Péter Balczótenor
Born in 1983, Péter Balczó started a 12-year study of the violin at the age of seven. He completed his secondary school education in 2002, as a student of singing instructor Vilhelmina Papp, at the Zoltán Kodály Secondary School of Music in Debrecen, at the solo singing department. That year he also started his 3-year membership at the opera choir of the Csokonai Theatre in Debrecen.
He participated in his first international singing competition in May, 2005, in Deutschlandsberg, Austria. Here he came to the attention of singing instructor Claudia Rüggeberg of the Graz Academy of Music, who taught him for a year. In the meantime, he completed 2 years of masters training as a solo singer at the Music Faculty of the University of Debrecen, under the instruction of Eva Mohos Nagy.
After leaving the opera choir, he tried himself out in a new field, and joined the Adagio Ensemble trio in May, 2005. After finishing his international studies in September, 2006, he returned as a soloist to the Csokonai Theatre of Debrecen. Until 2009, while he was still at university, he performed many exciting roles. He finished his university studies with merit.
In 2009 he entered the Armel Opera Competition in Switzerland, as a main character of two, one-act operas: Oscar (Martinu: Alexandre bis) and Gonzalve (Ravel: L’Heure Espagnole). In 2010 he was named one of the best male performers of the competition with the role of Alfredo in Traviata.
In the 2010/2011 season he sang two major roles in operetta: Prince Sou-Chong in The Land of Smiles by Franz Lehár and Edwin in The Gipsy Princess by Emmerich Kálmán.
In 2011 he appeared in several different roles both in Hungary and abroad. In Italy he sang Don Ottavio (Mozart: Don Giovanni), in Slovenia Romeo (Gounod: Romeo and Juliet), in Szeged, Hungary Malatestino (Zandonai: Francesca da Rimini), in Miskolc, Hungary and in the Hungarian Opera of Cluj-Napoca Rodolfo (Puccini: La Bohème). In 2012, in the Szeged National Theatre he sang Pinkerton (Puccini: Madame Butterfly) and also performed at the Csokonai Theatre of Debrecen as Rodolfo (Puccini: La Bohème).
In 2012 he debuted at the Hungarian State Operas Alfredo in Verdi’s Traviata. Since his début he has sung several leading roles there: László Hunyadi in Erkel’s László Hunyadi, Pedrillo and Belmonte in Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Fenton in Verdi’s Falstaff, Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore and Tom Rakewell in Stravinsky’s The Rake's Progress, among others:
He debuted at the Budapest Operetta and Musical Theatre in the Autumn of 2015 in Johann Strauss’s The Bat.
Awards:
2012. Simándy-plaquette
2012. Dömötör-award, Male Opera Singer of the year, audience award
2011. Dömötör-award, Male Opera Singer of the year, audience award
2011. Young Opera Singer of the Year, Szeged, Hungary
2007. Quality Award for his performance in the Die verkaufte Braut by Smetana
Competitions:
2012. Wilhelm Stenhammar International Music Competition, Norrköping, Sweden – 4thPrize
2011. Puccini International Vocal Competition, Lucca, Italy – Special Prize of the Teatro Communale di Bologna
2010. Armel Opera Competition and Festival, Szeged, Hungary – Shared 1st Prize
2010. 2nd International Gianluca Ricci Vocal Competition, Montefiore Conca, Italy – 2nd Prize
2009. Opera Competition and Festival with Mezzo Television, Szeged, Hungary – Finalist
2009. International Tenor Singing Competition, Jyväskylä, Finland – 3rd Prize
2007. Simándy Singing Competition, Szeged, Hungary – Amarilli Special Prize
2005. Simandy Singing Competition, Szeged, Hungary – Special Prize
2005. International Singing Competition, Deutschlandsberg, Austria – Finalist
Performances at the Opera Festival:
13. 06. 2016.
» "9 tenor" Gala – Hommage à Simándy
