LOS ANGELES – Filipino American baritone Roberto Perlas Gomez has over 100 great opera roles to his credit – from Mozart’s Figaro to Puccini’s Scarpia – but he also relishes playing Filipino figures, Jose Rizal and Elias.
“The best part about those roles is that they are Filipino characters,” said Roberto who created the role of Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero, in the opera “Rizal: Mga Huling Araw (Rizal: The Final Days)” at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Manila and Elias in the Tagalog opera, “Noli Me Tangere,” which was staged in Manila and the United States, including the Kennedy Center.
Roberto, who was born in Laguna and raised in the US, where he steadily built a career as an opera singer, added in our email interview, “Most operas have either European or American characters, and many are historical or based on history or historical fiction, such as Count di Luna, Chou En-lai, and Scarpia. Often, I also get to play European royalty, such as Carlo in ‘Ernani,’ who eventually becomes the Spanish Emperor King Charles V, successor of Charlemagne.
“Filipino characters are different. They have a much more regional perspective and sensibility that, although noble, are not necessarily steeped in the nobility – kings, counts, barons, etc. The characters are everyday relatable.”
‘Verdi in España’
Continuing his successful career in America, Roberto will be one of the three featured guest soloists in the Verdi Chorus’ spring 2026 concert, “Verdi in España,” at the First Presbyterian Church in Santa Monica, California, on April 18 and 19.
Roberto joins fellow soloists soprano Leela Subramaniam and mezzo soprano Audrey Babcock in the 42nd season of the Verdi Chorus, billed as the only choral group in Southern California that concentrates on the dramatic and diverse music for opera chorus.
“As always with the Verdi Chorus, I enjoy blending my solo repertoire with the chorus itself,” he said about performing again with the renowned choral ensemble led by Anne Marie Ketchum, who is also the group’s artistic director. “For most concerts, I am strictly doing solo music or music for smaller ensembles – duets, trios, and quartets.”
He exclaimed, “With the Verdi Chorus, there is a full opera chorus! It greatly expands the repertoire that can be performed. Also, for those of you who haven’t heard a real opera chorus up close, the sound is not to be missed! The Verdi Chorus provides a huge presence and adds what amounts to another character in the music. The chorus is a role in itself!”
In the concert highlighting the works of Verdi and Bizet, along with pieces from Spanish composers, including Manuel de Falla and Enrique Granados, Roberto will be “performing arias from ‘Don Carlo,’ ‘Ernani’ – both part of standard opera repertoire – and selections from ‘Florencia en el Amazonas,’ and an aria from the zarzuela, ‘Maravilla.’ It is a loaded program.” Noted guitarist Andres Vadin will also perform in the two-night concert.
Filipino roots
Asked about his Filipino roots, the long-haired opera singer shared, “I was born in Santa Rosa, Laguna, as did my father (Francisco Ceneta Gomez, son of Governor Feliciano Gomez), mother (Dr. Herminia Perlas-Gomez), sister (Rachel), and brother (Roderick). We all spent our lives in Santa Rosa until we came here as a family in 1962. I was five years old and pretty much grew up in the US.”
Favorite roles
One of Roberto Perlas Gomez’s various roles was Rambo in John Adams’ opera, “The Death of Klinghoffer.” CONTRIBUTED
On which Verdi baritone lead he played was the most fulfilling, Roberto shared, “My favorite Verdi role is probably the Count di Luna from ‘Il Trovatore.’ He has extremely challenging music, both from a musical perspective and from a technically vocal one. It is a very difficult role, but the best part is that he is a really bad guy, and I love playing villains! Di Luna, Scarpia from ‘Tosca,’ and Tonio from ‘Pagliacci’ are my favorite villainous roles.
“My favorite roles overall, though, are Figaro in ‘The Barber of Seville’ and Chou En-lai from ‘Nixon in China,’ a role I performed both at Long Beach Opera and the Arena di Verona in Italy.”
Playing various roles, from Chou En-lai, the statesman, diplomat, and Communist China’s first and longest-serving leader, to Rambo, one of four terrorists who commandeered a luxury ship in John Adams’ acclaimed but controversial “The Death of Klinghoffer,” has been a hallmark of Roberto’s long career.
Signature role
Figaro has become the baritone’s signature role. “I’ve done the role in about 15 different productions,” he said. “It’s easy to keep fresh because you do each production with different casts. Every soloist brings his or her unique qualities to their roles, and you just play off of them.
