''Voces en Función'' (Voices in Performance) was a Puerto Rican

singing Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

competition Competition is a rivalry where two or more parties strive for a common goal which cannot be shared: where one's gain is the other's loss (an example of which is a zero-sum game). Competition can arise between entities such as organisms, indivi ...

series and

Variety show Variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is entertainment made up of a variety of acts including musical theatre, musical performances, sketch comedy, magic (illusion), magic, acrobatics, juggling, and ventriloquism. It is ...

hosted by Puerto Rican singer Lou Briel, televised from 1995 to 2001 on

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member station WIPR-TV & WIPM-TV.

Format

The potential contestants had to try out to be on the show, then the ones selected would be presented on the show with two other contestants as well, for a total of three per program and 39 for the series. A jury, composed of

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s, selected by

cognition Cognition refers to "the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses". It encompasses all aspects of intellectual functions and processes such as: perception, attention, thought, ...

, would secretly vote for their favorites during 10 weeks, and choose the 20 semi-finalists. The latter would then compete again in the Semi Finals, separated in two groups of 10, for two weeks, and only 10 contestants would make it to the end. The

final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event ** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...

gala called, ''Festi-Voces'' (Festi-Voices), would be the last one of the season, composed of 13 weeks each, and it would be broadcast in a two-hour special. The winner, would receive a trophy, a cash prize, and his or her inclusion as a regular in the following thirteen-week season, as well as performing as guest stars in several television shows produced by the station. There were 5 final galas throughout the run of the show. Voces en Función, was one of the first Puerto Rican television shows that was broadcast via the

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, and it also was the first television series taped ''on-location'', at the Yagüez Theater, in

Mayagüez, Puerto Rico Mayagüez (, ) is a city and the eighth-largest municipality in Puerto Rico. It was founded as Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Mayagüez, and is also known as ''La Sultana del Oeste'' (The Sultaness of the West), ''Ciudad de las Aguas Pura ...

, on a weekly basis, and furthermore the first singing contest show in Latin America, Europe, and USA, before ''

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...

'', ''

Operación Triunfo ''Star Academy'', called ''Operación Triunfo'' ("Operation Triumph") in Spanish-speaking countries, is a highly successful television pop music talent contest with viewer voting and reality show elements. Format There are many versions of t ...

'' and '' Objetivo Fama''. The difference of ''Voces en Funcion'' from other singing contests, is that it was simultaneously a weekly

variety show Variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is entertainment made up of a variety of acts including musical theatre, musical performances, sketch comedy, magic (illusion), magic, acrobatics, juggling, and ventriloquism. It is ...

composed of various musical segments. Well known singers from the entertainment business were featured as guests stars in every show such as: Lucecita Benítez, Nydia Caro,

Carmita Jiménez Carmita Jiménez (August 3, 1939 – August 10, 2003) was a Puerto Rican singer who was considered a diva in Puerto Rico. She was born in San Lorenzo. Carmita Jiménez started her singing career at the young age of six, on the radio show na ...

Santos Colon Santos may refer to: People *Santos (surname) *Santos (DJ) (born 1971), Italian DJ * Santos Benavides (1823–1891), Confederate general in the American Civil War * Santos Balmori Picazo (1899–1992), Spanish-Mexican painter * Santos (footballer ...

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, Danny Rivera, Son by Four,

Lunna Lunna (born June 30, 1960; born María Socorro García de la NocedaGarcia de la Noceda is her paternal surname) is a Puerto Rican singer of popular music and jazz who was the director of the television show ''Objetivo Fama'', the Latin version ...

Johnathan Dwayne Johnatan Dwayne (born July 31, 1963) is a musician, composer, and artist who introduced the musical concept of art rock into Puerto Rico. Early years Dwayne was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico the capital city of the island. In the 1980s he belo ...

Huey Dunbar Huey Dunbar (born Eustace Dunbar IV; May 15, 1974) is the former singer of Dark Latin Groove. Born in New York City, New York to a Puerto Rican mother and a Jamaican father, he was exposed to music since his earliest years due to his parents' musi ...

with DLG,

Rey Ruiz Rey Ruiz (Reinerio Ruiz born June 21, 1966 in La Lisa, Havana, Cuba) is a salsa singer from Cuba. Ruiz reached international fame across Latin America, Europe and among Hispanic music fans in the United States. Biography Rey Ruiz demonstrated a l ...

, Millie Corretjer,

Chucho Avellanet Chucho Avellanet, nicknamed "Chucho", is a Puerto Rican singer and comedic actor of Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spa ...

, Jyve V,

Lucy Fabery Luz Ercilia Fabery Zenón (January 25, 1931 – May 13, 2015), known as Lucy Fabery, was a Puerto Rican singer who specialized in the style of bolero known as filin. She recorded four albums and numerous singles in a career that spanned over 50 ...

, Dagmar,

José Nogueras José Nogueras (born 1951, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico) is a composer, music producer, singer, guitarist, and performer of modern-day Puerto Rican music. Early Years At the age of eight, he came to reside in the city of Río Piedras, during his s ...

and Charytín, among others. Lou Briel performed in a segment titled ''Bohemia en Función'' (Bohemia in Performance), accompanied by a blind guitarist from Añasco,

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

, called ''Roberto Rivera''. The show also featured a

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

, directed by the Puerto Rican choreographer Marcelino Alcalá, called ''Ballet Voces'', (Voices Ballet). Alcalá, also choreographed for the contestants, the opening numbers for the galas, as well as various musical productions for the host, and several guest stars. Various notable singers that made their formal debut on Puerto Rican television through this show include Yaire, Noelia, and the local rock group

Fiel a la Vega Fiel a La Vega is a Rock en Español band from Puerto Rico formed in 1994. The band consisted of members Tito Auger and Ricky Laureano (vocals and guitars), who come from the northern city of Vega Alta, Puerto Rico, along with brothers Pedro and ...

, among others. {{DEFAULTSORT:Voces En Funcion Singing talent shows 1990s American variety television series 2000s American variety television series 1990s Puerto Rican television series 2000s Puerto Rican television series 1995 Puerto Rican television series debuts 2001 Puerto Rican television series endings