Exciting Mexican tenor José Luis Duval has thrilled audiences in some of the best theatres in his native country, South America, the United States, and Europe, in both opera and zarzuela.

Born in Guanajuato, Mr. Duval began his musical studies at an early age with Maestros Pedro Magaña and Gilberto Avalos, and received a scholarship from SIVAM, which allowed him to work with Maestros Enrique Patrón, Teresa Rodriguez, Nico Castel, Denise Massé, Joan Dornemann and Linda Hall. He has also coached with Jeffrey Goldberg, Lucy Arner, and Richard Barrett. He has sung under the direction of such conductors as Maestros Placido Domingo, Enrique Patrón, Alfredo Silipigni, Miguel Roa, Ronald Zollman, and Jorge Mester. Mr. Duval was conducted by Placido Domingo in the zarzuela Luisa Fernanda in Mexico, and was invited by Maestro Domingo to perform the zarzuela Doña Francisquita with The Washington Opera.

At the Bellas Artes, he has sung such roles as Manrico in Il Trovatore, and Loris in Fedora, alternating with Placido Domingo. He sang Rodolfo in La Boheme with the Pittsburgh Opera, and throughout Mexico, he has sung Calaf in Turandot, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Cavaradossi in Tosca, and Don José in Carmen, among others. He has sung Orff’s Carmina Burana, Handel’s Messiah, the Verdi Requiem, the Beethoven Ninth Symphony, Paulus, and the St. Matthew Passion. Mr. Duval has also starred as The Phantom of the Opera, and appeared in Master Class.

In May 2003, he sang the role of the Duke in Rigoletto with the New Orleans Opera, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with the Baltimore Opera in June, and in July, Don José in Carmen at the Bellas Artes, where he also did a gala concert at the Bellas Artes singing excerpts from Aida, Mefistofele, Faust, and Lucia di Lammermoor. He then sang Cavaradossi in Tosca with the Piedmont Opera Theatre and Ismaele in Nabucco with Opera Carolina. In January 2004, he sang the role of
The Voice in the Forge and the Flamenco Singer in La Vida Breve with The Dallas Opera, starring Denyce Graves. He also sang the role of Paco in their student performances. In May 2004, he sang the role of Don José in Carmen with the Baltimore Opera and in June, Radames in Aida at the Bellas Artes, where that September, he also sang the role of Cavaradossi in Tosca.

On May 25th, 2005, Placido Domingo asked Mr. Duval, on very short notice to replace Marcello Giordani as Cavaradossi in Tosca with The Washington National Opera. He had a personal triumph and received a glowing review in The Washington Post, devoted almost entirely to his performance, with a headline that read, “Duval Shines in Washington Opera’s ‘Tosca’.

Mr. Duval made his Metropolitan Opera debut on February 9th, 2005 as Rodolfo in La Boheme and his Met broadcast debut in the same role on February 19th, 2005

In July 2005, he sang the role of Calaf in Turandot at the Bellas Artes and in October 2005, the role of Riccardo in Un Ballo in Maschera with the Piedmont Opera Theatre. In March 2006, he sang Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Opera Columbus. In March and April 2006, he returned to the Metropolitan Opera for performances of Alfredo in La Traviata, and in July 2006, he sang Rodolfo in La Boheme in Monterrey, Mexico. He then sang the role of the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto in Central Park with the Met in the Parks in August 2006, and in September and October 2006, he travelled to Prague for performances of Radames in Aida, Cavaradossi in Tosca, and the Duke in Rigoletto. In November 2006 he sang the role of Ismaele in Nabucco with The Dallas Opera.
Recent engagements in Mexico have included Carmina Burana, the Verdi Requiem, Don José in Carmen, and Alfredo in La Traviata in Guadalajara. He then sang Cavaradossi with the Fresno International Grand Opera, Pollione in Norma with the Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with the Palm Beach Opera, and Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana at the Bellas Artes. In September 2002, Mr. Duval was invited by Placido Domingo to be his cover as Dick Johnson in La Fanciulla del West, to cover the role of Calaf in Turandot, and to sing the role of Ismaele in Nabucco with the Los Angeles Opera. Immediately after that, he sang Calaf in Turandot with the Connecticut Opera, and then Rodolfo in La Boheme with the Houston Grand Opera.

In 2007 and 2008 he sang in Metropolitan and in Theatre Colón of Buenos Aires as Alfredo (La Traviata) and Rodolfo (La Boheme), Calaf (Turandot) in Bellas Artes in Mexico, Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) and Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor) with the Arizona Opera. He had great succes as Don José (Carmen) in Teatro San Carlo in Nápoles with Maestro Yves Abel and Manrico (.Il Trovatore) in Teatro Jerez de la Frontera in Spain with Cristina Gallardo-Domas.
Last engagements include Lucia di Lammermoor in Palacio Bellas Artes, Madama Butterfly in Baltimore Opera, La Boheme in Baluarte Pamplona with Ainhoa Arteta and Maestro Miguel Angel Gómez Matínez and Carmen with Nancy Fabiola Herrera