Manolo Álvarez Mera ''(né'' Manuel Ernesto Álvarez-Mera November 7, 1923 – October 16, 1986) was a

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

n-born

tenor A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below m ...

who flourished as a

bel canto , )—with several similar constructions (, , , pronounced in English as )—is a term with several meanings that relate to Italian singing, and whose definitions have often been misunderstood. ''Bel canto'' was not only seen as a vocal technique ...

during the late 1940s and 1950s. Despite having an operatic caliber voice, he gained popularity singing in operettas, musical reviews, radio, television, vaudeville, and major night clubs in Cuba,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, and

Latin America Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...

. He became a

Cuban exile A Cuban exile is a person who has been exiled from Cuba. Many Cuban exiles have various differing experiences as emigrants depending on when they emigrated from Cuba, and why they emigrated. The exile of Cubans has been a dominating factor in C ...

in 1960 after the

Cuban Revolution The Cuban Revolution () was the military and political movement that overthrew the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, who had ruled Cuba from 1952 to 1959. The revolution began after the 1952 Cuban coup d'état, in which Batista overthrew ...

Career

Cuba

Álvarez was born November 7, 1923, to Beniana (née Mera) and Manuel Alvarez in the

Luyanó Luyanó is a ''consejo popular'' (i.e. "popular council or ward") and a Section of populated place within the municipality of Diez de Octubre, Havana, Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of ...

neighborhood of

Diez de Octubre Diez de Octubre is one of the 15 municipalities or boroughs (''municipios'' in Spanish) in the city of Havana, Cuba. Overview It is one of the oldest municipalities of the capital. Its foundation dates from the second half of the 16th Century aim ...

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.zarzuela () is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular songs, as well as dance. The etymology of the name is uncertain, but some propose it may derive from the name o ...

, a characteristically Spanish genre of lyric and dramatic theatre. The lyrics were by Gustavo Sánchez Galarraga (1893–1934) and the music by

Ernesto Lecuona Ernesto Lecuona y Casado (; August 7, 1895 – November 29, 1963) was a Cuban composer and pianist, many of whose works have become standards of the Latin, jazz and classical repertoires. His over 600 compositions include songs and zarzuelas as ...

. Maruja González (1904–1999) sang the soprano role of Mary la O. He went on in 1944 to perform at the Teatro Lírico Cubano (Lyric Theater of Cuba), singing in ''La Plaza de la Catedral (The Cathedral Square),'' a

zarzuela () is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular songs, as well as dance. The etymology of the name is uncertain, but some propose it may derive from the name o ...

by Lecuona. He sang the same work for radio stations RHC-Cadena Azul and CMQ. He then performed in several

zarzuelas () is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular songs, as well as dance. The etymology of the name is uncertain, but some propose it may derive from the name o ...

, including ''

Luisa Fernanda Luisa Fernanda is a former television entertainment news anchor, radio broadcaster, theatre and soap actress, singer and model. She was born on December 17th, 1970 in Mexico City. She worked for HSE in 2001 then Telemundo until the end of 2007. ...

'', ', ', '' La dolorosa'', and ''

Cecilia Valdés ''Cecilia Valdés'' is both a novel by the Cuban writer Cirilo Villaverde (1812–1894), and a zarzuela based on the novel. It is a work of importance for its quality, and its revelation of the interaction of classes and races in Havana, Cuba ...

'', which also included singers

Maruja Montes María Miterloi Hernández (24 March 1930 – 11 June 1993), better known by her stage name Maruja Montes, was a Brazilian-born Argentine actress and vedette who performed during the middle part of the 20th century. Biography Montes was born on 2 ...

(1930–1993),

Rosita Fornés Rosita Fornés (née Rosalía Lourdes Elisa Palet Bonavia; February 11, 1923June 10, 2020) was a Cuban-American singer, dancer and film actress. She was noted for her multifaceted career in the entertainment industry of Cuba. She worked in cinem ...

