"The even and pleasing timbre of tenor René Barbera was welcome... [Mr. Barbera] shows great promise." - Classical Voice of North Carolina 2006
René Barbera – was born in Laredo, Texas. He began singing at the age of 10 as a boy soprano in the San Antonio Boys’ Choir. In high school he competed for the All-State Choir in his junior and senior years. Mr. Barbera was invited to the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria in the summer of 2003, and the Vocal Arts Symposium of Colorado Springs in 2004. In 2004 he won the largest award given to undergraduate vocalists at the North Carolina School of the Arts, where he is currently a senior in college. He performed the role of Ottario in (NCSA’s) Fletcher Opera Institute’s Belisario in the 2005 season and in 2006 he performed the role of Arbace in (NCSA’s) Fletcher Opera Institute’s Idomeneo. In 2006 he won first place in the 5th annual Heafner/Williams Vocal Competition as well as first place in the undergraduate division of the Charlotte Opera Guild Vocal Competition. In 2007 he participated in the Charles A. Lynam Vocal Competition where he placed 3rd in the young artist division but received the grand prize of a concert with the Greensboro Symphony on September 13, 2008. Most recently Mr. Barbera was one of 5 equal winners of the Metropolitan National Council Audition Grand Finals and is participating in San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera Program in the summer of 2008. Mr. Barbera is currently attending the North Carolina School of the Arts where he is a student of Marilyn Taylor.
Photo by Donald Dietz
