Maestro Ramon Tebar is the Artistic and Music Director of Opera Naples. On Friday (Sept. 25), he will conduct The Metropolitan Opera in the first of 13 performances of Giacomo Puccini’s “La bohème,” marking his Metropolitan Opera conducting debut.
Tebar’s career has taken him to leading opera houses and concert halls throughout the United States, Europe and Latin America. The San Franciso Chronicle called his recent conducting of the San Francisco Opera “La bohème” “close to musical and dramatic perfection.”
Said Opera Naples Executive Director Melanie Kalnins, “His Metropolitan Opera debut is a tremendous personal and professional milestone and a moment of pride for our entire Opera Naples family.”
From New York, Tebar expressed gratitude for the opportunity to bring his own musical voice to one of the world’s great opera houses while simultaneously strengthening the connection between Southwest Florida and the international world of opera.
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“Opera Naples is incredibly proud to celebrate this extraordinary achievement for Maestro Ramón Tebar,” added Kalnins. “Ramón brings an exceptional level of artistry, musicianship and international perspective to our organization, and our community is fortunate to have him leading our artistic vision. His achievement is a wonderful reflection of the artistic excellence we strive for at Opera Naples. We look forward to cheering him on as he steps onto the Metropolitan Opera stage and to sharing this exciting moment with our patrons and supporters.”
Over the course of his career, Tebar has established an international reputation for his dynamic conducting, musical sensitivity and commitment to both established masterpieces and innovative programming. His Metropolitan Opera debut represents another major chapter in a career that continues to expand his presence on the world's most prestigious stages.
“Making my Metropolitan Opera debut is a dream, an extraordinary honor and a deeply meaningful milestone in my journey as a conductor,” said Tebar.
At Opera Naples, Tebar is helping shape the company's artistic direction and its commitment to presenting exceptional singers, conductors, directors and musicians while expanding the organization's artistic reach and relevance within Southwest Florida and beyond. He is also dedicated to fostering the next generation of opera talent with projects such as the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples International Voice Competition.
Tebar’s leadership is an important component of Opera Naples' 2026-2027 season, which features a diverse lineup of opera and musical performances, including Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti, Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, Leoncavallo’s I Pagliacci, the Opera Naples Chorus in Handel’s The Messiah, among many other titles.
He will be in New York conducting The Metropolitan Opera through Oct. 31.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
