born Jan. 21, 1941, Madrid, Spain
Spanish tenor and conductor.
He moved to Mexico in 1949 with his parents, both of whom were zarzuela (a form of Spanish light opera) singers. He studied voice, piano, and conducting, making his debut as a baritone. After developing his tenor range, he made his U.S. debut, spent three years in Tel Aviv (singing in Hebrew), came to the New York City Opera in 1965, and debuted with the Metropolitan Opera at Lewissohn Stadium in 1966. His resonant, powerful voice, imposing physical stature, good looks, and dramatic ability made him one of the most popular tenors of the second half of the 20th century.