© Borja González
Flórez Captivates Audience in Madrid Recital
Madrid. March 11, 2026. Auditorio Nacional. Works by W. A. Mozart, G. Rossini, F. Boieldieu, R. Chapí, A. Vives, J. Serrano, E. Lecuona, J. Massenet, Ch. Gounod, F. Liszt and G. Verdi. Juan Diego Flórez, tenor. Vicenzo Scalera, piano.
Tenor Juan Diego Flórez marked three decades in his illustrious career with a performance at the Auditorio Nacional in Madrid on March 11, 2026. The concert drew a captivated audience, and for one longtime fan, the evening was a moment for reflection and gratitude. “I’ve followed the singer to theaters around the world,” the fan recalled, remembering first discovering Flórez on the radio in Lisbon. “So many satisfactions, so many good moments, and so many special people – some who are no longer with us – who accompanied me… memories that span much of this tenor’s long career, and evoke one word: thanks.”
Flórez has consistently delivered, satisfying a passion for Rossini and showcasing a remarkable vocal agility. While his voice may have lost some of its youthful freshness, and the high notes don’t come quite as easily, the singer has compensated with enriched phrasing and a seasoned stage presence. “Flórez has marked an era,” the fan noted. “He’s been intelligent, enriching his phrasing and applying his long experience on stage.”
This artistry was evident in the opening Mozart selections, where Flórez demonstrated a nuanced understanding of the composer’s ever-shifting moods and characters. He skillfully navigated the rapid changes in emotion, a hallmark of Mozart’s work, bringing depth to each phrase. The recitative leading into the concert aria Misero! O sogno was full of narrative, and Flórez unfolded each episode of the subsequent aria with precision, embellishing the piece with gorgeous soft tones and effective diminuendos.
The aria from La clemenza di Tito was regal and majestic, beautifully ornamented in its second exposition. A change in expression in the “b” section of the second aria (Se all’impero, amici Dei) revealed a renewed agility in the semi-quavers written by Mozart.
A brief Rossini segment followed, which the fan particularly appreciated given the composer’s relative absence from the Teatro Real’s repertoire. Beginning with Le Sylvain, Flórez immediately established a different character, capturing the piece’s undulating rhythm and French lyricism. The performance was beautifully executed, with free cadenzas and a strong high note.
The aria from La pietra del paragone brought to mind Flórez’s undeniable and unattainable contralto style. It was presented with superb clarity and his signature silky, connected agility, free of roughness, with a flawless line and perfect breath control, culminating in a stimulating expressive coloratura. A strong B-flat completed the aria.
The first part of the concert concluded with “Viens, gentille dame” from F. Boieldieu’s La dame blanche, where Flórez applied his legato and strengthened his high notes in the full-voiced leaps, reaching a B-flat and a falsetto in piano.
The second half began with a selection of zarzuela, starting with “Flores purísimas” from R. Chapí’s El milagro de la Virgen. Flórez differentiated the words well, particularly the sweet way he sang “corazón,” and subtly altered the tempo in the aria’s central section. A beautiful soft tone finished the piece.
“Por el humo se sabe donde está el fuego” from A. Vives’ Doña Francisquita was impeccably sung, though perhaps a bit austere, especially in the flamenco-inspired sections. The central part of the aria was delivered with appropriate desperation and boldness. “Te quiero morena” from J. Serrano’s El trust de los tenores allowed Flórez to loosen up and express greater freedom, displaying a dominant air.
“Pourquoi me réveiller” from J. Massenet’s Werther was beautifully sung, almost savoring each syllable and creating estimable sfumati that suited the aria well. Once again, a beautiful legato was present in “Salut! Demeure chaste et pure” from Ch. Gounod’s Faust, adding successful flourishes at the end of the word “Chaste” and executing a beautiful and difficult diminuendo at the aria’s close.
“La mia Letizia infondere” from G. Verdi’s I Lombardi concluded the program, with Flórez skillfully infusing the performance with Verdian character, alternating between rough, vibrant consonantal attacks and subsequent soft, tempered approaches. A good change in the central section, delivered with great freedom.
The recital continued with six encores: a Neapolitan song, La flor de la canela and Cucurrucucú Paloma accompanied by Flórez on guitar; and his always impeccable nine high C aria, Ah! mes amis, a superb Una furtiva lágrima and a beautiful Amapola with which he concluded the concert.
Pianist Vincenzo Scalera provided impeccable and dedicated accompaniment throughout the evening, also shining in the solo pieces played during the recital: a bagatelle by Rossini, a mazurka by Lecuona, and especially a Consolacion n.3 by Liszt, full of beautiful sound.
Photos: © Borja González