(born 1943), Zoraida Marrero (1911–2004),

Esther Borja Esther Borja Lima (5 December 1913 – 28 December 2013) was a Cuban operatic soprano. Biography Havana-born Esther Borja Lima was trained in solfége and music theory by Juan Elósegui, and in singing by Rubén Lepchutz. She graduated as a ...

(1913–2013), Sarita Escarpentier (born 1925), Dorini de Diso (1901–1948), Miguel de Grandy, Antonio Palacios, Jesús Freyre, and (1911–1978).

New York

On September 16, 1947, he appeared as a soloist in the musical revue ''Violins Over Broadway'' at the Diamond Horseshoes Night Club in New York, produced by

impresario An impresario (from Italian ''impresa'', 'an enterprise or undertaking') is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, Play (theatre), plays, or operas, performing a role in stage arts that is similar to that of a film producer, film or ...

Billy Rose Billy Rose (born William Samuel Rosenberg; September 6, 1899 – February 10, 1966) was an American impresario, theatrical showman, lyricist and columnist. For years both before and after World War II, Billy Rose was a major force in entertainm ...

. The show ran for two years.

Brazil

In 1950, Álvarez moved to

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

and performed in

São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...

and on several Brazilian radio stations.

Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay

In 1952, Álvarez toured

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

including visits to

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...

and

Montevideo Montevideo (, ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2023 census, the city proper has a population of 1,302,954 (about 37.2% of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...

. His performances were acclaimed by the Cuban magazine, '. In his

Uruguay Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...

radio concerts, Álvarez was hailed "Sir Hyperbole!" Many of his interpretations, including ''María la O''; ''Granada'' by

Agustín Lara Ángel Agustín María Carlos Fausto Mariano Alfonso del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Lara y Aguirre del Pino (; ; October 30, 1897 – November 6, 1970), known as Agustín Lara, was a Mexican composer and performer of songs and boleros. He is rec ...

; and ''Ay-Ay-Ay'' by

Osmán Pérez Freire Osmán Pérez Freire (Santiago, 29 January 1880 – Madrid, 2 April 1930) was a Chilean composer. Born in Santiago, his family moved to Mendoza, in the desert Cuyo region of western Argentina, in 1886. Freire moved to Spain in the 1920s.James J. ...

, were interrupted with applause, and he was forced to repeat them three or four times. The night of the farewell, as he went on stage, the audience — more than two thousand excited people — threw a rain of carnations and roses, forming a cloak over him. The program was interrupted for a long time by this emotional tribute. Álvarez continued his tour to

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

and also returned to

. He had an exclusive recording contract with Victor and recorded ''Granada'' by

and ''Despedida'' by

María Grever María Grever (14 September 1885 – 15 December 1951) was the first female Mexican composer to achieve international acclaim.Rodríguez, Lee M. L. María Grever: Poeta Y Compositora. Potomac, Md: Scripta Humanistica, 1994. Print. She is best kn ...

with the RCA Orchestra under the direction of conductor Vieri Fidanzini.

United States

Álvarez returned to the United States in 1951. Accompanied by the Carlos Molina Orchestra (1899–1982), Álvarez sang ''Granada'' in a short 1953 film ''Carnival in April'' released in 3D by Universal. The film also featured

Toni Arden Antoinette Ardizzone (February 15, 1924 – May 29, 2012), known professionally as Toni Arden, was an American traditional pop singer. Family Arden was born in New York City. Her father, Phillip Ardizzone, was a singer with the Metropolitan Ope ...

Josephine Premice Josephine Mary Premice (July 21, 1926 – April 13, 2001) was a Haitian-American actress and singer known for her work on the Broadway stage. Early life Josephine Mary Premice was born in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Thelomaine and Luca ...

, and Fernando Rodriguez. On April 4, 1954, he appeared on the television show, ''

The Colgate Comedy Hour ''The Colgate Comedy Hour'' is an American comedy-musical variety series that aired live on the NBC network from 1950 to 1955. The show featured many notable comedians and entertainers of the era as guest stars. Many of the scripts of the serie ...

