Youth Revelation of 2006
To recognize the work of Sonora’s outstanding young artists in the opera singing, it was established the Sonora’s Youth Revelation Award, that was given in 2005 and 2006 to baritone Octavio Moreno and soprano Elena Rivera respectively, for their success reached in national and international scenarios during 2004 and 2005.
On Wednesday January 24th during the Gala Night at Alamos’ City Hall, the 2006 award will be given to tenor Luis Carlos Contreras, who will be offering a concert with pianist Alexandre Alcantara as his companion.
Luis Carlos Contreras was born in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico; he studied in the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City. In 1996 he met tenor Jesus Li and entered in the Academy of Music of the University of Sonora; after two years studying with professor Li, he went back to Mexico City. Since 1997 he is a member of SIVAM (International Society of Mexican Artistic Values), the opera studio most important in the country.
In 1998 he debuted in the role of Tony Candolino in the theatre play “Master Class” next to actress Diana Bracho, he performed in more than 120 representations during that year.
Afterwards, he took part of the cast of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera”.
In 1999 he debuted in the opera Don Pasquale in the role of Ernesto in the National Center of the Arts in Mexico City. That same year he traveled to New York to an audition in the prestigious program for young opera artists from San Francisco; there he was called to be part of it next to a group of 20 singers from different places in the world.
During the 2001-2002 season, the Florida’s Opera ask him to be part of their program for young singers.
Placido Domingo invited him to be resident tenor of Los Angeles’ Opera, where he performed next to important figures of the international lyrical, such are: Samuel Ramey, Luis Lima and Placido Domingo, himself.
Luis Carlos has performed in operas such, Gianni Schicchi, Fausto, Madame Butterfly, Boris Godunov, Nabucco, La Fanciulla del West, Carmen, Hoffmann’s Tale andThe Errant Dutch. He has been tenor soloist for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and for Mozart’s The Mass in Mayor Do. He has participated in singing recitals in Miami, Los Angeles, La Habana and Mexico City.
Luis Carlos Contreras was finalist in the “National Singing Contest Carlo Morelli”, that took place in the Palace of the Fine Arts in Mexico; he won second place in the “Singing Contest of the Metropolitan Opera of New York”, that took place in Atlanta, United States; and he has been the only Latin American with participation in the final of the “Operalia Contest”, in the Teatre du Chatelet in Paris, France.
Nowadays he lives in Madrid, Spain and studies with the Italian baritone Enzo Spatola.
