About Arturo
Arturo Chacón-Cruz
Hailing from Sonora, Mexico, winner of the 2024 International Opera Awards coveted "Readers' Award", Mexican-American tenor Arturo Chacón-Cruz is recognized as one of the leading operatic tenors of his generation.
With over 60 roles performed in 30 countries, he has captivated audiences at the world’s most renowned venues, from Milan’s La Scala to New York’s Metropolitan Opera.
Celebrated for his powerful voice and emotional depth, Arturo is highly sought after for leading roles in the operas of Verdi, Puccini, and the French Romantic repertoire. His portrayals of characters such as Don Carlo, Cavaradossi, Werther, Hoffmann, and Manrico have earned him acclaim from critics and audiences alike.
Arturo has performed private recitals for Queen Sofia and King Juan Carlos of Spain and appeared in a concert for Ibero-American leaders alongside King Felipe VI. His artistry has been featured by major media outlets such as CNN, FOX, Telemundo, Univision, Vanity Fair, Opera News, and People. He was GQ's Man of the Year in 2018.
He has collaborated with acclaimed directors Sofia Coppola (“La Traviata,” featuring Valentino costumes) and Woody Allen (“Gianni Schicchi,” released by Sony), in productions that earned international acclaim.
Recent highlights include performances of Manrico in Il Trovatore in San Francisco and The Met, Hoffmann in The Tales of Hoffmann in Las Palmas and Liege, Riccardo in Un Ballo in Maschera, Hoffmann in Barcelona, Calaf in Turandot with the Arena di Verona on tour through S. Korea, Concerts in Arena di Verona, Orange Amphitheater, amongst many others.
Arturo has recently also taken the leading tenor roles in Simon Boccanegra in Palermo, Lucia di Lammermoor in Los Angeles, and Tosca with Florida Grand Opera, where he made history by offering a rare encore of “E lucevan le stelle.”
Upcoming performances include Carmen in China and Las Palmas, Werther at Opéra Royal de Wallonie, and concerts in Miami, Mexico City, Atlanta, and France.
Tommy Hilfiger and Beyond Celiac.
Plácido Domingo
Arturo was mentored by Plácido Domingo and Ramón Vargas. In an effort to give back, he serves as a mentor to aspiring young singers, aiming to pass on the valuable lessons and experiences he gained during his own early career. He has been a guest teacher at several institutions such as: Peabody Conservatory, Boston University, EOBA, San Francisco Opera's Adler Program, New World School for the Arts, in Miami, to name a few.
Arturo continues to collaborate with Maestro Domingo many times a year whether in concert or as part of an opera.
Awards:
Arturo has received numerous honors and awards throughout the years. These include the Los Angeles Opera "Placido Domingo" Award in 2019, the "Moncayo Medal" in 2018 in Jalisco, Mexico, and "GQ Man of the Year 2018" for Latin America. He was also honored with the "Manetti-Shrem Emerging Star" award in 2017 at the San Francisco Opera. Other accolades include the "Alfonso Ortíz Tirado" medal in 2013 (Sonora's highest cultural award), the "Distinguished Sonoran" Medal in 2009 awarded by the Governor of Sonora, the "Culturarte de Puerto Rico" Award, the "Opera de Valencia" and "Plácido Domingo Ferrer Zarzuela" Awards. Arturo won the Eleanor McCollum 1st Prize Award and Audience Choice Award with the Houston Grand Opera in 2003, among many others. Most recently, his "In Song" documentary feature, produced by the San Francisco Opera, received the 2022 People’s Voice Award at the prestigious Webby Awards.
Early Life and Education:
In his late teens, before committing to a full-time artistic career, Arturo pursued a degree in Industrial and Mechanical Engineering. He spent six semesters in his native Sonora, Mexico, alternating between mathematics and physics and taking private operatic voice lessons, all while performing with Mariachis on the weekends.In 1998, he decided to fully devote himself to a Bachelor's degree in Voice Performance and Arts at the University of Sonora. On his fifth semester, he received a full scholarship, eventually the Placido Domingo scholarship, to attend the SIVAM foundation workshops at the Escuela Superior de Música in Mexico City.
There, he spent three years working with top teachers and coaches from Mexico, Italy, and the Metropolitan Opera, while performing in various concerts and operas throughout Mexico and Greece. In the fall of 2001, he received a full scholarship to pursue a Performance Diploma at Boston University’s Opera Institute, graduating in 2003. He then participated in San Francisco Opera’s Merola Young Artists program (2003) and the Houston Grand Opera Studio (2003-2005), where he spent two years studying and performing leading and supporting roles on the main stage of HGO.
Arturo's "big break" came in 2005 when he won the prestigious "Operalia” competition in Madrid, garnering the attention of many major figures in the opera world. This marked the launch of a successful international career.
Passions, Giving Back, and Family:
Among Arturo's other passions is learning new languages. He is fluent in Spanish, English, Italian, and French, and continues to study German, Portuguese, Russian, and Greek. Arturo has been a champion for Mexican culture, setting himself apart by producing and performing Mexican music shows around the world.
His love for Mexico’s national drink has inspired him to produce his own brand of Tequila.
Arturo is a spokesperson for Beyond Celiac, an organization dedicated to finding a cure for Celiac Disease. Since 2017, he has been a brand ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger.
In 2010, Arturo became a US Citizen through the "Einstein Exceptional Ability Green Card" granted to him in 2005.
When he's not on the road, Arturo resides in Miami with his wife, Venetia, and their son, Stephen Arturo. He enjoys swimming, cycling, long drives with his family, playing tennis and golf, and playing the guitar.
