Placido Domingo Biography (1941-)

Born January 21, 1941, in Madrid, Spain; immigrated to Mexico, 1950; son of Placido (a singer) and Pepita (a singer; maiden name, Embil) Domingo; marriedfirst wife, 1958 (divorced, 1959); married Marta Ornelas (a lyric soprano), 1962; children: (first marriage) Jose; (second marriage) Placido, Alvaro Maurizio. Addresses: Contact: c/o Vincent & Farrell Associates, 157 West 57th St., Suite 502, New York, NY 10019-2210.

Nationality: Spanish
Gender: Male
Occupation: Opera singer, actor, producer
Birth Details: January 21, 1941; Madrid, Spain

Famous Works

CREDITS
Stage Appearances; Operas
Zarzuela gigantes y cabezudos, Mexico, 1957
Rigoletto, Mexican National Opera, 1960
Alfredo, La traviata, Mexican National Opera, Monterrey, 1961
Edgardo, Lucia di Lammermoor, Fort Worth, TX, 1962
Don Jose, Carmen, New York City Opera, New York City, 1965
Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly, New York City Opera, 1965
Title role, Don Rodrigo, New York City Opera, 1966
Maurizio, Adriana Lecouvreur, Metropolitan Opera House, New York City, c. 1968
Tosca, Covent Garden, London, 1969
Manon Lescaut, Barcelona, Spain, 1969
Vasco da Gama, L'africaine, San Francisco, CA, 1972
Title role, Otello, Hamburg, Germany, then Paris, 1975
My Fair Lady, Mexico, 1986
Verdi: Il trovatore, Royal Opera, Covent Garden, 1989
Puccini: Tosca, Los Angeles Music Center, Los Angeles, 1989
Giordano: Andrea Chenier, with National Philharmonic, 1989
Verdi: Otello, Metropolitan Opera House, 1990
Puccini: La boheme, Metropolitan Opera House, 1990
Puccini: La fanciulla del west, Metropolitan Opera House, 1991
Wagner: Parsifal, Metropolitan Opera House, 1991, then La Scala, Milan, Italy, 1992
Bizet: Carmen, Los Angeles Music Center, 1992
Offenbach: Les contes d'Hoffmann (also known as Tales of Hoffmann), Metropolitan Opera House, 1992-1993
Giordano: Fedora, La Scala, 1993
Verdi: Rigoletto, Los Angeles Music Center, 1993
Wagner: Die Walkure, Vienna State Opera, Vienna, Austria, 1993
Verdi: La traviata, Metropolitan Opera House, 1993
Verdi: Stiffelio, Metropolitan Opera House, 1993-1994
Verdi: Il trovatore, Metropolitan Opera House, 1994
Wagner: Die Walkure, Metropolitan Opera House, 1994
Offenbach: Les contes d'Hoffmann, Vienna State Opera, 1994
Bizet: Carmen, Vienna State Opera, 1994
Verdi: Otello, Metropolitan Opera House, 1994
Puccini: Il tabarro, Metropolitan Opera House, 1994
Mozart: Idomeneo, Metropolitan Opera House, 1994
Wagner: Lohengrin, Vienna State Opera, 1994
Bellini: I puritani, Vienna State Opera, 1994
Penella: El gato montes, Los Angeles, 1994
Sly, Metropolitan Opera, New York City, 2002
Dick Johnson, The Girl of the Golden West, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles Music Center, Los Angeles, 2002
Also performed in Don Giovanni, Israel National Opera Company, TelAviv; as Arrigo, Les vepres siciliennes, Paris, then New York City.
