Born in Madrid, Teresa Berganza studied music at the Madrid Conservatory with professors such as Gerardo Gombau or Jesús Guridi, and singing with Lola Rodriguez Aragón (a disciple of the German soprano Elisabeth Schumann). In 1957 she gave her first recital at the Madrid Ateneo, performed with the great Bulgarian bass Boris Christoff in Milan and took part in a film version of L'Italiana in AIqeri for the RAI. In the same year she participated in the Aix-en-Provence Festival, where her performance as Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte brought her internacional acclaim. The following year she made her debut at Glyndebourne in Le Nozze di Figaro, and played Neris in Medea at the Dallas Opera where she shared the stage with the legendary María Callas. She is a specialist in Mozart and a pioneer in the recovery of Rossini. Her performances as Cherubino, Dorabella and Sesto have served as an example for future generations, and her interpretations of L'Italiana in Algeri, La Cenerentola and Il Barbieri di Siviglia have returned the authentic vocality to those roles. Her 1977 performance in the title role of Carmen in Edinburgh, stands out as a highlight in the history of opera performance.

She has performed in all the most prestigious theatres and concert halls, with conductors such as Abbado, Ansermet, Barenboim, Giulini, Karajan, Kondrashin, Kubelik, leppard, Maazel, Markevitch, Munch, Muti, Plasson, Rudel, Solti or Von Dohnányi. Spanish conductors with whom she has worked include Argenta, Colomer, Garcia Asensio, Garcia Navarro, López Cobos and Ros Marbá. She has worked with stage directors such as Ebert, Faggioni, De Filipp, Lavelli, Mansouri, Pizzi, Ponnelle, Rennert, Schenk, Strehler, Wal lmann or Zeffirelli.

Her vast repertoire ranges from the Italian baroque masters to XX century composer with particular attention to Spanish music. She performs songs by Latinamerican composers, German lieder, and she is an expert in the French mélodie. She has also contributed decisively to the recovery of Spanish zarzuela.

Her recordings include Haendel's Alcina; La Clemenza di Tito, Cosi fan tutte and Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart; La Vida Breve and El Amor Brujo by Falla; Offenbach's La Périchole; Massenet's Don Quijote; il Barbiere di Siviglia, L'Italiana in Algeria and La Cenerentola by Rossin; Bizet's Carmen; Pulcinella by Stravinsky; Ravel's Schéhérazade; Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, or Vivaldi's Gloria.

In 1995 she was named Académica de Número at the Madrid Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. She is also a Member of the Instituto de España and Commandeur aux Arts et Lettres Française.