Carlos Álvarez is a Spanish baritone who developed an important career the late 1990s, singing at such venues at the Met in New York, Zurich, and Barcelona. He sang frequently with Argentine tenor José Cura and made a strong impression after appearing in successive Decca opera releases in September and October, 2000. These were, respectively, the title role of Albéniz's forgotten opera Merlin with Plácido Domingo as King Arthur, and I Pagliacci, where he appeared with Cura.