Description

CARLOS JULIO RAMIREZ (TOCAIMA, CUNDINAMARCA, AUGUST 4, 1916 – MIAMI, FLORIDA, DECEMBER 12, 1986)

He made his debut in his native Colombia at the Teatro Colón in the state capital Bogotá. In 1937, he made his first guest appearance at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, and since then, he had a successful career there as well as at the opera house in Mexico City. During the 1940-1941 season, he took part in the U.S. tour of Charles L. Wagner’s production of Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and his interpretation of the title role brought him great success. He arrived at the Metropolitan Opera in the 1940s. Music critic and historian Irving Kolodin, who wrote the programs for the Metropolitan, stated that Ramírez’s performance of “Largo al factotum” was superior to those of the legendary baritones Titta Ruffo and Ezio Pinza.

In 1944, he began his foray into the film industry. The American film production company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer hired Carlos Julio to participate in several productions, and he acted in seven films. He suffered from gambling issues and lost most of his fortune, eventually going financially bankrupt. In 1972, he recorded his last LP album, with arrangements and direction by maestro Blas Emilio Atehortúa. He was the official voice of the National Anthem of Colombia, recorded at the Teatro Colón in Bogotá with the Verdi Choir and the National Symphony Orchestra, and conducted by maestro José Roso Contreras. The album was released by the Sonolux company.

TRACKLIST

1. Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) Largo al factotum Victor 13594-A
2. Caminemos (H. Martins – Alfredo Gil) Victor 23-1550-B
3. De Donde (Maria Grever) Victor 83824-B
4. Dime que si (Tell me yes) (Alfonso Esparza Oteo) Victor 13595-B
5. Eres mi primer amor (Ernesto De Curtis) Victor 83563
6. Frenesí (Canción Tropical) (Alberto Dominguez) Victor 4545-B
7. Granada (Augustin Lara) Victor 13594-B
8. La morena de mi copla (Carlos Castellano – Alfonso Jofre de Villegas) Victor 23-5287
9. Mala Jugada (Mario de Jesús) Victor 23-5287
10. Mala Noche (Restless Night) (Alberto Dominguez) Victor 10-1043-B
11. Mamma mia (Arana – Davis) Victor 23-1550-A
12. Marta (L. Wolfe Gilbert – Moises Simons) Victor 23-1508-A
13. Nostalgias (Loneliness) (Enrique Cadicamo – Juan Carlos Coblan) Victor 13595-A
14. Para qué recordar (Let’s Forget) (María Grever) Victor 10-1090-B
15. Perfidia (Tonight) (Alberto Dominguez) Victor 4545-A
16. Rica Pulpa (Luscious Fruit) (Eliseo Grenet) Victor 10-1090-A
17. Romanza de Amor (Lopez Harvaez – Efrain Orozco) Victor 83629-A