From México to the World Stage:The San Miguel MetOpera Trust Fosters Emerging Mexican Talent

By Don Krim

"I was back home in Zacatecas, teaching in a tiny voice academy, trying to make ends meet. One of my students brought me a mug from the Metropolitan Opera in New York.  She said “you HAVE to go there!” and I thought “No way!”  I had no money, no visa; I had never been on an airplane. Did I ever imagine I would sing on the MetOpera stage, in a solo role in 2022?  “No way!”

Thank you, San Miguel MetOpera Trust, for my Metropolitan Opera audition in 2018 and for opening the doors to the greater world of international opera to me." - Yunuet Laguna, competition winner 2018

For years I have listened from backstage - hearing only an acoustic shadow of performances reverberating through the Nigromante Theatre at Bellas Artes, or the patio and halls of the San Francisco Church.

Not in New York, but here in San Miguel every late November, early December. There are concerts to follow, but these are auditions. Not just any auditions: these Mexican singers are vying to be heard at the Metropolitan Opera in NYC. They already have been - by audition video. These are towering Mexican voices shooting for New York. They have already been selected from over 1,000 singers to have a chance to move on through the district round in México; the select few will continue on to the regionals in Denver, Colorado, and winners there go on to the semi-finals and then finals on the Met Opera stage.

México, and specifically San Miguel, was the first Met Opera District outside of the United States. Until its establishment 8 years ago, it was virtually impossible for a Mexican singer to be heard at this level - not because of lack of talent (Mexicans have a rich vocal history and powerful instruments, as can be heard in every Mariachi band,) but for lack of access - immigration issues and financial means.

While the Zarzuela tradition imported from Spain had a strong presence in México and other parts of Latin America (including in México via the singing parents of Plácido Domingo, who himself was born in Madrid but lived and trained in México from the age of 8), opera in México did not develop its own identity as it did in Italy, Germany, Austria, the UK, France, the US and Russia. Yet some of the most distinctive operatic voices hail from México - those few that managed to break into the international scene, such as Soprano Angela Peralta and Tenor Rolando Villazón.

The most recent, being groomed at the MET Opera in NYC - having covered (the operatic term for an understudy) 3 roles, is Yunuet Laguna, Winner in the First MetOpera Competition in México, in 2018.

The México District of the competition is sponsored by the San Miguel MetOpera Trust. Through its partnership with the Metropolitan Opera, the Trust has created an unparalleled network for artistic development and international performance. Yunuet is just one who has benefited.  In its eight years of competitions:

• 460 young Mexican singers have been heard by judges certified by the Metropolitan Opera;

  
  

• 39 singers have been named winners and have gone on to audition in the United States;

  
  

• 18 became prizewinners in those USA auditions, including 3 who reached the final rounds of the competition and sang on the MetOpera stage; at least 10 are appearing in principal opera roles with companies in 17 countries across the globe;

  
  

• And dozens of others have gone on to renowned young artist programs with distinguished opera companies in the United States and Europe.

From San Miguel Yunuet went directly to the MetOpera’s Lindemann Young Artist development Program, and made her solo debut on the MetOpera stage in March 2022.

All of these singers are distinguishing themselves and enlarging the footprint of México on the world opera map - from 26 different states in México and counting –  and all launched here in San Miguel de Allende.

The Metropolitan Opera’s official Mexican partner will hold its next auditions on December 2^nd at Belles Artes, and the public is welcome. On October 22^nd and 23^rd past winners will present a concert, and the 2026 winners will perform in San Miguel as well, after attending master classes and training sessions in Puebla following the competition.

For more information contact Joan Mitchell, at jmitchell@smametoperatrust.org or see www.sanmiguelmetoperatrust.org

Don Krim has been backstage manager for several years for the México District Metropolitan Opera Auditions in San Miguel.

He is President and Development Director of jovenesadelante.org