Television Appearances
Episodic
Duke, "Rigoletto," Live from the Metropolitan Opera, 1977
Turiddu/Canio, "Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci," Live from the Metropolitan Opera, 1978
The Big Show, 1980
"Verdi: Requiem," Live from Lincoln Center, 1980
"A Lincoln Center Special: Beverly! Her Farewell Performance," Great Performances, 1981
"Placido Domingo Celebrates Seville," Great Performances, PBS, 1983
Paolo, "Francesca da Rimini," Live from the Met, PBS, 1985
Mario Cavaradossi, "Tosca," Live from the Met, PBS, 1985
"Gian Carlo Menotti: The Musical Musician," Great Performances, PBS, 1986
Turiddu, "Cavalleria rusticana," Great Performances, PBS, 1986
Don Francisco Goya y Lucientes, "Goya" (also known as "Goya with PlacidoDomingo"), Great Performances, PBS, 1986
"An Evening with Placido Domingo," Live from Lincoln Center (alsoknown as Great Performances), PBS, 1987
Radames, "Aida: From the Houston Grand Opera," Great Performances,PBS, 1987
Duke of Mantua, "Rigoletto," Live from the Met, PBS, 1987
Calaf, "Turandot," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1988
Vasco DaGama, "L'africaine," Great Performances, PBS, 1989
Radames, "Aida," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1989
Alberto Santiago, "Birthday Blues," The Cosby Show, 1989
"Jose Carreras, Diana Ross, Placido Domingo: Christmas in Vienna," Great Performances, PBS, 1992
"Placido Domingo: The Concert for Planet Earth," Great Performances, PBS, 1992
Otello, "The Metropolitan Opera Silver Anniversary," Great Performances, PBS, 1992
"My World of Opera," A&E Stage, Arts and Entertainment, 1992
Dick Johnson/Ramirrez, "The Girl of the Golden West from the MetropolitanOpera," Great Performances, PBS, 1992
"Passing the Baton," Great Performances, PBS, 1993
"Christmas in Vienna," A&E Stage, Arts and Entertainment, 1993
Title role, "Stiffelio," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1993
Mario Cavaradossi, "Tosca from Rome," Great Performances, PBS, 1993
Dick Johnson, Hoffmann, and Ernani, "Opera Favorites with Domingo and TeKanawa," A&E Stage, Arts and Entertainment, 1994
Luigi, "Il tabarro," "Il tabarro and Pagliacci," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1994
"Placido Domingo: A Musical Life," American Masters, PBS, 1995
The Royal Opera House, PBS, 1997
Also appeared as himself, Sesame Street, PBS.
Specials
Himself, Bernstein on Beethoven: A Celebration in Vienna (also known as Beethoven's Birthday: A Celebration in Vienna with Leonard Bernstein), 1970
Gustavus, Un ballo in maschera, 1975
Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly, 1976 role, Otello, 1976
The Kennedy Center Honors, 1979
Don Jose, Carmen, 1979
Rodolfo, Luisa Miller, 1979
Title role, Otello, 1979
Host, Placido Domingo ... Stepping Out with the Ladies, 1980
Des Grieux, Manon Lescaut, 1980
Rodolfo, La boheme, 1980
Hoffmann, The Tales of Hoffmann (also known as Les contes d'Hoffmann), 1981
Himself, Hommage a Seville, 1981
Title role, Andrea Chenier, 1981
Samson, Samson and Delilah, 1981
Alfredo Germont, La traviata, 1981 and 1983
The Nativity, syndicated, 1982
Texaco Star Theatre: Opening Night, NBC, 1982
Live from Studio 8H: Caruso Remembered, 1982
In Concert at the Met, 1982
Placido Domingo! The Tenor, the Teacher, 1982
Title role, Ernani, 1982
