Hailed by Opera News as a “seemingly unlimited baritone,” International vocalist Josè Luis Maldonado, from Los Angeles, California attended Cal State Fullerton (BM), and Manhattan School of Music (MM); he is currently attending Michigan State University as a candidate for a doctorate in music, vocal performance.  He is a career grant recipient from the Opera Buffs Inc. and Richard F. Gold Career Grant recipient from the Shoshana Foundation. Maldonado’s  roles include Don Alfonso (Così fan tutte), Don Magnifico (La Cenerentola),  Escamillo (Carmen) ,  and the  title role of Falstaff (Falstaff). He recently performed with The Palm Springs Opera Guild in their Opera in the Park Concert under the baton of Maestro Brent McMunn and made his Long Beach Opera debut in Anthony Davis’ Central Park Five. This summer he covered  Sir Bryn Terfel as Sir John Falstaff in Falstaff at the Aspen Music Festival. He reprised Falstaff in March 2023 at Michigan State University, and will return to Aspen as a Renée Fleming Fellow to sing Father Arguedas in the opera Bel Canto, by Jimmy López. He was a finalist in the inaugural Duncan Williams Competition, a collaborative effort by Manhattan School of Music and New York City Opera,  and was the fan favorite. Mr. Maldonado will return to Cancún, Mexico as a resident artist in the ÓperaMaya Festival, and will perform Figaro in the Barber of Seville in August with New York City Opera's Bryant Park Opera Series. For more information, visit www.BaritoneJoe.com