XIOMARA ALFARO, “LA ALONDRA DE LA CANCION”, UNA DE LAS MEJORES CANTANTES CUBANAS DE TODOS LOS TIEMPOS. VIDEOS / PHOTOS.
Xiomara Alfaro, famosa cantante Cubana nació el 11 de mayo de 1930 y fue una soprano coloratura cubana. Su interpretación de “Siboney” del pianista cubano Ernesto Lecuona fue la favorita del compositor, una estrella del panorama musical cubano en la década de los años 1950s y despues en el plano internacional durante muchos años.
Se hizo famosa como cantante de boleros en parte debido a la forma en que los cantaba con su voz de soprano. Fue conocida como ‘El ruiseñor de la canción’ y como ‘La alondra de la canción’.
Alfaro fue considerada una de las cantantes más famosas de la isla de todos los tiempos. Comenzó a cantar de niña en reuniones familiares y eventos comunitarios en su barrio de Marianao. Como era costumbre en ese momento, los jóvenes cantantes que deseaban iniciar una carrera profesional se sumaban a los concursos de talentos que se realizaban en diversas emisoras de radio de La Habana. La joven Xiomara fue la ganadors de uno de esos concursos en Radio Suaritos y se convirtió en una asidua de sus transmisiones. El compositor y pianista Obdulio Morales la escuchó cantar en la radio y quedó tan impresionado con ella que la invitó a formar parte del elenco de su revista musical “Batamú”, que se estrenó en el Teatro Martí en 1951.
XIOMARA ALFARO ESTILO ÚNICO
Marcando su estilo en la canción popular cubana, con su repertorio de boleros en su voz de coloratura soprano de impresionantes agudos, artista contemporánea de Olga Guillot, Celia Cruz, Omara Portuondo e Yma Sumac. Se inició en revistas de música en la década de 1950 y en espectáculos de cabaret, actuó en el Tropicana y realizó numerosos espectáculos en varios países del mundo. Casada con el pianista panameño Rafael Benítez, quien fue su arreglista artístico y director trabajando en la grabación de sus discos.
Tras consagrarse ya como cantante se inició en revistas musicales en los años 50 y espectáculos de cabaret, actuó en el Tropicana y realizó numerosos espectáculos en varios países del mundo, grabó poco más de 28 discos, algunos de ellos con la colaboración de el gran Bebo Valdés o Ernesto Duarte Brito, entre otros. Por su fina voz de soprano, por estos agudos agudos, se le conocio como “El ruiseñor de la Cancion”.
El famoso bolero “Siboney” del reconocido y Gran Maestro Ernesto Lecuona, fue muy popular en su voz, y la interpretación que le gustó al autor, en varias ocasiones expresó. Participó en la película italiana Mambo con Silvana y Vittorio Gassman, dirigida por Robert Rossen en 1954.
XIOMARA ALFARO SALIDA DE CUBA
Con la llegada de la revolución cubana en 1959, a Xiomara no le agradaron estos hechos y, como muchos otros artistas cubanos de su talla, huyó del país en 1960 para no volver jamás. Como era conocida internacionalmente, continuó su carrera sin problemas.
Xiomara realizó una gira por Europa una vez más y tuvo una larga residencia en París. En Londres, le pidieron que cantara en la despedida de soltera de la princesa Margarita y fue invitada de la familia real. Posteriormente, realizó una gira por Sudamérica y Centroamérica donde fue ídolo, y continuó grabando. Aunque tenía una voz extraordinaria y podía haber cantado ópera, prefería la música popular, especialmente los boleros románticos. Su repertorio siempre incluyó lo mejor de los cancioneros latinoamericanos, así como los estándares franceses e italianos. Los críticos siempre señalaron que Alfaro creó un estilo de canto nuevo y original en la música popular que nunca podría ser igualado por otros cantantes.
Fue cantante y bailarina con la compañía de gira Katherine Dunham y actuó en el coro en lugares de Las Vegas como ~ the Flamingo. Su hermana, la fallecida Olympia Alfaro u Omí Sanyá, era sacerdotisa o “apuón” en la comunidad religiosa Lukumí Orisha, interpretando un tipo de música gospel particular para estos seguidores. En los años 70, fue ordenada por su hermana en la fe Oshún. Actuó y grabó música latina y, a menudo, participa en talleres y eventos educativos con su esposo.
La cantante cubana Xiomara Alfaro falleció en Cape Coral, Florida, el 24 de junio del 2018 a la edad de 88 años por insuficiencia respiratoria.