Dick Johnson, La fanciulla del west, 1982
Metropolitan Centennial Gala Telecast, 1983
Aeneas, Les troyens, 1983
Des Grieux, Manon Lescaut, 1983
Bob Hope Special: Bob Hope's Super Birthday Special, NBC, 1984
Cohost, Burnett "Discovers" Domingo, CBS, 1984
Title role, Don Carlo, 1984
Himself, Requiem Mass (also known as Lloyd Weber's Requiem Mass), 1985
Title role, Andrea Chenier, 1985
Placido Domingo Sings Zarzuela!, PBS, 1986
Liberty Weekend, ABC, 1986
Enzo Grimaldi, La gioconda, 1986
16 Days of Glory, The Disney Channel, 1987
Julie Andrews: The Sound of Christmas, ABC, 1987
Solti at 75: A Celebration!, PBS, 1987
The New York Philharmonic New Year's Eve Gala (also known as Live from Lincoln Center), PBS, 1988
Sesame Street ... 20 and Still Counting, NBC, 1989
Paris '89, PBS, 1989
Title role, Andrea Chenier, Arts and Entertainment, 1989
Sanson, Sanson y Dalila, 1989
Riccardo, Un ballo in maschera, 1989
The Music Center 25th Anniversary (also known as The Los Angeles Music Center's 25th Anniversary Celebration), PBS, 1990
Title role, Lohengrin, 1990
Great Moments from the Met, PBS, 1990
American Tribute to Vaclav Havel and a Celebration of Democracy in Czechoslovakia, PBS, 1990
Carreras, Domingo, Pavarotti, Mehta (also known as Three Tenorsin Concert and The Original Three Tenors in Concert), PBS, 1991
Carnegie Hall: Live at 100! The Gala Celebration, PBS, 1991
Otello, Panasonic Presents: 25th Anniversary Gala at the Met, syndicated, 1991
Dick Johnson, La fanciulla del west, 1991
Otello, The Metropolitan Opera Silver Anniversary Gala, 1991
Mario Cavaradossi, Tosca: In the Settings and at the Times of Tosca (also known as Tosca, nei luoghi e nelle ore di Tosca), 1992
Title role, Otello, 1992
My World of Opera, Arts and Entertainment, 1992
From Vienna: The New Year's Celebration 1992, PBS, 1992
Three Tenors: The Impossible Dream, PBS, 1993
The Best of Disney Music II: A Legend in Song, CBS, 1993
Rodolfo Muller, Stiffelio, 1993
Himself, The Best of Disney Music: A Legacy in Song-Part II, 1993
(In archive footage) Carol Burnett: The Special Years, 1994
Tibor Rudas Presents Carreras, Domingo, Pavarotti with Mehta: The Three Tenors in Concert 1994 (also known as The 3 Tenors in Concert and Tibor Rudas Presents: The Three Tenors in Concert 1994), PBS, 1994
Cristina Presents: Latin Lovers of the 90s, syndicated, 1994
The Three Tenors--Backstage Live!, PBS, 1994
Himself, Carreras, Domingo and Pavarotti with Mehta, 1994
Himself, The Vision: The Making of the Three Tenors in Concert, 1994
Hoffman, Dick Johnson, and Ernani, Opera Favorites with Domingo and TeKanawa, Arts and Entertainment, 1994
Rafael/El Gato Montes, El gato montes from the Los Angeles Music Center Opera (also known as The Wild Cat and El gato montes), 1995
Gabriele Adorno, Simon Boccanegra, 1995
Christmas in Vienna '94, 1995
Placido Domingo at the Roman Amphitheater of Verona, Arts and Entertainment, 1995.Carreras, Domingo, Pavarotti with Levine: The Three Tenorsin Concert 1996 (also known as Three Tenors in Concert), PBS, 1996

James Levine 25th Anniversary Gala, PBS, 1996
Title role, Otello, PBS, 1996
Don Alvaro, La forza del destino, PBS, 1996
San Francisco Opera Gala Celebration, PBS, 1997
Placido Domingo--The Covent Garden Gold and Silver Gala, PBS, 1997
Loris Ipanov, Fedora, PBS, 1997
Don Jose, Carmen, PBS, 1997
