Juan Diego Florez Quotes

Powerful Juan Diego Florez for Daily Growth

About Juan Diego Florez

Juan Diego Florez, born on January 13, 1970, in Callao, Peru, is a renowned Peruvian tenor opera singer who has captivated audiences worldwide with his exquisite voice and exceptional stage presence. His musical journey began at the age of six when he started vocal lessons under the tutelage of his father, Juan Crisóstomo Florez. In 1987, Florez was discovered by Plácido Domingo during a vocal competition in Lima, leading to a scholarship at the Academy of "La Scala" in Milan, Italy. His professional opera debut took place in 1990 with Rossini's "The Barber of Seville," marking the beginning of an illustrious career that would span over three decades. Florez's repertoire includes operas such as Mozart's "Don Giovanni" and Verdi's "La Traviata." He has performed at prestigious venues like the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Vienna State Opera, and La Scala Milan. His interpretations of Belmonte from "The Abduction from the Seraglio," Alfredo from "La Traviata," and Ferrando from "Così fan tutte" have been particularly acclaimed by critics and audiences alike. In addition to his operatic career, Florez has ventured into the world of zarzuela, a traditional Spanish musical theater form, and has released multiple solo albums featuring a variety of classical pieces. His collaborations with renowned orchestras and conductors further attest to his versatility as a singer. Florez's influence extends beyond the operatic stage. He is an ambassador for UNICEF, using his platform to raise awareness about childhood poverty and education. His life story serves as an inspiration to aspiring opera singers around the world, demonstrating that with talent, determination, and opportunity, anyone can reach their dreams.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"La voz no es todo; el corazón canta también." (The voice is not everything; the heart also sings.)

This quote by Juan Diego Florez suggests that, while vocal ability is an essential part of singing, it's not the only component. The "heart" here symbolizes the emotions and passion behind the music, which can be just as important or even more impactful than technical skill alone. In essence, this quote highlights the importance of expressing genuine emotion when performing.


"El canto es una forma de comunicación tan importante como la palabra." (Singing is a form of communication as important as words.)

This quote by Juan Diego Flórez emphasizes the significance of singing as a method of communication, equal in importance to spoken language. In essence, he suggests that music has an equally powerful capacity to express thoughts, emotions, and ideas as speech does. Just as words form the basis of verbal communication, melodies, rhythms, and harmonies serve as the building blocks for musical expression. By extension, this highlights the universal nature of art and its ability to bridge cultural, linguistic, and social gaps, promoting empathy and understanding among people.


"Cada canción tiene su historia, y cada historia tiene un sentido especial para mí." (Every song has its story, and every story has a special meaning for me.)

This quote by Juan Diego Florez emphasizes the emotional significance that songs hold for him due to their interwoven narratives. For Florez, each song is not just a musical composition but a tale with its own unique history. This personal connection imbues each story with a special, profound meaning, making every performance a heartfelt expression of emotion and memory.


"El canto es la forma más pura que tengo de expresar mis emociones." (Singing is the purest way I have of expressing my emotions.)

This quote by Juan Diego Flórez suggests that singing is his most authentic means of emotional expression. Essentially, he communicates a deep connection between his inner feelings and his musical output, emphasizing singing's importance in conveying his genuine emotions to the world.


"No hay un mejor o peor tiempo para cantar, sino solo diferentes momentos en los que el corazón canta más fuerte." (There's no better or worse time to sing, only different moments when the heart sings stronger.)

This quote by Juan Diego Flórez suggests that there is no definitive optimal or inappropriate moment for expression, but rather, various instances where one's emotions resonate more profoundly. It encourages the idea that emotional outpouring should not be limited to certain situations or conditions, but instead, should flow naturally from the depth of one's heart.


When I'm doing sports, I always think of how it's related to singing, and when I watch tennis, I learn a lot for my singing: how the players are focused, how they use their technique, and, in the case of Roger Federer, how effortless it is and how beautiful it is to watch - like bel canto, in a way. That's how singing should be.

- Juan Diego Florez

Doing, Use, Technique, Roger

In Peru, there is no theatre that produces an annual opera season, and though there is one orchestra in Lima, it's always struggling to survive. We shouldn't have just one orchestra, we should have 15, we should have 50! And you should start to build this from the children.

- Juan Diego Florez

Theatre, Opera, Peru, Orchestra

With El Sistema, you can create orchestras everywhere; then they can decide whether they want to become professional musicians. The aim is not only to create musicians, but to create people.

- Juan Diego Florez

Musicians, Aim, Want, Orchestra

I created a foundation for poor children called Sinfonia por el Peru, where they play in orchestras and choirs, learn values and get away from the bad life, become better citizens in every aspect.

