Daniel Ruiz de Cenzano Caballero

Daniel Ruiz de Cenzano Caballero was born in Valencia, Spain and started singing and playing the piano when he was four years old. He continued to develop both talents: he sang in several choirs and studied piano at the Conservatoria Superior de Música “Joaquín Rodrigo” de Valencia (CSMV). In 2019, he joined the award-winning chamber choir Ad Libitum as a bass. In addition, Daniel has been a rehearsal pianist at CSMV, for opera productions such as Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor and Offenbach’s Les Contes d'Hoffmann.

In 2022, through the European Opera Academy, Daniel worked on the latter opera in Maastricht with Federico Santi conducting, and on Verdi’s Falstaff in Parma with Stefano Giannini conducting. It was during these activities in Maastricht that Daniel first heard about the Dutch National Opera Studio and after baritone Roger Smeets told him to apply, Daniel auditioned – successfully. As repetiteur with the Studio in the 2022/2023 season Daniel already worked on Maria Stuarda, conducted by Enrique Mazzola and directed by Jetske Mijnssen, Kings & Queens, directed by Christof Loy and Ändere die Welt!, a world premiere created by Pedro Beriso and Mart van Berckel.

Daniel: “My first year at the Dutch National Opera Studio has been such an amazing experience overall – I got to know a world I couldn’t even imagine before. Everyday I’m learning from the greatest coaches, conductors, singers and directors; working in such environment is such a privilege I will always be grateful for.”

“Next year will be even more exciting: not only will I be working on Die Zauberflöte and La traviata, among others, but I also have to decide what to do next. In any case, I want to take my audition repertoire to the highest level, while in the meantime trying to discover what the next step will be. However, sometimes this can be planned, while other times it just happens to you. I’m very curious to see what this year will bring!”

Last update: 29 July 2023