Our Team
José Miguel Pérez-Sierra, musical director of Madrid's Teatro de la Zarzuela, will conduct our concerts.
The core of the company will be four singers: soprano Cristina Toledo, mezzo-soprano Carmen Artaza, tenor Santiago Sánchez, and baritone David Oller. All of them have previously excelled in this repertoire. With them, we can explore a new approach, freeing ourselves from the burden of typification to delve into the essence and humanity of the characters and plots. We also plan to continually expand and vary the core group, depending on the repertoire presented on each occasion.
Along with these singers, who possess a contemporary understanding of musical theater and a love for their culture's repertoire, they will be joined by established stars and artists as ambassadors of zarzuela. They will support our work and help us win over audiences.
Founders of Los Paladines
Christof Loy, Artistic Director and Stage Director
Erwin Stürzer, Administrative Director
Artistic Coordination
Laura Nicorescu
Conductor
José Miguel Pérez-Sierra
Members of the Company
Cristina Toledo, Soprano
Carmen Artaza, Mezzo-soprano
Santiago Sánchez, Tenor
David Oller, Baritone
© Michal Novak
Among the artists of the Paladines constellation, already featured in the upcoming zarzuelas I will be staging, are, among others, sopranos Marina Monzó, Sofía Esparza and Miren Urbieta-Vega, mezzo-soprano Carol García, tenor César Arrieta, bass-baritone Alejandro Baliñas Vieites, and actor Joselu López.
Other invaluable collaborators of the company
Robby Duiveman, Costume and Makeup Director
Ramón Grau, Pianist at the Teatro de la Zarzuela
Pascu Ortí, Dancer and choreographer
Ambassadors
Mané Galoyan
Ermonela Jaho
Lucero Tena
Rolando Villazón
© Michal Novak
Christof Loy
Stage Director
Born in Germany, in Essen an der Ruhr, he studied stage directing at the Folkwang University of the Arts.
After completing his training with further humanistic studies in Munich, and working as an assistant director alongside Luc Bondy, Göran Järvefelt, and Dietrich Hilsdorf among others, the young director made his debut in 1990 with a lyrical collage of his own creation on the theme of Faust: “gretchen. eine mädchentragödie”. This was followed by new projects in Germany and soon across Europe, working in the most important opera houses and international festivals.
He currently maintains a close relationship with the Teatro Real in Madrid, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Theater Basel, and the Zurich Opera House.
In Amsterdam, he took on choreographic creation for the first time, in addition to stage direction, with “Tannhäuser” in 2019, and continues to explore this field in other works such as “Königskinder” also in Amsterdam, the dance piece “The Miraculous Mandarin” by Bartók in Basel, and “Orfeo ed Euridice” by Gluck at the Salzburg Festival.
Alongside his operatic works, he also develops independent projects in which he transforms various chamber music pieces (romances, lieder, mélodies) into theatrical performances, such as the Tchaikovsky Evening (“Only Those Who Know Longing”) or more recently “Eine Winterreise” with Anne Sofie von Otter.
In 2021, he ventured into a new field with his first feature film “Springtime in Amsterdam”, serving as director, screenwriter, and music curator. The film had its official theatrical release in the summer of 2023, along with a DVD edition.
As a result of his ongoing musical and theatrical exploration and curiosity, new productions in the realm of Zarzuela are of particular significance and will be announced in several Central European theaters. This genre has taken root in his heart, and he is committed to giving it the international recognition it deserves.
He recently made his debut at La Scala with a new production of Werther in 2024, and among his upcoming major debuts are the Paris Opera in 2025 and the Teatro de la Zarzuela in 2026 with El Gato Montés.
José Miguel Pérez-Sierra
Conductor
José Miguel Pérez-Sierra received his first musical inspiration from his uncle, the tenor Miguel Sierra, who was renowned for his performances both in the operatic repertoire and in the world of zarzuela. This family legacy underpins José Miguel’s passion for opera and, in particular, for zarzuela.
He is currently the Music Director of the Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid, as well as Principal Guest Conductor of the season of the Asociación de Amigos de la Ópera de A Coruña.
He trained with distinguished maestros such as Gabriele Ferro, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Colin Metters, Alberto Zedda, and Lorin Maazel. The works of Gioachino Rossini hold an important place in his career; in 2006 he conducted Il viaggio a Reims with great success at the Rossini Festival in Pesaro, followed shortly by Armida at the Opéra de Marseille, the Royal Opera Festival in Kraków, and the Rossini Festival in Wildbad.
