A b o u t
Ximena Agurto was born in Lima (Peru) in 1984. At the age of ten, she began her musical studies as a member of the “Coro Nacional de Niños del Perú” (Children’s National Choir of Peru). Her voice teachers have been Andrés Santa María, and the prestigious tenor Eduard Gimenez with Maria Soler.
In 2000 and 2001, she was selected in the “Concurso de Jóvenes Solistas de la Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional del Perú” (Youth Soloists Contest of the Peruvian National Symphony Orchestra) to perform as a soloist with the Peruvian National Symphony Orchestra.
Ximena got her bachelor degree in voice performance at the “Conservatorio Nacional de Música del Perú” (Peruvian National Conservatory of Music). While studying in the conservatory, she was a stable member of the “Coro Nacional del Perú” (Peruvian National Choir).
Ximena participated as a soloist in the Opera and Zarzuela seasons of “Asociación Romanza” and “Prolírica del Perú.”
In April 2008 she performed the rol of “Condesa de Ceprano” with Juan Diego Florez in Verdi’s “Rigoletto.”
In 2009, she was awarded with a full scholarship to get a graduate degree in the “Conservatori Liceu” (Liceu Conservatory) in Barcelona, Spain. In 2010, she performed Zarzuela Romances with the “Orquesta Sinfónica del Valles” (Symphony Orchestra of Valles) and Rubén Gimeno as a conductor in the Romea theater of Barcelona. In addition, she made her debut in the “Palau de la Música” theater in Barcelona with this same orchestra, performing Beethoven’s “Mass in C” and “Choral Fantasy”, Haendel’s “Messiah,” and Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana.” The same year, she was awarded with the “Primer Premio Femenino” (First Feminine Prize) in the “Concurso Internacional de Canto Torrelavega” (International Voice Contest of Torrelavega), held in Santander, Spain.
In 2011 she made her debut in Münich (Germany) singing arias and duos of Rigoletto and La Traviata in the Hubertussaal-Schloss-Nymphenburg. In November of the same year, she won the first prize in the “Concurso Internacional de Canto Jacinto Guerrero” (International “Jacinto Guerrero” Voice Contest), in Madrid, Spain.
In 2012, Ximena performed in recitals with piano and orchestra in venues such as the Auditori Torrent of Valencia, Palau de la Musica de Barcelona, Auditorio Nacional de Música de Madrid, Nieuwe Of Littéraire Societeit de Witte of Holland, and the Bolivar Hall in London. In addition, she made her debut in the Teatro Sao Carlos de Lisboa in Portugal, performing the role of Rosaura (“Los Gavilanes”)
In 2013 she finished the Postgraduate in Lyrical Singing in the Centre de Perfeccionament Placido Domingo at the Palau de les Arts of Valencia. In this school, she has worked with such distinguished artists as Ernesto Palacio, Cristina Gallardo-Domás, Davide Livermore, Roger Vignoles and Emilio Sagi. Also she performed the role of Pamina in the "Petita Flauta Magica", production of the Petit Liceu - Gran Teatre del Liceu.
In 2014 she was awarded the third official prize in the “Concurso Internacional Francisco Viñas”, prize of Sabadell's Opera, Prize of the Public and the Prize of the best interpreter of zarzuela.
Also in 2014, she made her debut in the role of “Adina” (“l’Elisir d’Amore”) in the Gran Teatro Nacional de Perú, performance co-produced by “Nausica Productions” (Busseto-Italia). In the same year she won the Second Prize in the “Concurso Internacional de Zarzuela Ana María Iriarte” (International “Ana María Iriarte” Zarzuela Voice Competition), in Madrid, Spain.
In 2015 she made her debut in the role of “Elvira” (“l’Italiana in Algeri”) in the Faràndula Theater in Barcelona - Spain and the role of "Marieta" ("La Dogaresa") in the Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid - Spain
In 2016 she made her debut in the role of Francisquita in the Teatro Nacional del Perú and the rol of Marina in the Teatro Reina Victoria ( San Sebastián) and she made a Zarzuela Concert with Transilvania Philharmonic in the Cluj Napoca Auditory (Rumany)
Recently she performed the rol of Ana in the “Teatro Mayor Luis Mariano” in Bogotá - Colombia (ópera “El último día de Francisco Pizarro”) and participates in the tribute to Pepita Embil, mother of the tenor Plácido Domingo, singing the rol of Nieves (zarzuela “Sor Navarra”) in the Victoria Eugenia Theater in San Sebastián . Spain.