Description

JOSÉ MOJICA (MEXICO CITY, MEXICO, 14 SEPTEMBER, 1896 – LIMA, PERU, 20 SEPTEMBER, 1974)

He made his debut in 1919 at the Chicago Opera, initially singing smaller roles such as Rodrigo in Verdi’s Otello and Beppe in Pagliacci. However, his talent soon propelled him to principal tenor status, where he gained great success. In 1923, he performed the role of Corentin in Meyerbeer’s Dinorah, partnering with the famous soprano Amelita Galli-Curci. He also sang Narraboth in Richard Strauss’s Salome, Count Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia alongside Toti dal Monte as Rosina, Schuiski in Boris Godunov, and Rinuccio in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi.

One of his notable achievements was his participation in the premiere of Prokofiev’s L’amour des trois oranges at the Chicago Opera on December 30, 1921. He also found great success as a partner of Mary Garden in Pelléas et Mélisande. Regularly performing at the Ravinia Summer Opera Festival near Chicago, he took on roles such as Paco in de Falla’s La vida breve, Araquil in Massenet’s La Navarraise, and starred in Xavier Leroux’s Le Chemineau. His career at the Chicago Opera lasted until 1930.

After leaving the opera, he found new success in American and Spanish films, especially in South America. His 1940 return to the Chicago Opera saw him in the role of Fenton in Verdi’s Falstaff.

In a dramatic turn, after the death of his mother in 1940, he vowed to become a Catholic priest, honoring her on her deathbed. He entered a religious order, became a priest, and embarked on missionary work in the Andes region of Peru. In 1963, he published his autobiography, titled I, Pecador.

TRACKLIST

1. Dime (Gonzalo Curiel) Victor Victor BRC-72259
2. Gratia plena (Mario Talavera) Victor Victor BVE-40026
3. Hojas muertas (Charles Maduro) Victor BRC-72260
4. Maria la O (Ernesto Lecuona) Victor BRC-72261
5. Amores y amorios (Jorge Del Moral) Victor BVE-40027
6. Pais azul (Jorge Del Moral) Victor BVE-40020
7. La canción del paria (Harry Akst) Victor PBS-68447
8. Adios, mi amor (Ernesto Lecuona) Victor BRC-72293
9. Jurame (María Grever) Victor BVE-40023
10. Ni de día, ni de noche (María Grever) Victor BRC-72292
11. Un amor que se va (Eduardo Sánchez de Fuentes) Victor BVE-42961
12. Princesita (Padilla) Edison 80793 9531
13. Viejos conventos (Mario Talavera) Victor BVE-46172
14. En donde estás (José Mojica) Victor PBVE-62644
15. Como tú y yo (María Grever) Victor PBS-68448
16. Pasas por el abismo (Jorge Del Moral) Victor BVE-40021
17. Un beso loco (Troy Sanders) Victor PBVE-62645