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José Balestrine

Soloist, Tenor
He was born in Caracas, Venezuela. He studied vocals at the Juan Manuel Olivares School of Music [Escuela de Musica Juan Manuel Olivares] with Victor Lopez. Having already performed at the most important opera houses in Venezuela, he settled in Madrid, where he continued to perfect his techique at the Higher School of Singing [Escuela Superior de Canto] with Enzo Spatola, and, later, in Valencia, at the Placido Domingo Perfection Center [Centre de Perfeccionament Plácido Domingo]. Since 2002, he has sung in concerts and operas, mostly at opera houses in Spain, Portugal and Venezuela, such as the Municipal Theater [Teatro Municipale] and the Teresa Carreño Theater in Caracas, Teatro Olimpia in Lisbon, the Conte Duque Cultural Center [Ateneo y centro cultural Conde Duque] in Madrid, Teatro Romea in Murcia, and Teatro Lope de Vega in Seville. He has also performed in Cremona, Pavia, Brescia, Como, Bergamo, Montena, Piacenzza, Ferrara, Ravenna and at many music halls in Poland and Austria. His repertoire includes the roles of Turiddu [Cavalleria rusticana], Don José [Carmen], Calaf [Turandot], Pinkerton [Madama Butterfly], as well as the operas Don Carlo, Un ballo in maschuera and Tosca. He collaborated with the GNO in 2008-2009, interpreting the role of Radamès in the staging of Aida at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus ["Herodion"].