The Peruvian tenor is often referred to as „the new Pavarotti”. Pavarotti himself called him the greatest young talent in a television interview, although the unbelievably graceful heights of Flórez’s voice rather destine him to the bel canto repertoire, Rossini’s and Bellini’s operas than the more traditional Verdi and Puccini tenor roles. His international career began with an almost fabulous twist of fate: at the age of twenty-three he stepped in at very short notice for Bruce Ford who had fallen ill as the main character of Rossini’s Matilde di Shabranat the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro. The stand-in was immensely successful, and raised Flórez among the greatest international stars immediately.

Opera houses including the New York Metropolitan, La Scala Milan, Covent Garden, London, the Liceu, Barcelona and the Vienna Staatsoper have been competing for him ever since. He regularly works with the most outstanding directors at opera houses and concert halls including James Levine, Gustavo Dudamel and Roberto Abbado. In his native Peru he is a national treasure: he has been awarded with almost all state decorations, stamps were issued with his portrait and his wedding with soprano Julia Trappe was broadcast live by the Peruvian television just like a royal wedding. Juan Diego Flórez will sing at the Hungarian State Opera House on 28 November for the first time in Hungary; the programme of his full-evening recital includes arias by Rossini, Donizetti and Verdi and other popular songs.