Himself, Merry Christmas from Vienna, 1997
Tenor, A Gala Christmas in Vienna, 1997
Tibor Rudas Presents Carreras, Domingo, Pavarotti with Levine--The Three Tenors Live in Concert--Paris 1998 (also known as Carreras, Domingo, Pavarotti with Levine), PBS, 1998
Samson, Samson et Dalila, PBS, 1998
Himself, Enrico Caruso: Voice of the Century, Arts and Entertainment, 1998
Host, Opera Stamps--Dedications at the Met, PBS, 1998
Canio, Pagliacci (also known as The Washington Opera Productionof "Pagliacci"), PBS, 1998
Star Crossed Lovers, PBS, 1999
Title role, Parsifal: The Search for the Holy Grail, PBS, 1999
Ghermann, The Queen of Spades, 1999
Master of ceremonies, The Richard Tucker Opera Gala Hosted by PlacidoDomingo, PBS, 1999
Requiem, PBS, 2000
The Three Tenors Christmas, PBS, 2000
Himself (honoree), The Kennedy Center Honors (also known as TheKennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts), CBS, 2000
Rodrigue Diaz de Vivar, Le cid (also known as The Washington Opera Presents "El cid"), 2001
The Three Tenors in the Forbidden City, Arts and Entertainment, 2001
Awards Presentations
The Classical Music Awards, Arts and Entertainment, 1988
The 33rd Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1991
The 65th Annual Academy Awards Presentation, ABC, 1993
Presenter, The 36th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1994
Presenter, The 1994 World Music Awards, ABC, 1994
Presenter, The 37th Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1995
The 13th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards, NBC, 1999
The 1st Annual Latin Grammy Awards, CBS, 2000
Television Work
Specials
Conductor, Die Fledermaus, 1984
Conductor, Solti at 75: A Celebration!, PBS, 1987
Conductor, From Vienna: The New Year's Celebration 1992, PBS, 1992
Artistic consultant (Los Angeles Music Center Opera), El gato montes from the Los Angeles Music Center Opera, 1995 director (Washington Opera Chorus), The Washington Opera Production of "La rondine," PBS, 1999
Artist director (Washington Opera), The Washington Opera Presents "Elcid," PBS, 2001
Film Appearances
Mario Cavaradossi, Tosca, 1976
Alfredo Germont, La traviata, Universal, 1982
Canio, Pagliacci (also known as Der Bajazzo), 1982
Turiddu, Cavalleria rusticana, 1982
Don Jose, Bizet's Carmen (also known as Carmen), Triumph, 1984
Title role, Otello, Cannon, 1986
Himself, Why Havel?, 1991
Hoffmann/Ernani, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa: My World of Opera, 1991
Tenor, Symphony for the Spire (also known as HRH The Prince ofWales' Symphony for the Spire and A Spectacle of Music and Theatre inAid of the Salisbury Cathedral Spire Appeal), 1992
Dick Johnson, La fanciulla del west, 1992
Himself, Gold and Silver Gala with Placido Domingo, 1998
Voice of man in the moon, Moulin Rouge!, Twentieth Century-Fox, 2001
Film Work
Conductor, Only You (also known as Just in Time and Him), TriStar, 1994
Executive producer, The Other Conquest (also known as La otra conquista), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1998
RECORDINGS
Albums
Romantic Arias, RCA, 1969
Domingo Conducts Milnes! Milnes Conducts Domingo!, RCA, 1972
La voce d'oro, RCA, 1973
Caballe: Romances de Zarzuelas, Decca, 1974
Aida, Angel, 1974
Verdi and Puccini Duets, RCA, 1975
Carmen, London, 1975
Otello, RCA, 1978