- Juan Diego Florez

Play, Bad, Away, Orchestra

I'm lucky because my repertoire is so specific, and theaters are interested in me singing my repertoire because it is not done so much. I'm pretty well settled in my repertoire. I like what I sing. My voice is high, and there is not much in baroque opera for higher tenor.

- Juan Diego Florez

Voice, Lucky, Opera, Theaters

I concentrated on Rossini when I began, and I never really felt any competition. I sang in the best houses, and I believed I was always a first choice. I was lucky in a way - I never felt there was someone else who was getting the roles in another theatre and that we were competing.

- Juan Diego Florez

Lucky, Another, Roles, Concentrated

I think spontaneous and free reactions are the most natural.

- Juan Diego Florez

Think, I Think, Most, Reactions

I didn't grow up with classical music. My father was a folk music singer.

- Juan Diego Florez

Father, Grow, Singer, Classical Music

I went to school to learn guitar, solfeggio, and harmony. I wanted to know more about music, how it works. I wanted to take voice lessons, too, and that's when I discovered what I could do with my voice. At the beginning, I thought I would do classical and pop, but then I learned that I really liked the classical music.

- Juan Diego Florez

Voice, Harmony, Discovered, Classical Music

Even if change in a voice is light, and people maybe don't notice it, that slight change is, for singers, a bit of an earthquake.

- Juan Diego Florez

Voice, Singers, Slight, Notice

I grew up listening to popular music. My father was a Peruvian folk singer. He played the guitar at home. He sang songs with a waltzing rhythm, yet you can still hear the Spanish influences. I accompanied him to his performances.

- Juan Diego Florez

Father, Him, Singer, Folk Singer

I don't push my voice; I try to keep a good technique, a natural way of singing, to sing from the breath, which is the main thing.

- Juan Diego Florez

Voice, Main Thing, Which, Push

I have always been pretty flexible. I could always jump and do all kinds of dangerous movements. In opera, I like to do it because it's fun, as long as it fits the role.

- Juan Diego Florez

Pretty, Always, Been, Flexible

In my concerts, people love when I sing a Latin encore with guitar.

- Juan Diego Florez

Love, Sing, Concerts, Latin

I played the guitar. When I was 14, I composed songs - Paul McCartney-style things. I had a rock band - we'd compete in festivals.

- Juan Diego Florez

Festivals, Compete, Had, Paul

Little by little, when I was doing auditions in New York, I discovered I was good. People there were enthusiastic.

- Juan Diego Florez

Doing, New, Auditions, Enthusiastic

I always feel I sing better if I have been playing a lot of tennis or football.

- Juan Diego Florez

Better, Always, Lot, Tennis

Yes, I wrote songs. I was becoming kind of an Enrique Iglesias kind of a singer, with those ballads and cheesy romantic things.

- Juan Diego Florez

Singer, Yes, Becoming, Cheesy

My parents never really wanted me to be a musician at all, because in Peru you don't earn any money that way. But when they realised it was genuinely what I wanted to do, they supported me always.

- Juan Diego Florez

Always, Realised, Genuinely, Supported

Some people might hate someone who is successful, but in Peru, they love it! It makes them feel they can be successful, too. That's a good state of mind for a country that wants to come out of poverty.

- Juan Diego Florez

Love, Mind, Some, Successful

You are born with a voice. And in a way, you don't choose what you want to sing. It's the quality of your voice that matches a certain repertoire, and that's what you're going to sing.

- Juan Diego Florez

Voice, Born, Going, Matches

I don't like to fill up my schedule. It's easy to do, but then that year arrives, and you find that you have no time, so you are desperately trying to cancel something. I have to think of my family.

- Juan Diego Florez

Think, Cancel, No Time, Schedule

Sometimes at my performances, I see Peruvian flags in the audience. I've never seen, when an Italian sings, people with Italian flags. But with Peru, it's different: because there are not many famous people, they really celebrate the ones they have.

- Juan Diego Florez

Sometimes, Sings, Flags, Peru

I would love to bring the children from my foundation Sinfonia por el Peru to play with some of the best musicians in the world.

- Juan Diego Florez

Love, Play, Some, Peru

I wouldn't be me if my repertoire wasn't bel canto.

- Juan Diego Florez

Me, Repertoire

I now have plans to create a school for singers in Vienna, and I would love to found one in the Middle East, too, if possible.

- Juan Diego Florez

Love, Middle, Singers, Vienna

Around age 38, there was a slight change to my voice, and very much in the center. That made it possible to start thinking about certain roles: Guillaume Tell, Romeo, Edgardo. These roles require a fuller center.

- Juan Diego Florez

Voice, Very, Romeo, Center

I don't think I am even the best I can be. I like to listen to other singers and learn from them, but I'm always working on myself, trying to improve, trying to be very tough with myself.

- Juan Diego Florez

Think, Always, Very, Singers

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