He studied voice in Barcelona, graduating from the Conservatorio del Liceu in 1960, and made his debut the same year at the Teatre del Liceu in
the supporting role of Don Gaspar in La favorite. He stayed at that theater until 1964, while undertaking further studies.
Hired by Herbert von Karajan, he made, still a comprimario, his international debut at the Salzburg Festival as Malcolm in Macbeth in 1964.
He was successful, which earned him many guest contracts, now in main parts: Deutsche Oper am Rhein (1964–72 and 1977/78), Bayerische
Staatsoper München (1969–77), Frankfurt (1966–71). In 1965, he sang in San Francisco, and in 1966 at the Colón in Buenos
Aires as well as in Bologna (as Manrico). From 1967, he was a regular guest in Hamburg and at the Deutsche Oper Berlin (until 1970); 1967 was
also the year of his debut at the Vienna Staatsoper (eight performances until 1978) and at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels.
He further sang in Budapest, Prague, Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Athens, Toronto, Vancouver, Leipzig, Belfast, Lyon, at the Ravenna Festival or
in Hannover. He also returned to the Liceu. He retired in 1992.
His repertory included Radames, Manrico, Riccardo, Gabriele Adorno, Don Alvaro, Don Carlo, Turiddu, Canio, Puccini's des Grieux, Cavaradossi,
Rodolfo, Calaf, eventually even Otello and Max.
There is, by the way, no relationship between Francisco Lázaro and Hipólito Lázaro.
Reference 1; reference 2: Lázaro's website (defunct); reference 3
