Born into a musical family in the Hungarian town of Szentes, the tenor János Berkes completed his studies at the Budapest Liszt Academy in 1971, making his professional operatic début as Lensky in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. Triumph in 1976 in the Treviso Toti dal Monte Competition was followed, in 1979, by the special prize of the International Jury in the Belgian Television Competition for his performance in opera and bel canto.

A three-year engagement in Vienna brought appearances throughout the world, in the Americas, the Far East, Australia and the major countries of Europe. He has coupled leading tenor operatic rôles with performance in Viennese operetta, including Die Zirkusprinzessin, Gráfin Mariza, Der Zigeunerbaron and Die Csárdás Fürstin. János Berkes is also known for his concert appearances in oratorio repertoire.