A native of Toulouse, Jacques Calatayud studied in his home city, earning diplomas in piano, solfège and chamber music. He first studied singing with Helmut Lipps and Mady Mesplé, subsequently joining the Opéra Studio in Strasbourg, where he was a pupil of Suzanne Sarroca. He has been a member of the Opéra de Lille and the Angers Nantes Opéra, and has an affinity for Mozartian repertoire, singing the roles of Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, and Leporello in Don Giovanni.