Manny Perez

Director of Vocal Studies

An accomplished and sought-after voice teacher and artistic consultant, Manny Perez has discovered, taught, and mentored some of the top vocal talents emerging today, maintaining vocal studios in Miami and New York City. His students pursue and have achieved national and international careers and have graced many of the world’s greatest stages including the Metropolitan Opera,  San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Seattle Opera Florida Grand Opera, Opera Naples, as well the Teatro Solis in Uruguay, La Scala, Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, The Royal Opera House, Teatro Colón de Buenos Aires, Ópera de Oviedo, and Teatro Comunale di Bologna.to name a few.

Over the years, Manny’s students have been young artists of the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann development program , The Merola Opera program, Santa Fe, Aspen, FGO and  also finalists or award winners  in The Cardiff Singer of the World, Operalia, the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, the Paris Opera Competition, the Gerda Lissner Foundation Competition, the George London Competition, the Jensen Competition, the Zachary’s the Young Concert Artists, the Naumburg foundation, The Mirjam Helin, the Montserrat Caballe concurso, the Veronica Villaroel, the Francisco Viñas in Barcelona and the YoungArts and Schmidt Vocal Arts National competition.

In October 0f 2023 Manny Perez joined the faculty of the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young  Artist Development  program and is the Director of Voice Studies for the Miami Summer Music Festival now going into its 11th season. Perez has served as guest faculty for Washington National Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Naples Academy and The Sherrill Milnes Voice Experience Programs. Furthermore, with the advent of virtual teaching Perez’s reach has grown internationally. In Miami, his students have performed with Miami Symphony Orchestra’s (MiSO) “A Night at the Opera,” The Florida Chamber Orchestra, The Symphony of the Americas’ concert of Spanish and Cuban Zarzuela, The Doral Cultural Affairs Council Opera Evenings, The St. Hugh-Steinway Concert Series and Orchestra Miami.  Of the Miami Symphony Orchestra’s “A Night at the Opera” collaboration, South Florida Classical Review remarked, “the singers in Manny Perez’s studio demonstrate polished maturity.  Any one of them could go directly to a career with great success, and most have already made their professional debuts… Perez… has a knack for spotting talent.  His coaching style was evident in every performance, in clear diction, seamless range, exceptional projection, and emotional characterizations.”

Perez is also a prominent vocal instructor in the cantorial community for both the American Conference of Cantors and the Cantors Assembly Convention.

With dreams of becoming an opera singer, he joined the opera chorus of the Greater Miami Opera (now Florida Grand Opera) as a student in 1981, where he performed with idols Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti, years later becoming vocal faculty and a member of the  Board of Directors for over 10 years.

Perez enjoys a life imbued with music, from the Latin rhythms of his native Cuba to the world of opera and classical music. Immigrating to the United States at the age of 5, Manny discovered a passion for music that would transcend borders and language, as well as provide an outlet and a respite that would become his lifelong career.           

Manny affirms his greatest accomplishment, however, is his beautiful daughter Miranda.