Francisco Araiza
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The Mexican tenor, Francisco Araiza, belongs to the leading tenors of his time. He made an international operatic career starting with Mozart and Rossini roles and developed later on into the heavier lirico spinto repertoire (roles from Verdi, Puccini, Massenet, Gounod and finally Wagner). He studied voice with Irma Gonzalez in the Conservatorio Nacional de Musica and German repertory with Erika Kubacsek in Mexico City. In 1970 he made his debut in Mexico City in Beethovens "Fidelio". In 1974 he went to Europe and took master-classes with Richard Holm and Erik Werba at the Munich Musikhochschule after having won the Bavarian Broadcasting Voice Competition. After three years at the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe he became a permanent member of the Zurich Opera House in 1977. Herbert von Karajan chose him for his recording of "Die Zauberflöte" and invited him to the Salzburg Festival in 1980. This was the start of his international career. Araiza was named 'Kammersänger of the Vienna State Opera' in 1988.