'', with

Eddie Cantor Eddie Cantor (born Isidore Itzkowitz; January 31, 1892 – October 10, 1964) was an American comedian, actor, dancer, singer, songwriter, film producer, screenwriter and author. Cantor was one of the prominent entertainers of his era. Some of h ...

. He also appeared at the

Flamingo Las Vegas Flamingo Las Vegas (formerly the Flamingo Hilton) is a casino hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment. The Flamingo includes a casino and a 28-story hotel with 3,460 rooms. The reso ...

with Freddie Martin.

Hollywood

By mid-March 1953, Álvarez had been studying for six months with Arthur Rosenberg. On April 18, 1954 — Easter Sunday — Álvarez sang ''The Lord's Prayer'' in a sunrise national broadcast produced by David Rose at the

Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre and Urban park, public park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in the United States by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018 and was listed on ...

with conductor

Miklós Rózsa Miklós Rózsa (; April 18, 1907 – July 27, 1995) was a Hungarian-American composer trained in Germany (1925–1931) and active in France (1931–1935), the United Kingdom (1935–1940), and the United States (1940–1995), with extensi ...

. In 1954, he appeared as a featured singer in New York at the

Waldorf Astoria The Waldorf Astoria New York is a luxury hotel and condominium residence in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York. The structure, at 301 Park Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets, is a 47-story, Art Deco landmark des ...

with Freddie Martin and His Orchestra. He also appeared at the Edgewater Beach in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, and the Skyroom at the

Mapes Hotel The Mapes Hotel was a hotel and casino located in Downtown Reno, Nevada, next to the Truckee River on Virginia Street. It was built in 1947 and opened on December 17 of that year. It was the first skyscraper built in the Western United States si ...

Reno Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada–California border. It is the county seat and most populous city of Washoe County, Nevada, Washoe County. Sitting in the High Eastern Sierra foothills, ...

. He held a principal role in the production ''Spanish Fantasy,'' a show that toured

America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, performing at venues that included the Terrace Room at the Statler Hotel in Los Angeles. and the Empire Room at the Statler Hilton in Dallas. He also sang on the NBC television program ''Saturday Night Review, Coast to Coast''.

Antioquia and Cuba

In August 1955, Álvarez was featured in a Tropicana production of ''Evocación (Evocation)'' and ''Seis Lindas Cubanas (Six Pretty Cubans)'' the latter referencing the six provinces of Cuba (before the

Revolution In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...

). The production was staged by Rodrigo Neira, who was known as "Rodney". The show was presented in a telecast from

Medellín Medellín ( ; or ), officially the Special District of Science, Technology and Innovation of Medellín (), is the List of cities in Colombia, second-largest city in Colombia after Bogotá, and the capital of the department of Antioquia Departme ...

Antioquia Antioquia is the Spanish form of Antioch. Antioquia may also refer to: * Antioquia Department Antioquia () is one of the 32 departments of Colombia, located in the central northwestern part of Colombia with a narrow section that borders th ...

, and was a review of nineteenth century Cuban dance and music. Other performers included

Xiomara Alfaro Xiomara Alfaro (May 11, 1930 – June 24, 2018) was a Cuban coloratura soprano. Her interpretation of Cuban composer and pianist Ernesto Lecuona Ernesto Lecuona y Casado (; August 7, 1895 – November 29, 1963) was a Cuban composer and pianist, ...

, Cuarteto Faxas, Estelita Santaló, Cuarteto d'Aida, Leonela González, the dancers Ana Gloria and Rolando, and the Lago Sisters Trio. The same production, with mostly the same artists, including Álvarez, was presented in a telecast April 21, 1956.

Hollywood

He sang to replace the voice of

Mario Lanza Mario Lanza ( , ; born Alfredo Arnold Cocozza ; January 31, 1921 – October 7, 1959) was an American tenor and actor. He was a Hollywood film star popular in the late 1940s and the 1950s. Lanza began studying to be a professional singer a ...

in the 1958 film, ''

Seven Hills of Rome The seven hills of Rome (, ) east of the river Tiber form the geographical heart of Rome, within the walls of the city. Hills The seven hills are: * Aventine Hill (Latin: ''Collis Aventinus''; Italian: ''Aventino'') * Caelian Hill (''Coll ...

