Jose Simerilla Romero

Praised for his “ample voice of arresting quality” (Opera News) and “power, passion and lyrical finesse” (Opera Magazine), in the 2026–27 season, Argentinian Spanish SAmerican tenor Jose Simerilla Romero returns to the role of Rodolfo in La bohéme in house debuts with both Lyric Opera of Kansas City and the Prague State Opera, sings Duca in Rigoletto in his debut with San Diego Opera, joins RTVE Radiotelevisión Española and Gerencia Orquesta y Coro for Tomás Bretón’s El Apocalipsis, and also joins the Metropolitan Opera’s roster for their production of Otello. Last season, he returned to the role of Alfredo in La traviata with Theater Basel, Komische Oper Berlin, and in his debut with the Bregenzer Festspiele. He also returned to the role of Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly in his debut with Teatro Municipal de Santiago, sang Rodolfo in La bohéme with Semperoper Dresden, Ildemaro in Dalinda with Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam, and sang a gala performance with the Sigulda Opera Festival in Latvia.  Other recent credits include Alfredo in La traviata with Theater Basel, Dorset Opera and Opera Western Reserve, Faust in Boito’s Mefistofele in his debut with Semperoper Dresden, Cavaradossi in Tosca in a co-production with Opéra de Limoges and Opéra de Vichy,  his Deutsche Oper Berlin debut as Ismaele in Nabucco, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly in his debut with New National Theater Tokyo, a return to Staatsoper Hannover for staged performances of Verdi’s Requiem, and joining acclaimed soprano Eric Nakamura in concert with Latvian National Opera.

Romero recently made his English National Opera debut as Alfredo in La traviata, made his role and company debut as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Dorset Opera, joined the Neue Philharmonie München in concert, and returned to Staatsoper Hannover for his role debut as Lensky in Eugene Onegin, Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore, and Verdi’s Messa da Requiem. Other recent performances include Laërte in Hamlet in his Komische Oper debut, Rodolfo in La bohéme, Prince Gwidon in Zar Saltan, and Chevalier de la Force in Dialogues des Carmélites with Staatsoper Hannover, both Alfredo in La traviata and Rodolfo in La bohéme with Nederlandse Reisopera, his Los Angeles Philharmonic debut as Jaquino in Fidelio under the baton of Maestro Gustavo Dudamel, Rodolfo in La bohéme with the Grand Tetons Music Festival under the baton of Donald Runnicles, the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto in his debuts with both Florida Grand Opera and Daytona Symphony, his San Francisco Symphony debut as the Shepard in Oedipus Rex. On the concert stage, the tenor has performed Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Bach’s St. John Passion, Handel’s Messiah, and Brahms’s Liebeslier Walzer.

Mr. Simerilla Romero is an award winner from the forty-first International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition, the Chicago International Music Competition, the Camerata Bardi International Vocal Competition, the Jensen Foundation International Vocal Competition, the Opera Foundation, Metropolitan Opera National Council District Auditions, the Manhattan International Music Competition, Kyrenia Opera Vocal Competition, Vienna International Music Competition, Berliner International Music Competition, the Vero Beach Opera's “Rising Star” International Competition, the Orpheus Vocal Competition, and the Tampa Bay Symphony Jack Heller Competition. He has participated in Houston Grand Opera’s Young Artist Vocal Academy, the LA Opera Young Artist Program, the Dutch National Opera & Ballet Studio, the Carnegie Hall Weill Music Institute, and holds degrees from both Valencia College and Stetson University.