Placido Domingo and the Vienna Choir Boys, RCA Red Seal, 1980
Music of My Country (zarzuela arias), 1980
Beethoven IX: Symphonie d-Moll, op. 25, Deutsche Grammophon, 1981
Puccini: Le villi, CBS, 1981
Berlioz: Requiem, Deutsche Grammophon, 1981
Opera Arias, Angel, 1981
Opern-Gala, Deutsche Grammophon, 1981
Perhaps Love, CBS Masterworks, 1981
Un ballo in maschera, Deutsche Grammophon, 1981
Viva Domingo, Deutsche Grammophon, 1981
Puccini: Tosca, Angel, 1981
Tangos, Pansera/DG, 1981
Placido Domingo, Zacosa, 1982
Aida, Deutsche Grammophon, 1982
Opera Duets, Angel, 1982
Berlioz: Beatrice et Benedict, Deutsche Grammophon, 1982
Bravissimo, Domingo!, RCA Red Seal, 1982
Canciones mexicanas, Discos CBS International, 1982
My Life for a Song, CBS Records, 1983
Ernani: Verdi, Angel, 1983
The Best of Domingo, Popular and Classical, Deutsche Grammophon, 1983
Besame mucho, CBS Masterworks, 1983
La rondine: Giacomo Puccini, CBS Records, 1983
Turandot, Deutsche Grammophon, 1983
Nabucco, Deutsche Grammophon, 1983
Verdi: La traviata, Elektra, 1983
Verdi Arias, Deutsche Grammophon, 1983
Il trovatore, Deutsche Grammophon, 1984
Bizet: Carmen, Musical Heritage Society, 1984
Placido Domingo Sings Great Love Scenes with Renata Scotto, CBS Masterworks, 1984
Carmen, RCA, 1984
Romanzas de Zarzuelas, MMG, 1984
Golden Voices of Zarzuela, MMG, 1984
Always in My Heart (also known as Great Tenors of Our Time), Angel, 1984, released as Siempre en mi corazon, Discos CBS International, 1984
Pagliacci: Ruggiero Leoncavallo, Philips, 1984
Zarzuelas, Discos CBS International, 1985
Romanzas de Zarzuelas, Forlane, 1985
Leoncavallo: Pagliacci, Polygram Classics/Philips, 1985
Fiesta de la Zarzuela, Forlane, 1985
Zarzuela Arias and Duets, CBS Masterworks, 1985
Save Your Nights for Me, CBS, 1985
Placido Domingo Sings Grand Opera, Angel, 1985
Requiem: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Angel, 1985
Don Carlo, Deutsche Grammophon, 1985, released by Angel, 1986
Christmas with Placido Domingo: Trumpets Sound and Angels Sing, Cherry Lane Music Co., 1986
Un ballo in maschera, Angel, 1986
La forza del destino, Angel, 1986
Verdi: Otello, Angel, 1986
Die Fledermaus, Angel, 1986
Listen to the Joy, Hallmark Cards, 1986
Vienna, City of My Dreams, Angel, 1986
Nights at the Opera, BCS, 1986
A Love until the End of Time, CBS Records, 1988
Wagner: Lohengrin, 1988
Live in Tokyo 1988, 1989
Verdi: Messa da Requiem, 1989
Domingo at the Philharmonic, 1989
Covent Garden Gala Concert, EMI, 1989
Goya: A Life in Song, Columbia, 1989
Sonadores de Espana, Discos CBS International, 1989
The Unknown Puccini, 1990
Wagner: Tannhauser, 1990
Puccini: Songs, 1990
Donizetti: Anna Bolena, 1990
Songs, 1990
Mascagni: Iris, 1990
Cilea: Adriana Lecouvreur, 1990
Schifrin: Song of the Aztecs, 1990
(With Jose Carreras and Luciano Pavarotti) Carreras, Domingo, Pavarotti in Concert, 1990
Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore, 1990
Belcanto Domingo, 1991
Mascagni, 1991
Boito: Mefistofele, 1991
(With the London Symphony Orchestra) The Broadway I Love, Atlantic, 1991
Be My Love ... An Album of Love, Angel, 1991
(With Paloma San Basilio) Por fin juntos, Capitol/EMI Latin, 1991
Canta para todos, Capitol/EMI Latin, 1991, reissued PolyGram Latino, 1993
Together, 1992
Mascagni: Cavalleria rusticana, 1992