He is regularly invited by the most prestigious opera houses in Spain, including the Teatro Real in Madrid, the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, the Palau de les Arts in Valencia, and the Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville. His international engagements have taken him to countries such as France, Italy, Germany, Canada, and Chile.
In parallel with his work in opera and zarzuela, he continuously expands his symphonic repertoire, with a particularly fruitful collaboration with the Orquesta Joven de la OSG. He also maintains a special artistic connection with soprano Lise Davidsen, with whom he regularly performs in concert.
He recently conducted the new production of Maria Stuarda at the Teatro Real in Madrid, featuring Lisette Oropesa and Aigul Akhmetshina, and is currently preparing a new production of Puccini’s Turandot at Theater Basel.
Focusing on his new projects related to the Spanish repertoire, in addition to his commitments at the Teatro de la Zarzuela, highlights include a new production of El barberillo de Lavapiés, once again at Theater Basel, and his debut at MusikTheater an der Wien with Benamor by Pablo Luna.
© Michal Novak
© Michal Novak
Cristina Toledo
Soprano
Madrid-born soprano Cristina Toledo is one of the most versatile and dedicated voices of her generation. She began her musical training in her hometown, studying piano and voice, and has refined her technique with international figures such as Ruth Falcon, Mariella Devia, Carlos Álvarez, and Jaume Aragall. Her passion for Rossini’s repertoire led her to the Accademia Rossiniana, where she trained under maestro Alberto Zedda.
Throughout her career, she has received numerous awards in international competitions: Second Prize and the Plácido Domingo Prize at the Francisco Viñas Competition, First Prize at the Ciudad de Logroño International Competition, First Prize for Zarzuela at the Jacinto Guerrero Competition, and Second Prize at the Châteaux de Médoc Competition in Bordeaux, among others.
She has performed on stages such as the Teatro Real in Madrid, the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, the Palau de Les Arts in Valencia, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and the Teatro Sociale di Como. She has worked with conductors such as Carlo Rizzi, Daniele Callegari, and José Miguel Pérez-Sierra, and stage directors including Christof Loy, Claus Guth, and Alfredo Sanzol.
Her operatic repertoire includes roles in Rigoletto, Falstaff, L’elisir d’amore, Don Carlo, Siegfried, Rusalka, Adriana Lecouvreur, and Lakmé, as well as major premieres such as Fuenteovejuna at the Ópera de Oviedo and Respighi’s La Fiamma at the Deutsche Oper Berlin.
Toledo maintains a strong connection with Spanish repertoire and zarzuela, standing out as La Marquesita in El barberillo de Lavapiés at the Teatro de la Zarzuela, and taking leading roles in Luisa Fernanda, La tabernera del puerto, and El niño judío. In parallel, she has developed an active career as a recitalist, with a special interest in the rediscovery of 19th-century women composers.
Her upcoming engagements include a return to the Teatro de la Zarzuela and her debut at Theater Basel, once again with El barberillo de Lavapiés.
© Michal Novak
Carmen Artaza
Mezzo-soprano
Carmen Artaza, a mezzo-soprano born in San Sebastián (Donostia), is one of the most promising young voices on today’s operatic scene. She began her musical training with the violin and studied voice at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Munich with Christiane Iven, and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. She has refined her craft under the guidance of Michelle Breedt and has participated in masterclasses with renowned artists such as Brigitte Fassbaender, Teresa Berganza, Anne Sofie von Otter, Christa Ludwig, and Helmuth Deutsch.
Her career took off in 2021 when she won the Grand Prize, the Mozart Prize, and the Audience Prize at the Tenor Francesc Viñas International Singing Competition, after previously winning the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Competition in Berlin and the Luis Mariano International Competition in Irún in 2020. Since then, she has performed at theaters such as Les Arts in Valencia, the Opera of Tenerife, Teatro Calderón in Valladolid, and the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, where she was part of the Opera Studio.
