A graduate of San Francisco’s prestigious Merola Opera Program, Daniel Montenegro is recognized for his flexible and distinctive tenor voice and a varied repertoire ranging from bel canto and verismo to contemporary roles. This season he makes his Washington National Opera debut as Nemorino in Stephen Lawless’ production of L’elisir d’amore under Ward Stare. Daniel also returns to Gotham Chamber Opera for Paul Curran’s production of Baden-Baden 1927. Based on the opening night of the Baden-Baden Festival in which four new chamber operas were presented, Daniel will sing Jupiter in Milhaud’s L'enlèvement d'Europe, Ein Weiser in Hindemith’s Hin und zurück, Der Prinz in Toch’s Die Prinzessin auf der Erbse and Charlie in Weill’s Mahagonny Songspiel.
In recent seasons Daniel has made several significant debuts including Mario in Daniel Catán’s Il Postino at Paris’ Théâtre du Châtelet alongside Plácido Domingo (marking his European opera debut), Roderigo in Otello with San Francisco Opera under Nicola Luisotti, Alfredo in La traviata with Minnesota Opera, as well as Pang in Turandot at the Hollywood Bowl, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel.
Previous engagements have included Alfredo in La traviata with Minnesota Opera and the Shepherd in Stravinksky’s Oedipus Rex at the Sydney Festival under Joana Carneiro, directed by Peter Sellars. His many appearances with LA Opera have included Gastone in La traviata (also released as a Decca DVD), Maximino Mendez in the world premiere of Lee Holdridge’s Concierto para Mendez, and El Dancaïro in Carmen, a role he also performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. Further performances for LA Opera include productions of L’incoronazione di Poppea, Luisa Fernanda, Il tabarro, and Die gezeichneten. Elsewhere in the US, he has performed the Steersman in Der fliegende Holländer with both Portland Opera and Arizona Opera, and, as a Resident Artist at Minnesota Opera, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Nick in The Handmaid’s Tale, Flavio in Norma, and Liverotto in Lucrezia Borgia.