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Sunday, November 2, 2025
— a “hybrid” event —
(due to illness, a change-of-plan…)
Carlos Cesar Rodriguez
Piano, and
Peter Joshua Burroughs
Tenor
IMPROV AND SONG!
Pianist Carlos Cesar Rodriguez improvises a Grand Piano Sonata quasi fantasia based on themes from the audience and then teams up with Tenor Peter Joshua Burroughs in an eclectic mix of musical delights – from tango to Gershwin !
BIOGRAPHY
Acclaimed by the Washington Post as a “virtuoso…. powerful …masterful… pianist…as compelling to watch as he is to hear…”, Carlos César Rodríguez is a musician of great brilliance and versatility. He has gained recognition as a virtuoso pianist who not only generates excitement in the Hispanic and Spanish repertoire but also displays an extraordinary flair for Mozart, the Romantics and the Avant- garde scores. He has recorded for Omicron and Brioso labels and has won the highest critical acclaim for his CD of Spanish music, España en el corazón, distributed by Brioso Recordings. At home on early instruments as well, he has enjoyed entrée to the Smithsonian Institution’s rare collection, Mr. Rodríguez was chosen by the Smithsonian to perform during the 300 th year celebration of the
Piano by the museum. He was also invited to participate in the 150 th anniversary celebration of the Smithsonian Institution. Mr. Rodríguez has won acclaim as music director of Mozart operas and
Zarzuelas (Spanish operas), and as a composer, arranger, and improviser of ballets, Spanish dance scores, and Latin-Jazz/Pop compositions.
As concert-pianist Carlos César Rodríguez made his recital debut in his native Venezuela at age 5 and made his orchestral debut as soloist at age 11. Soon after he arrived in the United States to continue his music studies, Mr. Rodríguez was a finalist in the New York Philharmonic Young People’s Competition. At age 21 he made his Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall debut. As concert-artist he has toured Europe and performed concerti and solo recitals throughout the Americas. Venues in which Mr. Rodríguez has performed include the John F. Kennedy Center; the White House; and the Corcoran Gallery, and National Gallery of Arts in Washington, DC; Merkin Hall, Carnegie Hall, the Americas Society, 92 nd Y in New York; and the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria.
As chamber music artist Mr. Rodríguez has been guest artist with the Garth Newell Chamber Music Festival and is a frequent guest artist of the National Chamber Ensemble. As collaborative artist he has worked with Denyce Graves, Jessye Norman and Plácido Domingo.
As conductor, Carlos César Rodríguez has performed throughout the Americas. In 2005 he was chosen as award recipient of the prestigious Georg Solti Foundation US fellowship for outstanding young conductors. With the encouragement and collaboration of Maestro Plácido Domingo Mr. Rodríguez became founder and coordinator of the Zarzuela Program (Spanish Operetta) for the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program with Washington National Opera in 2002. In addition he continues to be sought after as music director/conductor of Zarzuela Productions and of Spanish operas in the USA and the Americas.
Mr. Rodríguez earned his Bachelor’s degree with Clifton Matthews (Mr. Rodriguez’ mentor) from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, his Master’s degree from the Juilliard School of Music with Joseph Kalichstein, and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree, conferred summa cum laude, with Thomas Schumacher at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Mr. Rodríguez is the Founding Artistic Director of RÓMEZ3arts (building community and inter-cultural awareness though music to Engage, Enrich and Empower ) that developed inter-cultural exchanges in Cuba and Costa Rica between 2016 and the present. He toured as Pianist in Poland, Italy, NYC, and Montreal, performing the music of Chopin, with The Isadora Duncan International Institute. He continues to be Music Director for WORD Dance Theatre, appeared with them at the Kennedy Center’s REACH in 2020 In MOVE! for the 100th anniversary of Women’s Suffrage and will appear with them again March 10, 2023 on the Intersections Festival in a new Realization of MOVE! He is a member of Levine Music in Washington, DC.
Peter Joshua Burroughs, tenor – Critically acclaimed as a versatile singing actor, tenor Peter Joshua Burroughs’ career encompasses opera, oratorio, musical theatre and even Shakespeare! As recitalist Mr. Burroughs has been hailed intimate and engaging, with solo recital repertoire ranging from classic lieder to Spanish and Latin American dance music. His seven year association with Spanish Dance Society led him to perform with Spanish Dance Theatre, USA in Beyond Flamenco at London’s Covent Garden. With Festa Della Voce he has performed in recitals of the music of Schubert, Schumann, Barber, and most recently the music of Spanish composers.
His 1999 Washington Opera debut was as Ezekiel Cheever in The Crucible. Since then he has appeared as Don Curzio in Le Nozze di Figaro, Trojan/Cretan Man in Idomeneo (starring Placido Domingo), and First Prisoner in Fidelio. This season he will appear as Lamplighter in Manon Lescaut (starring Veronica Villarroel). Mr Burroughs has also appeared with the Florentine Opera Company, The Washington Savoyards, the IN Series, Signature Theatre, First Stage Milwaukee, the Shakespeare Theatre, Gallaudet Theatre, as well as Staged Readings of Pope Joan by John Musto and Las Bodas de Salsipuedes by Daniel Catan with Maryland Opera Studio. Recent engagements include Pedrillo in Abduction from the Seraglio with the IN Series, as well as recital appearances in Vermont and the Washington DC area.
Visit his website for more information.
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