María José Montiel

She graduated in vocal performance at the Madrid Conservatory where she studied under Pedro Lavirgen and Ana María Iriarte, before moving to Vienna for further training with Sena Jurinac and Olivera Miljakovic.

[5] At the re-opening of the Teatro Real in Madrid, she sang the lead role in Manuel de Falla's opera La vida breve, alongside the tenor Jaume Aragall.

She gives special consideration to Spanish composers, having participated in the revival of Isaac Albéniz's opera Pepita Jiménez and his Merlin and in premieres of works by contemporary composers such as Ojos Verdes de Luna by Tomás Marco and Eufonía by Xavier Montsalvatge, as well as pieces by Cruz de Castro [es], Peris, Bernaola, Ramón Barce [es] and a large portion of the Antón García Abril vocal repertoire.

Her recordings number a total of 17 discs, for labels such as Dial, BIS, RTVE, Ensayo, Fundación Author, Decca, Deutsche Grammophon and Stradivarius.

Her CD of lieder from Brazil, Modinha, with Luiz de Moura Castro [pt] was a finalist in the Grammy Awards and her DVD Madrileña Bonita went gold.