Baritone
Jorge Lagunes

Reviews
On Stage


  BIOGRAPHY  

 

‚He dominated the scene and impressed with his profound, resonant depths and effortless heights in the big aria, which was rightly honoured with “bravos”.’
Der neue Merker

the press enthusiastically wrote about Jorge Lagunes’ NABUCCO at the Schwerin Castle Festival. Before, he already enjoyed great success here as TONIO in I Pagliacci.

Other international successes include GERARD in Andrea Chenier, GIORGIO in I Puritani, POSA in Don Carlo, ENRICO in Lucia di Lammermoor und ESCAMILLO in Carmen at the Washington National Opera, at the Royal Opera House in London, the Teatro Real Madrid, the Grand Théâtre de Genève, the New York City Opera, in Palma de Mallorca, Bilbao, Tel Aviv, at the Teatro de Bellas Artes in Mexico (Eugen Onegin, Marcello), in Santiago de Chile as MARCELLO in La Boheme, at the Deutsche Opera Berlin and the Opéra de Montréal as ENRICO in Lucia di Lammermoor, at the Cologne Opera House as AMONASRO, at the Budapest State Opera as RIGOLETTO a.m.o.

Since his debut as AMONASRO in Aida at the Finnish National Opera Helsinki in 2011, the baritone returned here as AMONASRO, TONIO and POSA. In the season 2021/22 he is ALFIO in Cavalleria Rusticana and TONIO in I Pagliacci here.

As DON GIOVANNI he made his debut at the Eutin Festival in 2011. ‚Jorge Lagunes portrays the libertine, not only with his tremendous voice, but also by his fascinating play, which perfectly matches the other roles.‘

Jorge Lagunes personified GERMONT in Franco Zeffirelli’s new production La Traviata with performances in Busseto, Ravenna and Modena, a role in which he was equally successful at the Los Angeles Opera. As VIDAL he achieved particular success in the revival of Luisa Fernanda under the musical direction of Maestro Placido Domingo at the Teatro de la Cuidad in Mexico.

In autumn 2008 he was the first Mexican singer ever to perform in a Zarzuela at the Teatro Real in Madrid. In 2006 the Mexican-born singer was awarded the Placido Domingo Prize.

The many distinguished singers and conductors with whom Jorge Lagunes performs include Anna Netrebko, Denyce Graves, Jonas Kaufmann, Ben Heppner, Francisco Araiza, Rolando Villazon, Ramón Vargas, Paata Burchuladze, Alain Lombard, Daniel Oren, Renato Palumbo and Placido Domingo.

Jorge Lagunes has chosen the Mannheim National Theatre as his parent house. Since 2012 the baritone sings here such roles as POSA, JAGO, SIMONE BOCCANEGRA, SCARPIA, SHARPLESS, TONIO, ALFIO BARNABA in La Gioconda, JACK RANCE in Fanciulla del West, ESCAMILLO just to name a few.

Jorge regularly returns to the Teatro de Bellas Artes in Mexico. Recently, he succeeded here as CONTE DI LUNA in Il Trovatore and JACK RANCE in La fanciulla del West. At the Basle Theatre he was RENATO and at the Teatro Colon Buenos Aires he sang MACBETH. Since 2015 he regularly performs at the Warsaw National Opera – in 2019 RIGOLETTO. He made his debut at the Dubai Opera in 2018 as AMONASRO in Aida and 2019 at the State Opera Stuttgart as SHARPLESS in Madama Butterfly.