''.

Final performances in Cuba

In February 1958, Álvarez headlined in the Copa Room at the

Hotel Habana Riviera The Hotel Habana Riviera by Iberostar, originally known as the Havana Riviera, is a historic resort hotel located on the Malecón waterfront boulevard in the Vedado district of Havana, Cuba. The hotel, which is managed by the Spanish Iberostar ...

with Cuarteto d'Aida. Among his last stage performances in Cuba, he was acclaimed for his appearances in the theater as Ivan Marti in ''La leyenda del beso'' (1959) and Rosillon in ''

The Merry Widow ''The Merry Widow'' ( ) is an operetta by the Austria-Hungary, Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The Libretto, librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein (writer), Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's ...

'' (1960). In Cuba, he performed on television, in theaters, on several recordings, and in casinos, which included the Tropicana and Hotel Capri. In 1959, Álvarez sang on TV ''Adiós, Granada'' in ''Emigrantes'', a

composed by (1870–1938) and Rafael Calleja Gómez (1870–1938). Other performers in that production included

Alfredo Kraus Alfredo Kraus Trujillo (; 24 November 192710 September 1999) was a distinguished Spanish tenor from the Canary Islands (known professionally as Alfredo Kraus), particularly known for the artistry he brought to opera's bel canto roles. He was ...

Miguel Fleta Miguel Burro Fleta (28 December 1897, in Albalate de Cinca, Province of Huesca, Aragon – 29 May 1938, in A Coruña) was a Spanish operatic lyric tenor. Despite his short stage career, lasting from 1919 to 1935, Fleta has been described as one ...

Victoria de los Ángeles Victoria de los Ángeles López García (1 November 192315 January 2005) was a Spanish operatic lyric soprano and recitalist whose career began after the Second World War and reached its height in the years from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s. ...

Tito Schipa Tito Schipa (; born Raffaele Attilio Amedeo Schipa; 2 January 1889 in Lecce16 December 1965) was an Italian tenor. Biography Schipa was born as Raffaele Attilio Amedeo Schipa on 27 December 1888 in Lecce in Apulia into an Arbëreshë famil ...

Giuseppe Di Stefano Giuseppe Di Stefano (24 July 19213 March 2008) was an Italian operatic tenor who sang professionally from the mid-1940s until the early 1990s. Called "Pippo" by both fans and friends, he was known as the "Golden Voice" or "The Most Beautiful Vo ...

, Hipólito Lázaro, Pepe Romeu, Juan García,

Luis Mariano Luis Mariano Eusebio González García (13 August 1914 – 14 July 1970), also known as Luis Mariano, was a popular tenor of Spanish origin who achieved celebrity in 1946 with "La belle de Cadix" ("The Beautiful Lady of Cadix") an operetta by ...

and Misha Alexandrovich.
On Archive.org
On February 2, 1960, he was acclaimed by the '' Diario de la Marina'' as "the First Tenor of Cuba and one of the best in the world," for his headline performance in ''Noche Cubana'', a live evening national telecast by . Other singers included Barbarito Diez,

María Teresa Vera María Teresa Vera (February6, 1895December17, 1965) was a Cuban singer, guitarist and composer. She was an outstanding example of the Cuban trova movement. Career She started her career as a singer in 1911 in a theater where she sang the cri ...

, Lorenzo Hierrezuelo, and the group Cuarteto d'Aida.

United States

On August 21, 1960, Álvareze was a guest on the

Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the '' CBS Sunday Nig ...

, singing '' Mattinatta''.

Personal life

Álvarez married Delfina Cougil Fernandez (born 13 March 1925). They had two children, Teresita (Terry) (born 1959) and Manuel (born 1961). In 1963, he settled in New York, where he died on October 14, 1986. He had lived at 216 West 102nd Street in Manhattan.

