Carlos Almenar Otero
Carlos Almenar Otero | |
|---|---|
| Born | Carlos José Almenar Otero 21 March 1926 Aragua de Barcelona, Venezuela |
| Died | 7 August 2018 (aged 92) Miami, Florida, United States |
| Genres | Opera, bolero, traditional Venezuelan music |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1951–2018 |
| Labels | Deutsche Grammophon, Polydor Records |
| Website | www |
Carlos José Almenar Otero (21 March 1926 – 7 August 2018) was a Venezuelan tenor and composer. Nicknamed "La voz de oro de Venezuela" (Spanish: Venezuela's Golden Voice),[1] he rose to international prominence after taking part in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer singing contest The Great Caruso, organised in 1951 to promote the film of the same name starring Mario Lanza.[2]
Early life and career
Almenar Otero was born on 21 March 1926 in Aragua de Barcelona, the second of five children of a modest family. At his parents' urging he initially studied law, but he abandoned his studies to pursue a musical career, singing in theatres and on radio. He shared the stage with contemporary artists including Alfredo Sadel on the radio programme La Caravana Camel.[3]
In 1951, when Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer organised the international singing contest The Great Caruso to promote its film of the same name, Almenar won the Venezuelan stage. At the final, held in Rio de Janeiro, he received honourable mention; the contest was won by the Brazilian baritone João Gibin.[2]
Career in Europe
Later in 1951, Almenar travelled to Italy to study at the Milan Conservatory and received private lessons from the tenor Nino Piccaluga, a former La Scala star.[3]
He made his debut at the Teatro Nuovo and at the Teatro Lirico in 1956. In 1957 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer selected him to promote The Great Caruso in Europe; he shared the stage with Mario Lanza in two concerts that year. He made his German debut at the Berlin Film Festival in 1958, and appeared on West German television in Frankfurt and Hamburg together with Lanza.[4]
His first German-language recording, "Isola Bella – So eine Nacht unter Palmen", reportedly sold around 650,000 copies, and his cover of "Cara Mia" reportedly sold more than 800,000 copies.[4] He toured Europe, the Soviet Union, Japan and the United States.
He recorded for Deutsche Grammophon and Polydor Records, with hits including "Cara Mia", "Háblame de amores Mariú", "Bye, Bye Romántica", "No Llores Por Mí", "Bella María" and "Una Furtiva Lágrima". The Japan Times described him as having "without doubt, one of the most beautiful and best-trained voices to have visited Japan".[4]
Later career
Almenar served for many years as head of the jury on the Venezuelan television talent show ¿Cuánto vale el show? alongside Guillermo González Regalado. He also hosted El Bel Canto Ilustrado, a programme on Radio Nacional de Venezuela dedicated to classical and operatic music.[3]
Over his career he released 54 albums in German, 19 in Spanish, and one each in Japanese, Italian and English; he also composed songs and hymns.[4]
In 2016 he was named "Patrimonio Cultural Viviente de la Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana" ("Living Cultural Heritage of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces") by the Venezuelan armed forces.[4]
Almenar Otero died in Miami on 7 August 2018, aged 92.[1]
Selected discography
- Cara Mia
- Más éxitos
- Sprich zu mir von Liebe
- Una canción dentro de mí
- Arpa, mar y llano
- El disco de oro
- La canción de verano
- Carlos Almenar Otero canta para ti
- Concierto popular
- Venezuela canta
- Carlos Otero International
- A la orilla de un palmar
- Endrina
- La más bella música de Venezuela
- Ven a mis brazos
References
- 1 2 "Se apagó "La voz de oro" de Venezuela, Carlos Almenar Otero dijo adiós". El Universal (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 December 2015.
- 1 2 Márquez, Guillermo. "Opera II" (PDF). guillermodmarquez.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 December 2015.
- 1 2 3 León, Mariela (11 June 2013). "Carlos Almenar, pasión por el canto lírico". El Universal (in Spanish). Venezuela. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Carlos Almenar Otero". Carlos Almenar Otero Foundation. Retrieved 10 December 2015.