It is hard to believe that the strong tenor voice of Fernando Varela was weaned on the music of Michael Jackson; but, as a little boy of three growing up in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Fernando entertained his family and friends with endless versions of Jackson’s songs. When he was eight years old, Fernando and his parents, Julio and Margarita, relocated to Central Florida, and while he loved music, he neither trained as a singer nor aspired to be one until he was well into his teenage years.

While in his senior year at Bishop Moore High School in Orlando, Fernando became inspired to sing and he was accepted into the Central Florida Lyric Opera. Within five short years, he was transformed from an aspiring young singer into an exciting, dynamic performer.

During his stint with the CFLO, Fernando performed in over 16 fully staged operas and hundreds of concerts from coast to coast. From the roles he has played, his favorite is still Lt. Pinkerton in a production of Madame Butterfly, directed by Metropolitan Opera legend Licia Albanese. In fact, Fernando studied privately with Madame Albanese in Orlando, as well as at her home in New York. He obviously impressed her as he was invited to compete in the prestigious Licia Albanse/Puccini Foundation International Vocal Competition where, despite the fact that he was one of the youngest competitors, he received Study Grants from the Foundation both in 2001 and 2002. Madame Albanese has said of Fernando, “At 20 years old, he is better than Pavarotti (at that age).”