José Plácido Domingo Embil (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈplaθiðo ðoˈmiŋɡo]; born 21 January 1941), known as Plácido Domingo, is a Spanish tenor and conductor known for his versatile and strong voice, possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range. As of the end of 2013, he has sung 144 different roles.
Domingo won his first Grammy Award in 1971 and has gone on to win eight more, as well as three Latin Grammy awards including an award for Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year. A Kammersänger of the Vienna State Opera and the recipient of numerous honorary doctorates, he has received other major awards that include being made an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2002. He has also received the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art, 1st class (1992); Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver for Services to the Republic of Austria (2007); Commander of the French Légion d'honneur; Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle; Spanish Prince of Asturias Award for Arts (1991); the United States Presidential Medal of Freedom; and in 2011, a Medal of Honour from Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman. In 2012, Domingo was voted into Gramophone's first Hall of Fame.
WIKIPEDIA
One of The Three Tenors, he has more recently taken on conducting opera and concert performances, and is the general director of the Los Angeles Opera in California.
