Praised by Opera News for his “warm, strong, highly promising tenor," Rolando Sanz is thrilling audiences with his impeccable technique and musical depth, as well as his vocal “color and heartfelt interpretations” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Recent performances include his Metropolitan Opera debut in Mozart's Idomeneo, in a production that was simulcast in cinemas worldwide via Met Live in HD, and Rodolfo in Fairfax Symphony Orchestra’s La bohème. He returned to the Met roster for productions of La traviata, Salome, and Fidelio, and made his Michigan Opera Theatre debut as Ragueneau in Cyrano. Following a return to the Spoleto Festival USA as tenor soloist in Beethoven's Choral Fantasy and Mass in C Major, Rolando made his Asheville Symphony and Apollo Orchestra debuts as tenor soloist in Beethoven's 9th Symphony.
Rolando has honed his Italianate tenor of “considerable color and strength” (Baltimore Sun) with roles including Alfredo with Virginia Opera, Florentine Opera, Ash Lawn Opera, and Pacific Symphony, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore with Florentine Opera and Finger Lakes Opera, Boris in Kát’a Kabanová with Spoleto Festival USA, Rodolfo in La bohème with Palm Beach Opera and Opera Idaho, Paolo in Rachmaninov’s Francesca da Rimini with the Princeton Festival, Arminio in I masnadieri with Washington Concert Opera, Pinkerton (cov) in Madame Butterfly with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and Duca di Mantua in Rigoletto with Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra and Annapolis Opera.
Rolando has displayed his consummate musicianship in concert and oratorio works at the Washington National Cathedral, Aspen Music Festival, and Carnegie Hall in New York City. He is also a strong ambassador of the art song recital. As a resident artist at Songfest, Rolando collaborated with Martin Katz, Graham Johnson, and composer John Harbison. In an upcoming season, he will return to Carnegie Hall to perform the world premiere of a song cycle by composer Ezra Laderman and former United States poet-laureate Robert Pinsky.
Rolando has been a prizewinner in the Florida Grand Opera/Young Patronesses of the Opera Voice Competition, the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the Aspen Music Festival Vocal Concerto Competition, and the XIII International Voice Competition in Trujillo, Peru. Most recently, he was awarded the Grand Prize, Conductor Award, and Audience Choice Award at the Annapolis Opera Vocal Competition, 1st place at the Florida Suncoast Opera Guild Competition, and 1st prize at the Marie E. Crump Vocal Competition. Rolando is also proud to have represented his hometown while performing the National Anthem for the nationally televised opening series of the Baltimore Orioles each year since 2012, and as featured soloist in the Maryland State Art Council’s Star-Spangled Spectacular to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of “The Star-Spangled Banner”.
Rolando is passionately involved with the musical landscape of the Mid-Atlantic region as an educator and producer. He serves as Artistic Director of Young Artists of America, an organization he co-founded with his brother, conductor Kristofer Sanz. YAA was created to provide talented young musicians with exceptional opportunities to be mentored by professional artists, culminating in fully orchestrated performances of large-scale works of opera, musical theater, and oratorio. The YAA production of The Songs of Tim Rice, executive-produced by Rolando, aired on PBS Maryland Public Television and was nominated for three regional Emmy awards. Rolando also served as executive producer for the world premiere of Andrew Lippa's I Am Anne Hutchinson / I Am Harvey Milk, starring Kristin Chenoweth at the Strathmore Music Center.
Rolando is a proud graduate of the Yale University School of Music.