XIOMARA ALFARO, “THE SONG LARK”, ONE OF THE BEST CUBAN SINGERS OF ALL TIME. VIDEOS / PHOTOS.
Xiomara Alfaro, famous Cuban singer was born on May 11, 1930 and was a Cuban coloratura soprano. Her interpretation of “Siboney” by Cuban composer and pianist Ernesto Lecuona was the composer’s favorite, a star of the Cuban music scene in the 1950s and then internationally for many years.
She became famous as a bolero singer in part because of the way she sang them with her soprano voice. She was known as ‘The Nightingale of Song’ and as ‘The Lark of Song’.
Alfaro was considered one of the most famous singers of the island of all time. She began singing as a child at family gatherings and community events in her Marianao neighborhood. As was customary at the time, young singers who wanted to start a professional career would join talent contests held on various radio stations in Havana. Young Xiomara was the winner of one of these contests on Radio Suaritos and became a regular on its broadcasts. The composer and pianist Obdulio Morales heard her sing on the radio and was so impressed with her that he invited her to join the cast of his musical revue “Batamú,” which premiered at the Teatro Martí in 1951.
Xiomara Alfaro was born in Havana, Cuba on May 11, 1930, and was considered one of the most famous singers on the island of all time. She began singing as a child at family gatherings and community events in her Marianao neighborhood. As was customary at the time, young singers wishing to start professional careers would join talent shows to be held on various radio stations in Havana. The young Xiomara was the winner of one of those contests on Radio Suaritos and became a regular on their broadcasts. Composer and pianist Obdulio Morales heard her sing on the radio and was so impressed by her that he invited her to join the cast of her musical magazine “Batamú,” which premiered at the Martí Theater in 1951.
XIOMARA ALFARO UNIQUE STYLE
Scoring her style in the Cuban folk song, with its repertoire of boleros in his voice of coloratura soprano of impressive treble, artist contemporary of Olga Guillot, Celia Cruz, Omara Portuondo, and Yma Sumac. She started in music magazines in the 1950s and cabaret shows, she appeared at the Tropicana and performed numerous shows in various countries of the world. Married Panamanian pianist Rafael Benítez, who was her artistic arranger and conductor working in the recording of their albums.
After being already consecrated as a singer started in musical revues in the 1950s and cabaret shows, performed at the Tropicana, and performed numerous shows in various countries around the world, she recorded a little more than 28 albums, some of them with the collaboration of great Bebo Valdes or Ernesto Duarte Brito, among others. For her fine soprano voice, by these acute highs, she recorded was called “La Alondra de la song” or “The Nightingale of the bail,” knowing is more with this last adjective.
The famous bolero “Siboney” of the renowned and Grand Master Ernesto Lecuona, was very popular in his voice, and the interpretation that he liked the author, on several occasions expressed. He participated in the Italian film Mambo with Silvana and Vittorio Gassman, directed by Robert Rossen in 1954. Recalls that his debut was back in the year 1951, in the musical Revue “Batamú”, presented at the Havana Teatro Martí by the author, composer, and director Obdulio Morales.
XIOMARA ALFARO LEAVE CUBA
With the arrival of the Cuban revolution in 1959, Xiomara did not like these events and, like many other Cuban artists of her stature, she fled the country in 1960 never to return. As she was known internationally, she continued her career smoothly.
Xiomara toured Europe once more and had a long residence in Paris. In London, she was asked to sing at Princess Margaret’s bachelorette party and she was a guest of the royal family. Later, she toured South and Central America where she was an idol, and she continued recording. Although she had an extraordinary voice and could have sung opera, she preferred popular music, especially romantic boleros. Her repertoire always included the best of Latin American songbooks, as well as French and Italian standards. Reviewers always noted that Alfaro created a new and original singing style in popular music that could never be matched by other singers.
She was a singer and dancer with the touring Katherine Dunham troupe and performed in the chorus at Las Vegas venues such as ~the Flamingo. Her sister, the late Olympia Alfaro or Omí Sanyá, was a priestess or “apuón” in the Lukumí Orisha religious community, performing a type of gospel music particular to this following. In the ’70s, she became ordained by her sister in the Oshún faith. She performed and recorded Latin music and often takes part in workshops and educational events with her husband.
Cuban singer Xiomara Alfaro passed away in Cape Coral, Fla. on June 24, 2018, at the age of 88 from respiratory failure.
Agencies/ Chadbourne/ XiomaraAlfaroBio./ Extractos/ Excerpts/ Wiki / Internet Photos/ YouTube/ Arnoldo Varona/ www.TheCubanHistory.com
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