Selected discography

* ''Manolo Álvarez-Mera'', Puchitio MLP-505 ( LP) (196?) : Manolo Álvarez-Mera, tenor vocal; Orquesta Bajo, Roberto Valdés Arnau, director : : Side A # " Júrame" ("Swear"), by

on YouTube
# "Marta," by

Moisés Simons Moisés Simons (born Moisés Simón Rodríguez; 24 August 1889 in Havana, Cuba – 28 June 1945 in Madrid, Spain),On YouTube
# "No Niegues que me quisistes" ("Do Not Deny That You Wanted Me"), by Jorge del Moral
On YouTube
# " Siempre en Mi Corazón" ("Always In My Heart"), by

†
1st on YouTube2nd3rd
# "No Puedo ser feliz" ("I Can Not Be Happy"), by Adolfo Guzman
On YouTube
: Side B

" Torna a Sorriento" ("Come Back to Sorrento") by
Ernesto De Curtis Ernesto De Curtis (4 October 1875 – 31 December 1937) was an Italian composer.Mattinatta" ("Morning"), by
Ruggero Leoncavallo Ruggero (or Ruggiero) Leoncavallo (23 April 18579 August 1919) was an Italian opera composer and librettist. Throughout his career, Leoncavallo produced numerous operas and songs but it is his 1892 opera ''Pagliacci'' that remained his lasting co ...

On YouTube
‡
" Core 'ngrato" ("Ingrate Heart"), by Salvatore Cardillo,
" La donna è mobile" ("Women Are Flighty"), by
Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi ( ; ; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto, a small town in the province of Parma, to a family of moderate means, recei ...
"Estrellita" ("Little Star"), by
Manuel Ponce Manuel María Ponce Cuéllar (8 December 1882 – 24 April 1948), known in Mexico as Manuel M. Ponce, was a Mexican composer active in the 20th century. His work as a composer, music educator and scholar of Mexican music connected the concert s ...

* ''Canciones Cubanas (Cuban Songs),'' Vol. II, Puchitio MLP-553 & Antilla MLP-553 ( LP) (196?) : Manolo Álvarez-Mera; Gran Orquesta, Roberto Valdés Arnau, director : : Side A # "María Belén Chacón" ("Romance of María Belén"), words adopted by José Sánchez Arcilla, music by Rodrigo Prats # "Si llego a besarte" ("If I Kiss You"), by Luis Casas Romero (1882–1950)
On YouTube
# " Quiéreme Mucho" ("Yours"), lyrics by Agustin Rodriguez, music by

Gonzalo Roig Gonzalo Roig Lobo (Havana, 20 July 1890 – Havana, 13 June 1970) was a Cuban composer, pianist, violinist and musical director. He was a pioneer of the symphonic movement in Cuba. His most popular works are the zarzuela ''Cecilia Valdés#Zarz ...

On YouTube
# "Mirame así" ("Look At Me, Well"), by

Eduardo Sánchez de Fuentes Eduardo Sánchez de Fuentes (3 April 1874, in Havana – 7 September 1944) was a Cuban composer, and an author of books on the history of Cuban folk music. The outstanding habanera ''Tú'', written when he was sixteen, was his best-known com ...

On YouTube
# "Soledad" ("Loneliness"), by Rodrigo Prats : Side B

"Esclavo libre" ("Free Slave"), by
Ernesto Lecuona Ernesto Lecuona y Casado (; August 7, 1895 – November 29, 1963) was a Cuban composer and pianist, many of whose works have become standards of the Latin, jazz and classical repertoires. His over 600 compositions include songs and zarzuelas as ...
" La Bayamesa" ("Women of Bayamo, Cuba"), by
Sindo Garay Sindo Garay (born Antonio Gumersindo Garay García; Santiago de Cuba, 12 April 1867 – Havana, 17 July 1968) was a Cuban trova musician. He was taught by Pepe Sánchez. Garay was one of the ''four greats of the trova''. He was of Spanish a ...
br>On YouTube
/li>
"Corazon" ("Heart"), by
Eduardo Sánchez de Fuentes Eduardo Sánchez de Fuentes (3 April 1874, in Havana – 7 September 1944) was a Cuban composer, and an author of books on the history of Cuban folk music. The outstanding habanera ''Tú'', written when he was sixteen, was his best-known com ...
"Habanera Tú" ("You Dance" the Habanera), by
Eduardo Sánchez de Fuentes Eduardo Sánchez de Fuentes (3 April 1874, in Havana – 7 September 1944) was a Cuban composer, and an author of books on the history of Cuban folk music. The outstanding habanera ''Tú'', written when he was sixteen, was his best-known com ...