She has sung roles such as Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Bradamante in Alcina, Ino in Semele, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, and the title role in Luisa Fernanda, appearing at venues like the Hanover State Opera, the Komische Oper Berlin, and ABAO Bilbao Opera. She has also performed at festivals such as the Quincena Musical de San Sebastián, the Salzburg Festival (as part of the Young Singers Project), the Rheingau Festival, and the ION Festival in Nuremberg, collaborating with orchestras like the London Symphony Orchestra, the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, and the Castilla y León Symphony Orchestra (OSCyL).
As a recitalist, she has performed programs of Spanish song and Lied at venues such as Teatro Arriaga in Bilbao, the Schubertiada de Valdegovía, and the Juan March Foundation in Madrid.
Artaza has shown a special affinity for zarzuela and the Spanish repertoire, which she performs with expressive depth and sensitivity. She made her debut at the Teatro de la Zarzuela in the title role of Luisa Fernanda and appeared at the Cartagena International Music Festival (Colombia) with a recital dedicated to zarzuela and Spanish song.
Her upcoming engagements include debuts at the Gran Teatre del Liceu as Teresa in La Sonnambula, at Teatro Campoamor as Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, at Frankfurt Opera as Falliero in Bianca e Falliero, at Bonn Opera as Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel, and as Paloma in El barberillo de Lavapiés at Theater Basel.
Santiago Sánchez
Tenor
Uruguayan-Spanish tenor Santiago Sánchez is emerging as one of the most outstanding young voices on the current European circuit. He began his musical training in Spain, where he was first introduced to the zarzuela repertoire, and completed his studies at the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg under the guidance of Mario Díaz and Pauliina Tukiainen. He graduated with a master’s degree in Lied and Oratorio and was awarded the Lilli Lehmann Medal for his artistic and academic excellence.
Sánchez has received awards at several international competitions, including First Prize at the Mozart International Competition (2023) and Second Prize at the Wigmore Hall/Bollinger International Song Competition (2024). Since 2021, he has been a member of the ensemble at Theater Bonn, where he has performed roles such as Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore), and Lenski (Eugene Onegin).
His career has included performances at venues such as Aalto Theater Essen, Oper Frankfurt, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, and the Tiroler Festspiele, in roles such as Don Ottavio, Alfredo, Elemer, Soliman, and Ein Lehrbube. He has sung Prokofiev’s The Gambler at both the Salzburger Festspiele and the Wiener Staatsoper.
He was recently selected as a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist for 2025–2026, which will see him undertake an intensive schedule of recitals and concerts throughout the United Kingdom, including performances with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and appearances at Wigmore Hall and the Royal Opera House in London.
A specialist in Lied, opera, and zarzuela, Sánchez balances his stage career with an active concert life, noted for his sensitivity in the Romantic repertoire and his commitment to contemporary music.
His upcoming engagements include new roles at Theater Bonn and solo debuts at major festivals across the UK.
© Michal Novak
© Michal Novak
David Oller
Baritone
Madrid-born baritone David Oller combines a solid musical education with an intense operatic and concert career. He began his studies in piano and composition before focusing on voice, which he completed at the Escuela Superior de Canto de Madrid under Juan Lomba. He has been a finalist and prizewinner in competitions such as the Francisco Viñas Competition and the Salice D’Oro, standing out for his musicality and stage presence.
He was a member of the Opera Studio at L'Opéra national du Rhin, where he participated in numerous productions and tours across theaters in Strasbourg, Colmar, and L’Athénée in Paris. In parallel, he has cultivated a strong symphonic and recital repertoire, performing Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, Strauss song cycles, and notably, Spanish and French repertoire.
Oller has performed at the Teatro Real in Madrid, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari, Ópera de Oviedo, and festivals such as Rossini in Wildbad and Ticino Musica. His notable roles include Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and Fermín de Pas in the world premiere of La Regenta at the Teatro Real.
With a wide-ranging repertoire, he has sung in Un ballo in maschera, Andrea Chénier, Rusalka, Gianni Schicchi, Il matrimonio segreto, Capriccio, and Les mamelles de Tirésias, as well as contemporary works.
His relationship with the Teatro de la Zarzuela dates back to 2016 with the premiere of María Moliner, followed by other productions such as Marina, I trè gobbi, and El Barberillo de Lavapiés, where he performs the title role of Lamparilla, further strengthening his connection with zarzuela and Spanish lyrical repertoire.
In the coming months, he will make debuts at international venues including Theater Basel, MusikTheater an der Wien, and the National Theatre in Prague, consolidating his presence on the European scene.