BiograPHY OF
Edgardo Rocha

Proving that opera can be popular

Edgardo Rocha is admired for his bel canto repertoire, considered one of the most important exponents of this style and praised for his warm timbre, his lively coloratura and his brilliant high notes.

Rocha stands out for his ability to bring opera closer to those who are passionate about and appreciate any artistic expression. Through his simplicity, he breaks the mold, demonstrating that opera can be popular and accessible to all types of audiences. With humility and an impressive voice, he has won over audiences in every place where he has performed.

First steps and artistic training

Born in Rivera, Uruguay, Edgardo Rocha grew up in a family where music was central. His father was an immigration officer and his mother a pastry chef. From the age of 8 he began studying piano, influenced by his family environment, where listening to music was a regular part of everyday life. It was in this context that his passion for music began to develop.

After learning gradually, he continued his studies in choral and orchestral conducting at the University of Music in Montevideo. Thanks to a scholarship from the Chamangá Foundation, Edgardo began his studies in vocal technique with the teacher Alba Tonelli.



Vocal training: Still in Uruguay, he continued his vocal training with teachers Beatriz Pazos and Raquel Pierotti. During this time, he worked as a primary school teacher and also as a singing teacher at a high school. In addition, he was part of the Sodre National Choir and, at night, he worked as an amateur pianist.

The leap to the international scene

In 2008, after three years of hard work, Edgardo Rocha decided to move to Italy with his wife to perfect his vocal technique. In Italy, he studied with tenor Salvatore Fisichella and Rossini tenor Rockwell Blake. With great determination, Rocha and his wife left their life in Uruguay behind, stripping themselves of their material possessions to move closer to their dream of becoming a professional opera singer.

Competitions and achievements: Rocha has been the winner of multiple international competitions, such as the 51st Youth Musical Competition of Uruguay, the Maria Callas in Sao Paulo (Brazil), the Giulio Neri in Siena (Italy) and the Primo Palcoscenico in Cesena (Italy), where he made his debut in the role of Almaviva in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia.

Placido Domingo, Edgardo Rocha, Rolando Villazon, Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, Levy Sekgapane at the Rossini Gala, Wiener Staatsoper, Vienna, Austria. July 2022

In Il barbiere di Siviglia, Teatro Alessandro Bonci in Cesena, Italy (figaro Sergio Vitale) 2010

Anthology of zarzuela municipal theatre of Rivera, Uruguay 2002

With his wife after the debut of Barbiere di Siviglia Teatro Alessandro Bonci in Cesena, Italy 2010.

The turning point: 2010

What happened in 2010 would change Edgardo Rocha's career forever.

In 2010, an unexpected event changed the course of his career forever. Due to the illness of the lead singer, Rocha was invited to take on the title role in Donizetti's opera Gianni di Parigi at the Festival della Valle d'Itria in Martina Franca, Italy. This role, of extreme vocal difficulty, was originally written for the legendary tenor Giovanni Battista Rubini.

Rocha's performance was a resounding success, marking the beginning of his career in major Italian and international theatres. Following this triumph, he again performed Gianni di Parigi at the Wexford Opera Festival.

International career: From 2010 onwards

Since 2010, Edgardo Rocha has performed in La Cenerentola at numerous Italian theatres, including the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, the Circuito Lirico Lombardo, and the Fondazione di Piacenza. His international career has taken him to prestigious venues, including the Bergen Festival, the Seattle Opera, the Lausanne Opera, the Bavarian State Opera, the Grand Théâtre di Genève, and the Vienna State Opera, among others.

In 2011, he performed Don Pasquale at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and at the Teatro Filarmonico in Verona. That same year, he made his debut as Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte at the Teatro San Carlo in Napoli and the Teatro Regio in Torino. Later, he performed L'Italiana in Algeri at Italian theatres such as the Opera Giocosa in Savona and the Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari. This production also took him to stages such as the Wiener Staatsoper, the Nancy Opera, the Liceu in Barcelona and the Salzburg Festspiele.

In 2012, he made his debut at the Vienna State Opera in the role of Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia, a role he has reprised at major European theatres for several years, including the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia, the Teatro Real in Madrid, the Lausanne Opera, the Bayerische Staatsoper, the Semperoper in Dresden, the Opéra National de Paris, and the Teatro San Carlo in Naples.

Featured roles and collaborations

In 2012, Rocha took on the role of Jago in Rossini's Otello alongside Cecilia Bartoli and Javier Camarena at the Opernhaus Zürich. He subsequently made his debut at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris in the role of Rodrigo, reprising this role at the Pfingstfestpiele in Salzburg in 2014.

In addition to his success on the opera stage, Rocha starred in the film La Cenerentola in the role of Don Ramiro. This production was broadcast live on Mundovisión, under the musical direction of Gianluigi Gelmetti and the staging of Carlo Verdone.

In 2014, he made his debut at the Opéra Royal de Wallonie in Liège in Rossini's La Gazzetta. He has also performed leading roles in productions of Il turco in Italia and Le Comte Ory at theatres including the Teatro alla Scala, the Zurich Opera House and the Teatro Regio di Torino.

Recent projects

Throughout his successful career, Edgardo Rocha has performed diverse and complex roles on prominent opera stages around the world. In 2019, he made his debut in the role of Ernesto in Agnese by Paër, and that same year he embodied Riccardo Percy in Donizetti's Anna Bolena in its original 1830 version, both at the Lausanne Opera.

Among other iconic roles, Rocha has portrayed Giannetto in La Gazza Ladra of Rossini and Giacomo V in La Donna del Lago at two significant venues: the Salzburg Pfingstfestpiele and the Opéra de Marseille.

In 2021, he participated again in Anna Bolena in Geneva and was part of the AIDS Gala in Berlin on November 27, a highly relevant charity event.

During 2022, he notably participated in the Salzburg Festival and took on multiple roles in Zurich, where he performed Le Comte Ory in February, followed by La Cenerentola in March and June. In July, he participated in the Rossini Gala, in August he performed Il Barbiere di Siviglia in Vienna, in September he was part of L'Éclair in Geneva, in November he portrayed La Sonnambula, and closed the year in December with María Stuarda in Geneva.

In March 2023, he was part of La Sonnambula in Düsseldorf, in April he participated in Lakmé in Zurich, and later in Il turco in Italia at the Teatro Real in Madrid. In September, he performed Il Barbiere di Siviglia in Los Angeles, solidifying his presence in the international opera scene.

In 2024, Rocha continued with highly significant performances. In February, he participated in La Clemenza di Tito during Mozart Woche; in June, he took on a challenging role with the Tudor Trilogy in Geneva, performing 3 different roles in three works that alternated week by week, and in September, he debuted as Leonora at the Chicago Opera Theater, bringing Florestano to life.