José Simerilla-Romero
About this Artist
Praised for his “powerful vocal presence” (NRC Netherlands) and “shimmering high notes” (Seen and Heard International), in the 2021/22 season, rising young Argentinian-Spanish-American tenor Jose Simerilla Romero joins the Nederlandse Reisopera as both Alfredo in La traviata and Rodolfo in La bohéme, makes his Los Angeles Philharmonic debut as Jaquino in Fidelio under the baton of Maestro Gustavo Dudamel, sing the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto in his Florida Grand Opera debut, and sings further performances of Alfredo in La traviata with First Coast Opera. Next season Mr. Romero joins the ensemble of Staatsoper Hannover for various leading roles. Last season, he joined the studio of the Dutch National Opera & Ballet where he was engaged to sing Wagner and Nereo in Mefistofele, the Messenger in Aida, and Boy 1 in Trouble in Tahiti as a part of the 2021 Opera Forward Festival, which were all unfortunately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He sang his first performances of Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore in a coproduction with Opera Zuid, Nederlandse Reisopera, Dutch National Opera & Ballet, which was live-streamed by Opera Vision. He was also engaged as an Apprentice Artist with Santa Fe Opera in their productions of Il barbiere di Siviglia, Die Zauberflöte, and Tristan und Isolde, Rusalka, and Huang Ruo’s M. Butterfly as well as engaged to sing concerts with soprano Kristin Opolais with the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra and the Polska Filharmonia, and sang performances in “Land and Sea” with Tampa Bay Symphony.
Other recent performances include Alfredo in La traviata, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, B.F. Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Don Curzio in Le nozze di Figaro, Rodolfo in La bohéme, Duca in Rigoletto, the world premiere of Frédéric Chaslin’s Monte Cristo with LA Opera, Dr. Blind in Die Fledermaus, Albert in Albert Herring, Ottone in L’incoronazione di Poppea, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Danilo in The Merry Widow, Captain Tarnitz in The Student Prince, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, and Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus. On the concert stage, the tenor has performed Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Bach’s St John Passion, Handel’s Messiah, and Brahms’ Liebeslier Walzer.
Mr. Simerilla Romero is an Award Winner from the Chicago International Music Competition, the Camerata Bardi International Vocal Competition, the Jensen Foundation International Vocal Competition, the Opera Foundation, Metropolitan Opera National Council District Auditions, Kyrenia Opera Vocal Competition, Vienna International Music Competition, Berliner International Music Competition, the Orpheus Vocal Competition, and the Tampa Bay Symphony Jack Heller Competiton. He has participated in Houston Grand Opera’s Young Artist Vocal Academy, the LA Opera Young Artist Program, the Dutch National Opera & Ballet Studio, the Carnegie Hall Weill Music Institute, and holds degrees from both Valencia College and Stetson University.