For the Mexico Opera Studio (MOS), present in Mexico City northern pass, by Oaxacan Víctor Rasgado (1959-2023), represents a crucial step in his ambitious project of turning Monterrey into “the capital of opera” not only of Mexico, but of all of America.
“Today, Monterrey is already on the map. We have managed to become an operatic center where people come from all over the world who want to dedicate themselves to this art and see our city as a refuge, one of the few in the country,” says Jorge Octavio Vázquez González, founding partner and member of the board of directors of this high-performance center for young singers and accompanying pianists.
Founded in 2019 as a civil association, based in the capital of Nuevo León, the MOS arises from the personal taste for lyrical art of a group of businessmen from that entity who already had a track record in the philanthropic sector. Its mission is clear: detect and discover the best Mexican talent to provide them with the necessary tools to perfect their art and build a career.
“We changed the lives of these guys; they had no idea of their potential talent. We detect it, we accompany them and we even teach them how to negotiate their contracts. We give them all the tools.”
Through red scouts around the world, the businessman emphasizes, the studio has managed to promote a high percentage of its former students on stages in Europe.
The work model of this cultural initiative is 100 percent private, “a pure patronage” that, according to Vázquez González, does not seek economic profitability: “We work like this so as not to depend on anything or anyone; our only satisfaction is the success of the singers and giving Monterrey one more medal in the cultural field. Opera is a variable that must appear to turn it into a powerful community for its culture.”
The project is based on a “value chain” in which scholarship recipients are asked, in addition to their delivery, to support new talents.
With six generations of singers, the MOS envisions “projects in Fine Arts,” says Vázquez González, also president of the Dr. Idelfonso Vázquez Santos Foundation. “It is not public money, but a real commitment to helping Mexican artists,” he concludes.