Arias, Songs, and Tangos, 1992
Toselli: Serenata; Ponce: Estrellita; Massenet: Elegie; Kalman: Wisstdu es noch? From Die Scardasfurstin; Kreisler: The Old Refrain; and Others, 1992
Verdi: Aida, 1992
The Domingo Songbook, 1992
Puccini: Il tabarro, 1992
Leoncavallo: I pagliacci, 1992
Placido Domingo: Mozart Arias, Duets, 1992
Strauss: Die Frau Ohne Schatten, 1992
Sleighride! Classic Christmas Favorites, 1992
Verdi: Luisa Miller, 1993
Puccini: La fanciulla del west (also known as Placido: The Girlof the Golden West), 1993
Domingo Sings Caruso, 1993
Puccini: Tosca, 1993
Penella: El gato montes, 1993
Gala lirica, 1993
From the Official Barcelona Games Ceremony, 1993
Espana, 1993
Entre dos mundos, 1993
Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor, 1993
Verdi: Otello, 1993
Verdi: Aida, 1993
Verdi: I lombardi alla prima crociata, 1993
Beethoven: Missa solemnis, 1993
Rossini: El barbiere di Seviglia (also known as Rossini: The Barber of Seville), 1993
Saint-Saens: Samson et Dalila, 1993
Puccini: Madama Butterfly, 1993
(With Pavarotti and Carreras) Domingo, Pavarotti, Carreras in Concertwith Mehta, Mobile Fidelity, 1993
(With Pavarotti and Carreras) The Three Tenors in Concert, Atlantic, 1994
Verdi: Il trovatore, 1994
Zandonai: Francesca da Rimini, 1994
Verdi: Don Carlo, 1994
Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet, 1994
Capriccio Italian, 1994
1812 Overture, 1994
None But the Lonely Heart, 1994
Lensky's Aria, 1994
Placido Domingo, 1994
Opera Duets, 1994
Verdi: Requiem, 1994
Bizet: Carmen, 1994
Verdi: I vespri siciliano, 1994
(With Pavarotti and Carreras) The Three Tenors in Paris 1994, PolyGram, 1994
De mi alma latina, Angel, 1994
Granada: The Greatest Hits of Placido Domingo, Deutsche Grammophon, 1994
Nativo, Musical, 1995
Vienna Noel, Sony, 1995
Bajo el cielo espanol, Sony, 1996
Popular Favorites, Cema Special, 1996
Man of la mancha, Sony, 1996
Opera Heroes, Capitol, 1997
Por amor, Warner Music International, 1998
(With Pavarotti and Carreras) The Three Tenors: Live 1998, Atlantic, 1998
Desires, Bci, 1998
798, Sony, 1999
The Greatest Arias, BMG Special, 1999
Aida: Highlights, Sony Classical, 2000
Songs of Love, EMI, 2000
(With Pavarotti and Carreras) Romantic Tenors, Atlantic, 2002
Videos
Caruso Remembered, NBC Enterprises, 1982
The Tales of Hoffmann, Pioneer Artists, 1982
Requiem, Kultur, 1986
Puccini: Turandot, 1990
Great Arias with Placido Domingo and Friends, 1991
Hommage a Sevilla, 1992
Verdi: Aida, 1992
Three Tenors: Encore, 1992
Placido Domingo: Grandissimi, 1993
Symphony for the Spire, 1993
Verdi: Otello, 1994
Puccini: Tosca, 1994
Wagner: Lohengrin, 1994
WRITINGS
Book
My First Forty Years (autobiography), Knopf, 1983

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

Contemporary Hispanic Biography, Volume 1, Gale Group, 2002
Contemporary Musicians, Volume 20, Gale, 1997
Dictionary of Hispanic Biography, Gale Research, 1996
Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale Research, 1998
Snowman, Daniel, The World of Placido Domingo, McGraw, 1985
Stefoff, Rebecca, Placido Domingo, Chelsea House, 1992

Periodicals

Americas, English edition, September/October, 1997, p. 22
Billboard, August 22, 1998, p. 37
Opera News, September, 1998, p. 24; December, 1998, p. 86

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