María Uriz


María de la Asunción Uriz Mosquera, better known as María Uriz, is a Spanish soprano.

Biography

María Uriz was born in A Coruña. While studying for her Superior Baccalaureate, she began studying piano, chamber music, and dramatic art at the Conservatory of Music in her hometown. At the end of these courses, and influenced by her brother who was a member of the Echo Polyphonic Choir, she took her first steps in the world of opera. After that, she began her singing career, concluding her studies at the Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu.
In the 1970s she obtained the March and Castellblanch scholarships, which allowed her to move to Italy to further her studies. Later she also obtained the Agustín Pedro y Pons scholarship and the Eugenia Kémeny singing prize. Shortly after this, she was required by the authorities to act in the reception that annually recognized the then head of state Francisco Franco and his ministers at the Municipal Palace of A Coruña. For four years, and under the direction of famous soprano Elvira de Hidalgo, the teacher of Maria Callas, she studied vocal and stage technique in Milan.
Since her debut in 1974, Uriz has become a regular singer at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona with a wide repertoire. She participated in special performances of Doña Francisquita directed by Plácido Domingo; La bohème with Plácido Domingo and Montserrat Caballé, with Jeanette Pilou and Beniamino Prior, La favorite with Alfredo Kraus, , Medea, and Roméo et Juliette. She has also performed in zarzuelas and operas at the Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid, recitals at the Palau de la Música Catalana, Teatro Colón, and Rosalía de Castro in A Coruña, and in cities such as Oviedo, Gijón, Ourense, Vigo, Santiago de Compostela, Düsseldorf, and Luxembourg.

Television appearances

Uriz has recorded several TVE specials on opera, such as La saga de los Rius, playing Amelia in Un ballo in maschera and Leonora in Il trovatore.

Awards

Selected repertoire

  • 1974 Sigfried, Arabella, Hänsel und Gretel
  • 1975–76 Carmen, Norma, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Gil, La traviata, Macbeth
  • 1976–77 La bohème, Romeo, Medea, La traviata
  • 1977–78 Parisina d'Este, La bohème
  • 1978–79 Maruxa, La vida breve
  • 1980 Il trovatore, Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra
  • 1981 Adriana
  • 1982 La chulapona, La marchenera, La favorite
  • 1983 El asombro de Damasco, La del Soto del Parral, Luisa Fernanda, Los gavilanes, La fanciulla del West, Macbeth, La traviata
  • 1984 Il turco in Italia, Curro Vargas, La verbena
  • 1985 Doña Francisquita, Macbeth
  • 1986 Manon, La traviata
  • 1987 Cavalleria rusticana, Gianni Schicchi, Saffo, Adriana, Mefistofele
  • 1989 Manon Lescaut, Adriana, Tancredi
  • 1990 Elektra, Die Walküre, Aida, La fiamma, Suor Angelica
  • 1991 La traviata
  • 1992 Maria Stuarda, La traviata
  • 1993 Carmen, Il trovatore
  • 1994 La verbena, La del Soto del Parral, Sueños de Gloria
  • 1996 Macbeth
  • 1998 Jenůfa
  • 2001 ''Pan y toros''