A native of Bogotá, Colombia, the bass-baritone first attracted attention as the winner of several international competitions, including the Pavarotti International Voice Competition in 1995, Operalia in 2001, the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation competition in 2001, and the Toti Dal Monte Competition in 2004. Lanchas studied at the Curtis Institute of Music with the renowned Armen Boyajian, and was subsequently was among the first group of singers to enter the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program at Washington National Opera. In addition to Un ballo in maschera and Idomeneo (the latter with Plácido Domingo and Anna Netrebko), he has been heard at WNO as Dr. Bartolo/The Marriage of Figaro, Don Magnifico/La cenerentola, Leporello/Don Giovanni, and the Sacristan/Tosca. He debuted in opera as Fiorello/The Barber of Seville with the Opera of Colombia (Bogotá, 1994) and made his international debut in Tosca with Luciano Pavarotti at the Opera Company of Philadelphia (now Opera Philadelphia) in 1996, later returning to the latter company for The Magic Flute.