“Additionally, I try to add a new bit with each new production, but the funny thing is that those new bits usually come to me during or after a current production. I take note of them and incorporate them in the next one!
“Also, each new set and costume brings its own possibilities. I recall one production where the opera company wanted to have their local children’s choir participate. The director and I discussed ways to put the kids into Figaro’s famous aria. And then we experimented with these extra bits and implemented them into the staging for the performances.”
Coming home to the Philippines
Despite having performed in various stages in America and Europe, Roberto stressed that there’s nothing like coming home to the Philippines. “The best part is seeing extended family when I am in the PI. Even though my closest family is here in the US, I get to see a lot of other family that I otherwise never would have had a chance. It’s a great reminder of my roots and the closeness of familial bonds!
“Regrettably, I have not been back since 1996. My folks moved to the PI for a short while, then came back to the States. They have both since passed away, and with them, my primary reason for repeated visits to the Philippines.”
Musical beginnings
Roberto reminisced about his musical beginnings. “Like many Filipino families, everyone sang and or played an instrument. We performed as The Gomez Family Singers and concertized around Southern California a lot. We even had an annual Christmas special that aired on the international channel (KSCI-Channel 18), so we were exposed to all kinds of music at an early age.
“Additionally, my dad was a huge opera fan. He had many opera recordings that he played in the house, especially on weekends. In 1979, during my senior year in high school (we were living in Elyria, Ohio, at the time), I woke up on a lazy Sunday afternoon to the most gorgeous music I had ever heard. It was coming from our small TV.
“After listening to the music, I went back to sleep, half thinking it was a dream. When I finally got up later that afternoon, I asked my dad what I was listening to, and he said it was Luciano Pavarotti singing ‘Cielo e mar!’ from ‘La Gioconda.’ The production took place at the San Francisco Opera.
“From that moment, I was hooked. I listened to every recording of every opera my dad had, and he had hundreds. I absorbed everything about opera that I could find from that time onwards.”
As for his education, Roberto said, “I studied formal voice first with Dr. Dean Verhines, a fantastic voice builder. For the first couple of years with him, I only did scales and exercises. We would make a weekly tape that I would sing with – 45 minutes twice a day!
“I studied for my Bachelor of Music at California State University, Northridge, which had a renowned opera program under Dr. David Scott. I took a lot from that program, learning about seven or eight leading baritone roles, many of which I later performed multiple times.”
Portraying Elias
As executive producers of “Noli Me Tangere, The Opera,” Jerry Sibal and Edwin Josue collaborated with Roberto, who portrayed Elias, Rizal’s revolutionary fugitive character.
Jerry and Edwin jointly said in an email, “Roberto’s artistry and professionalism left a truly lasting impression. He brought exceptional discipline, depth, and dedication to the production. His powerful baritone voice carried the strength and emotional intensity required for the role of Elias, the courageous revolutionary who stands against oppression and fights for justice.
“Through his performance, Roberto embodied Elias with remarkable bravery and conviction, giving life to a character that represents the enduring struggle for righteousness and freedom. It was an honor to collaborate with an artist of such talent, integrity, and commitment to storytelling through opera.”
Improvising
On a lighter note, since Roberto has done so many roles, I asked him if he had any “glitches” on stage. He began, “During a performance of ‘Carmen,’ I was portraying the officer, Zuniga. In the second act finale, he gets captured by gypsies. During the capture, one of the gypsy ladies is supposed to rummage in my pocket for a key to a supply shed.
“I am bent over a table while she is searching for the key. Seconds go by, and she keeps finding something other than the key! Finally, I turn upstage and say, ‘Are you having fun back there?’
“Everyone on stage busts up laughing. Everyone is thrown out of character, and the music nearly spirals out of control as the conductor starts throwing extra cues left and right. She eventually found the key.”
In parting, Roberto pointed out his best memory of being back in the Philippines. “My favorite memory is spending our days in Santa Rosa with my mom’s aunt, having long discussions about what we were doing with our lives, and having merienda, which consisted of our native fruits and either an avocado shake, calamansi juice, or halo halo with a healthy serving of Biñan puto!”
Performance schedule: Saturday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, April 19, at 4 p.m. Venue: First Presbyterian Church in Santa Monica, 1220 2nd Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401. For more information, visit the Verdi Chorus website.
The post Fil-Am Roberto Perlas Gomez plays Jose Rizal, Elias and other iconic roles appeared first on USNewsRank.
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