Rolando Villazón (*1972) is probably one of the most spirited opera singers and directors of our time. The Mexican-born singer became known to a worldwide audience in 2005 with his role as Alfredo Germont alongside Anna Netrebko in "La traviata" at the Salzburg Festival.The tenor began his international career in 1999 with his European debut in Genoa as Des Grieux in Jules Massenet’s Manon. This was followed by further successful performances at some of the world’s great opera houses, including the Opéra Bastille Paris, the Bavarian State Opera, the Vienna State Opera and the New York Met. His roles include classics such as Rodolfo (La Bohème), Alfredo (La traviata), Roméo (Roméo et Juliette) and Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor).After vocal cord problems and a corresponding operation, Villazón returned to the stage in March 2010 and debuted as an opera director at the Opéra de Lyon one year later with a production of Jules Massenet’s Werther. The versatile artist, who is also active as a writer and presenter, has been the artistic director of the Mozartwoche Salzburg since 2017.Rolando Villazón has had French citizenship since 2007, is married and has two sons.

Juan-Diego Flórez was born on January 13, 1973 in Lima. He is the son of a singer of traditional Peruvian music. In 1990, Juan-Diego Flórez entered the National Conservatory of Music of Peru. In 1994, Juan-Diego Flórez met the Peruvian tenor Ernesto Palacio, who invited him on two recordings and became his mentor. In 1996, while rehearsing a small role of Ricciardo e Zoraide, within the framework of the Rossini Festival in Pesaro, the tenor having to interpret Corradino in Mathilde de Shibran for the same festival fell ill. Juan-Diego Flórez replaces him at short notice. The ensuing success opened the doors to the biggest stages in the world: for example, he made his Paris debut in L’Italienne à Alger in 2000. He marked the history of La Scala in Milan in 2007 by giving a encore of the aria “Ah mes Amis” taken from La Fille du Régiment by Donizetti: no encore had yet sounded at La Scala since 1933. In 2012, very committed to music education in Peru, Juan-Diego Flórez was appointed Unesco Goodwill Ambassador.