two great
tenors had their debuts at the Met within weeks of one another in the fall
of 1968. In the ‘70s and ‘80s, media journalists routinely painted
them as operatic competitors on the world stage. Domingo's warm voice
caressed the arias and interpreted the most complex heavy opera
orchestrations. He opened his musical gifts to a wider audience by
appearing in television shows, opera films by Franco Zeffirelli and
recording with popular artists like John Denver. He gained an even greater
audience by performing with Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras in the
commercially successful "Three Tenor Concert" in Rome, Italy in
7/07/1990.
While singing his favorite roles around the world, such as Alfredo, Don
Jose, Otello, Rodolfo, and Hoffmann, Domingo has added the baton and
podium to his repertoire. He conducts and is the artistic director of the
Los Angeles Opera and in 1996, became the artistic director of the
Washington Opera, raising $2.6 million on one fund-raising evening. As a
further example of his versatility, he oversees an upscale Spanish
restaurant in Upper East Side New York City. Domingo maintains a heavy
workload which his detractors believe has left him overexposed and very
overextended. His international fans continue to purchase his recordings
and he continues to draw many to the opera houses.
After the end of his first marriage, Domingo met Marta Ornelas, star
soprano of the Mexican National Opera. They married on 8/01/1962 and had
two sons, Placido in 1965 and Alvaro in 1968. Domingo is considered an
affectionate family man who tries to balance his time with work and
family. An outgoing personality with interests in many projects, he is
balanced by his wife, Marta as she tries to counsel her husband and
protect him from the limelight. As in his teens, Domingo continues his
passion for soccer and keeps up with world news events. Many of his fellow
performers admire his musical gifts and regard his modest personality as
refreshing on the world stage. A team player with other singers, his
cooperative style is appreciated by conductors and directors.
Domingo's heroic tenor roles are not limited to stage. Tragedy struck
his family during the 1985 Mexico City earthquake. He lost his aunt,
uncle, cousin, and cousin's infant son in the disaster. After hearing the
news, Domingo and Marta flew to Mexico City on 9/22/1985 at 5:30 A.M. to
help rescue workers dig out victims of the quake. Domingo was emotionally
and physically shaken by the tragedy but continued to do whatever needed
to be done to help the people of Mexico City. Even though he keeps his
Spanish citizenship, he holds close ties to Mexico and he raised $2
million for the Mexico City disaster fund. He was honored by the president
of Mexico with its highest honor, the Order of the Aztec Eagle for his
humanitarian work. Domingo uses his celebrity profile and Latino heritage
to help build bridges into the Latino community of Los Angeles. He is an
inspiration to many young Latinos in developing their musical gifts.
In 1973, Domingo made his conducting debut in the opera house. His
autobiography was published in 1983, “My First Forty Years.” On
9/02/1993, a new star was added to the Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood
Boulevard in Los Angeles.
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