Stark Campus welcomes Latin artist Migguel Anggelo

Migguel+Anggelo

Migguel Anggelo

Megan Brown

Kent State Stark will host The Oblivion Project: The Nuevo Tango with the music of Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla on Wednesday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m. in the Main Hall Auditorium.

Brooklyn-based Latin artist Migguel Anggelo will join The Oblivion Project for a limited series of exclusive performances as the lead vocalist.

Anggelo is a classically trained Latin artist who has been performing for years, bringing excitement to the stage with his memorable voice and theatrical expression.

Born in Venezuela, Anggelo developed his passion for music from his parents. His father was a chef, who constantly sang and listened to music while creating colorful dishes in the kitchen. His mother was a ballet dancer, always dancing around the house to classical or Spanish music. He couldn’t escape it. He was surrounded by music.

Anggelo first found his love for theatre as a child when he played Pinocchio at age 13. During that time, he discovered the role of the imagination in storytelling. He then began to imagine real and fantasy characters that could illustrate aspects of his own life.

He trained for several years in classical ballet and studied opera at the Conservatory of Music in Cologne, Germany.

David Stark of The Huffington Post interviewed Anggelo in 2013 and said he was inspired and fascinated by “real artists” like Anggelo.

“Real artists who are not driven by money, ladder climbing or trends, but are focused on their unique visions regardless of what the world thinks,” Stark wrote. “These people create simply because they have to. Migguel Anggelo is such an artist.”

Two of Anggelo’s biggest influences are Luciano Pavarotti and Freddie Mercury. Although they are two different artists, Anggelo’s multi-octave voice pays homage to both with vocals ranging from operatic to that rock arena-type of feel.

He also gives off a persona similar to Mercury’s with his electric performances. His shows can be described as larger-than-life and full of emotion. One moment he can have you feeling like you’re at an opera backed by an orchestra and the next moment, a rock show.

He also acknowledges performers like Barbra Streisand and Liza Minnelli as inspirations — excellent stage performers with mesmerizing vocals.

As a storyteller, Anggelo’s work shows us that the way a story is portrayed is just as important as the story itself. In his interview with The Huffington Post, he said love is what inspires many of his songs.

“I find the most powerful force in life is love, so that’s often an inspiration,” Anggelo said.

Anggelo’s next album, “La Casa Azul (The Blue House)” will be released on April 21, 2015. The album was co-written and produced by his music director, Mau Quiros (the pianist for The Oblivion Project) and being mixed by Grammy-winning engineer Felipe Tichauer.

The album will consist of 12 songs and explore an array of topics. The collection is full of references to art, culture and poetry and also shows the listeners just how much Anggelo invests in his music.

His single “La Casa Azul” is available to download for free on his website migguelanggelo.com.

The performance on Wednesday is one you won’t want to miss. Admission is free.