Born in Madrid, María Rey-Joly began studying violin and piano and later graduated in singing with top marks from the Escuela Superior de Canto de Madrid. She completed her training in the master classes of Gundula Janowitz, Brigitte Fassbaender, Raina Kabaiwanska and Plácido Domingo. With a scholarship from the Verbier & Academy in Switzerland, she has been awarded in several international competitions, such as the first prize in the VIII edition of the Francisco Alonso International Competition.
Her vocal personality and her sensitivity for the stage maker her a very versatile and flexible singer, which allows her to deal with a very varied repertoire with roles of different styles. We can highlight titles such as: Das Rheingold (Woglinde), Götterdämmerung (Woglinde), Die Walküre (Ortlinde y Helmwige), Die Zauberflöte (Pamina and Erste Dame), Così fan tutte (Fiordiligi) directed by Giorgio Strehler, production by Piccolo Teatro di Milano, Die Entfürung aus dem Serail (Konstanze), Don Giovanni (Donna Anna and Donna Elvira), Rita (Rita), Don Pasquale (Norina), Candide (Cunegonde), La Bohème (Musetta), Falstaff (Alice Ford), Henry Clifford (Annie Saint- John), Carmen (Micaela), I Pagliacci (Nedda), Agnese (Agnese), Orphée (La princese) by P. Glass and Don Carlo (Elisabetta di Valois).
In Zarzuela: Doña Francisquita (Francisquita), El Hijo Fingido (Ángela), La Generala (Princesa Olga), El Juramento (María and la Baronesa de Aguafría), Los sobrinos del capitán Grant (Miss Ketty), Le Revenant (Sara), El Asombro de Damasco (Zobeida), La Parranda (Aurora), Adiós a la Bohemia (Trini), El dúo de la Africana (Antonelli), La Gran Vía (Eliseo), Don Gil de Alcalá (Niña Estrella), Luisa Fernanda (Carolina), La Verbena de la Paloma (Susana), La Clementina (Narcisa), Black el Payaso (Sofia) and ¡Cómo está Madriz! (Menegilda).
Her theatrical training has given her the opportunity to work as an actress and singer in the creations by Albert Boadella, El Pimiento Verdi, Y si nos enamoramos de Scarpia and Diva, performing the role of María Callas in the twilight of her life, performances which have been very successful all over Spain. She is also an integral part of the show The Opera Locos, by the company Yllana, winner of the Max Award 2019 in the category of best musical show, a show on permanent tour all over the world. Once again, under the guidance of playwright and director Albert Boadella, she has returned to musical theatre in her latest work with the show Malos tiempos para la lírica, in the Sala Verde of the Teatros del Canal in Madrid. María Rey-Joly is also dedicated to the symphonic and chamber vocal repertoire with works such as: Carmina Burana by C. Orff, Fauré’s Requiem, Brahms’ Réquiem, Petite Messe Solennelle by Rossini, Shostakovich’s Symphony n.14, La dance des morts by Honegger, Beethoven’s Egmont, Le Diluge by Saint- Saëns and Gounod’s Messa di Santa Cecilia. She is also an acclaimed performer of Spanish music.
She has been invited to opera houses and concert halls such as the Teatro de La Zarzuela, Teatro Real, Auditorio Nacional, Teatro Español, Teatros del Canal, Teatro Monumental in Madrid, Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville, Piccolo Teatro di Milano, Teatro Giuseppe Verdi di Trieste, Teatro Quirino di Roma, Teatro G. Verdi di Gorizia, Teatro Giglio di Lucca, Istanbul Opera Theatre, Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica, Teatro Villamarta in Jerez, Teatro Campoamor in Oviedo, Teatro Arriaga in Bilbao, Auditorio Alfredo Kraus in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Auditorio in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Festival de Santander, Auditorio in Palma de Mallorca, Palau de la Música in Valencia, Festival de Música de Canarias, Granada Theatre Santa Barbara (California), Verbier Festival (Switzerland), Festival de Avenches, Festival Cervantino de Guanajuato, Théâtre de l'Opéra de Tours, Théâtre de l'Opéra de Lausanne, Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège and Teatro Regio di Torino.
She has participated in the recordings of Margarita La Tornera and El Hijo Fingido for EMI, María de Buenos Aires Suite by A. Piazzolla for Naxos and Agnese on DVD.
Her recent performances and upcoming engagements include Trato de favor at the Teatro de la Zarzuela, Don Giovanni and Die Zauberflöte at the Ópera de Oviedo, Orphée at the Teatro Real, Così fan tutte at the Opéra Royal de Wallonie and La regenta in a co-production of the Teatro Real and the Teatro Español at the Naves del Español in the Matadero.
Next season she returns to the Teatro de la Zarzuela with La corte de faraón, among other commitments.
Date of last modification: July 2024 It cannot be altered without permission. Please destroy any previous biographical material.
2024-2025 Performances
LA CORTE DE FARAÓN 29 of January of 2025 Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid) 30 of January of 2025 Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid) 31 of January of 2025 Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid) 01 of February of 2025 Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid) 02 of February of 2025 Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid) 05 of February of 2025 Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid) 06 of February of 2025 Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid) 07 of February of 2025 Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid) 08 of February of 2025 Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid) 09 of February of 2025 Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid) 12 of February of 2025 Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid) 13 of February of 2025 Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid) 14 of February of 2025 Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid) 15 of February of 2025 Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid) 16 of February of 2025 Teatro de la Zarzuela (Madrid)