 

 
 
REVIEWS
 
Finnische Nationaloper Helsinki - Aida - AMONASRO
With his bronze baritone voice Jorge Lagunes (Amonasro) made perceptible both the ferocity of the African warrior king as well as his fatherly affection.
Opernglas 12/2016 C.Fischer
Mannheim National Theatre - Aida - AMONASRO
Spontaneously, Jorge Lagunes forms in depth Verdi cantilenas. It seems like he particularly grew up with them. Without any effort the baritone forms the wonderful legato lines. Even during Amonasro s furious outbursts his voice still remains melodious.
Gerhard Hoffmann, Der Neue Merker, November 2016
Mannheim National Theatre - La Juive - RUGGIERO
In contrast Jorge Lagunes with his splendid voice seemed like a top casting in this relatively short part.
Gerhard Hoffmann, Der neue Merker
www.der-neue-merker.eu
Mannheim National Theatre - La Wally - GELLNER
A true Verdi baritone is Jorge Lagunes as Vincenzo Gellner, assuring his love, at first rather restrainedly, then most credibly.
Der neue Merker
www.der-neue-merker.eu
Apart from the choir, Sung Ha as Stromminger, Jorge Lagunes as Gellner and Tamara Banjesevic as Walter are particularly worth mentioning.
Die Deutsche Bühne
Jorge Lagunes as Gellner left lasting impressions with his elegantly sounding baritone voice, exhaling both melodious lyricism and powerful splendor of sound.
Rhein-Neckar Zeitung
Jorge Lagunes can easily compete with her. He sang Gellner with a full, sonorous and generously timbred baritone voice, which perfectly suited the role.
Der Opernfreund
...whose acting and singing was equally brilliant as Jorge Lagunes.
Speyer Kurier
Schwerin Castle Festival - NABUCCO
'In the performance of August 3 Jorge Lagunes as Nabucco dominated the scene. With his strong appearance and his mighty voice, he really epitomizes power. He dominated the scene and impressed with his profound, resonant depths and effortless hights in his big aria, which was rightly honoured with "bravos". It was a magnificent performance, just like one expects this stage character to be ....'
Der neue Merker
www.der-neue-merker.eu
'... and the Mexican Jorge Lagunes both gave first-class interpretations of their roles.. They not only succeeded in singing all the finesses of their extreme tessituras with fire and high musicality, they also cunjured up some real contraversial and emotional flesh-and -blood characters on stage.
Der neue Merker
www.der-neue-merker.eu
Jorge Lagunes' portrayal of Nabucc, sung with his full, dark baritone voice, was one of the highlights of the evening. In the second part he succeeds in heightening the vocal and dramatic tension.
Opernnetz
www.opernnetz.de
Aida - AMONASRO – Cologne Opera House - January 2011
„Powerful Amonasros: Samuel Young and Jorge Lagunes received unfettered praise and admiration. Whereas I consider the latter as a real secret tip.”
Der neue Merker
La Boheme - MARCELLO - Teatro de Bellas Artes Mexico - October 2010
“The baritone Jorge Lagunes portrays an absolutely stunning Marcello of solid stage presence, with a voice full of baritonal warmth.”
Una Voce Poco Fa
AIDA – AMONASRO - Finnish National Opera Helsinki – September 2010
„Jorge Lagunes, a demonic and vocally brilliant Amonasro...his singing and acting in the Nile scene was spine-chilling.“
Musicweb International
„But in my opinion it is the Mexican baritone JORGE LAGUNES, as beautifully belcanto singing Amonasro, who deserves the crown under the singers. Unlike his Italian collegues, he doesn't commit himself to vocal swank.”
Der neue Merker
Un ballo en maschera – RENATO - Finnish National Opera Helsinki – May 2010
“Jorge Lagues as the decieved husband was eminently credible in his outpouring of passion.”
Kansan Uutiset Vikkolehti
„Jorgue Lagunes as Renato initially seemed restrained and civil-servantish, but towards the end he projected the bitterness of a deceived husband very well. Lagunes has a cultivated baritone voice.“
Rondo Classica
 
 
ON STAGE
Finish National Opera Helsinki - Cavalleria Rusticana - ALFIO
 
Finish National Opera Helsinki - Cavalleria Rusticana - ALFIO
 
Nationaltheater Mannheim - Don Carlo - RODRIGO
 
Nationaltheater Mannheim - Don Carlo - RODRIGO
 
Eutiner Festspiele - Don Giovanni - DON GIOVANNI