Fiesta Sinfónica

Colombian-born Andrés Franco delights audiences with his imaginative programming and energetic style. A frequent guest conductor in the United States, Europe, and South America, he has appeared with the symphonies of Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Fort Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Omaha, and St. Louis; the philharmonic orchestras of Boise and Oklahoma City; and the Chicago Sinfonietta. Worldwide, he has conducted the Orquesta Sinfónica de Castilla y León in Spain, the National Symphony Orchestra of Peru, Bogotá Philharmonic, Medellin Philharmonic, and EAFIT Symphony Orchestra in Colombia. He has also appeared at the Cabrillo, Grant Park, OK Mozart, Oregon Bach, Round Top, and Texas Music festivals. 

Andrés is dedicated to preserving and performing the music of the Americas. As principal conductor of Caminos del Inka, he has led many performances of works by Latin American composers, including Jimmy López, Diego Luzuriaga, and Argentine composer, Astor Piazzolla. 

Andrés served five seasons as music director of Tulsa’s Signature Symphony and resident conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony. He has also served as associate, then resident conductor of the Fort Worth Symphony, and music director of the Kansas City Philharmonia. 

He currently serves as executive director of City of Asylum in Pittsburgh, an organization devoted to building a just community by protecting and celebrating creative free expression. City of Asylum is the largest exiled writer sanctuary in the world and a cultural organization that presents more than 150 free programs annually.  

Born into a musical family, Andrés began piano studies with his father, Jorge Franco. An accomplished pianist, he studied with Van Cliburn Gold Medalist Jose Feghali, and attended piano workshops with Rudolph Buchbinder in Switzerland and Lev Naumov in France. He studied conducting with Marin Alsop, Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Helmut Rilling, Gerard Schwarz, Leonard Slatkin, Gustav Meier, and the late Kurt Masur. 

Andrés Franco holds a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia, as well as masters of music degrees in piano performance and conducting from Texas Christian University. 

He is married to Victoria Luperi, associate principal clarinet and principal E-flat clarinet of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.  

Colombian-born Andrés Franco continues to delight audiences with his imaginative interpretations and energetic style. A frequent guest conductor in the U.S. and South America, he has appeared with the symphonies of Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Fort Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Omaha, and St. Louis, as well as Oklahoma City Philharmonic and the Chicago Sinfonietta. Mr. Franco has also appeared with the Cabrillo, Grant Park, OK Mozart, Oregon Bach, Round Top, and Texas Music festivals, in addition to serving as Music Director of the Signature Symphony (Tulsa), Resident Conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony, and Resident Conductor of the Fort Worth Symphony. Mr. Franco currently serves as Executive Director of the City of Asylum in Pittsburgh, an organization devoted to building a just community by protecting and celebrating creative free expression. City of Asylum is the largest exiled writer sanctuary in the world, and a cultural organization which presents more than 150 free programs annually. Andrés Franco holds a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotà, Colombia, as well as Master of Music degrees in piano performance and conducting from Texas Christian University 

A graduate of LA Opera’s Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program and The Santa Fe Opera’s Apprentice Program for Singers, tenor Rafael Moras recently made his Minnesota Opera debut as Don José in Carmen, the directorial debut of acclaimed mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves. Prior highlights include debuts with Houston Grand Opera and Arizona Opera as Father Matías in the world premiere of El Milagro del Recuerdo, Utah Opera and Holy City Arts & Lyric Opera as Alfredo in La traviata, Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera as the Duke in Rigoletto.  

In 2016, Rafael was heard as Rodolfo in La bohème at the Aspen Music Festival. Of his performance, Opera News said “[Rafael Moras] escaped all of the tempting tenorial clichés to create a fully fleshed-out characterization. His singing remained warm and ingratiating, from low note to high, from first scene to last.”  

Rafael’s 2022-23 season is set to include debuts with Annapolis Opera as Rodolfo in La bohème, Seattle Opera as Tariq in the world premiere of A Thousand Splendid Suns, continued performances around the world with Grammy Award-winning jazz trumpeter Chris Botti, and a return to the Houston Grand Opera stage for a reprise of Father Matías in El Milagro del Recuerdo and to sing the Second Jew in Salomé.  

Rafael has performed as a featured soloist with the Houston Symphony, LA Philharmonic, Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, San Antonio Symphony, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Fort Worth Opera, Austin Opera, and as a featured opera singer soloist in the Chris Botti in Concert worldwide tour. He is a 2017 and 2018 recipient of The Santa Fe Opera’s Richard Tucker Fund Award, a 2014 Metropolitan Opera Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition grand finalist, 2014 Operalia quarter finalist, and a 2013 and 2014 Eleanor McCollum Vocal Competition finalist.