1st on YouTube2nd
"", lyrics by Gustavo Sánchez Galarraga (1893–1934), music by
Ernesto Lecuona Ernesto Lecuona y Casado (; August 7, 1895 – November 29, 1963) was a Cuban composer and pianist, many of whose works have become standards of the Latin, jazz and classical repertoires. His over 600 compositions include songs and zarzuelas as ...

* ''Por Los Campos De Cuba (Through the Fields of Cuba)'' AF Records ( LP) (1996)

" La Bayamesa" ("Women of Bayamo, Cuba"), by
Sindo Garay Sindo Garay (born Antonio Gumersindo Garay García; Santiago de Cuba, 12 April 1867 – Havana, 17 July 1968) was a Cuban trova musician. He was taught by Pepe Sánchez. Garay was one of the ''four greats of the trova''. He was of Spanish a ...
(of 15 tracks)

* ''America Inmortal'', Reyes ( LP) (1996)

" La Bayamesa" ("Women of Bayamo, Cuba"), by
Sindo Garay Sindo Garay (born Antonio Gumersindo Garay García; Santiago de Cuba, 12 April 1867 – Havana, 17 July 1968) was a Cuban trova musician. He was taught by Pepe Sánchez. Garay was one of the ''four greats of the trova''. He was of Spanish a ...
(of 15 tracks)

* ''Funcion de Gala (Gala)'', J. & G. Recordings (196?) : Live, Teatro Marti, Havana :

"Elena," by Roberto García Masvidal (of 12 tracks)

"Yo Soy Tú Fracaso" ("I'm Your Failure"), by Roberto García Masvidal (of 12 tracks)

* Manolo Alvarez-Mera, RCA Victor 82-5470 (

78 rpm A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English) or a vinyl record (for later varieties only) is an analog sound storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove. The g ...

) :: 82-5450-A: "

Granada Granada ( ; ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada (Spain), Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence ...

," by

:: 82-5450-B: "Despedida," by

* SMC Records (

) : Manolo Alvarez-Mera; Orchestra directed by Roberto Valdés Arnau :: 2521-B "Romance Gitano," by Carlos Granados :

: † The song "Always in My Heart" received an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...

nomination for "

Best Original Song The following is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various films, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best ...

," in the 1942 film, '' Always in My Heart,'' losing to " White Christmas" from the film '' White Christmas.'' Nonetheless, some critics regard Álvarez's recording of "Siempre en mi corazon" as the best performance of the song. : ‡ "

Mattinata Mattinata () is a seaside resort town and ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Foggia, Apulia, southern Italy. Geography The only town in Apulia facing south the Adriatic Sea, Mattinata is part of the Gargano National Park (''Parco Na ...

" ("Morning"), written in 1904, was the first song ever written expressly for the

Gramophone Company The Gramophone Company Limited was a British phonograph manufacturer and record label, founded in April 1898 by Emil Berliner. It was one of the earliest record labels. The company purchased the His Master's Voice painting and trademark righ ...

Notes

References

General sources

* Article Manolo Alvarez-Mera. Available at . Accessed: August 19, 2011
Manolo Alvarez Mera's photo
courtesy

University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private university, private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. , the university enrolled 19,852 students in two colleges and ten schools across over ...

External links

"Genesis"
on youtube.com
"La Viuda"
("

") on youtube.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Alvarez Mera, Manolo 1923 births 1986 deaths Singers from Havana 20th-century Cuban male singers Cuban operatic tenors Cuban classical musicians Cuban male musical theatre actors Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players Opera crossover singers RCA Victor artists Traditional pop music singers 20th-century classical musicians Cuban exiles Cuban expatriates in the United States