Varela, Blanca

Person

Varela, Blanca

1927-2023

Blanca Varela was a singer born in Camagüey, Cuba, on April 6, 1927. Her vocal range from mezzosoprano to soprano coloratura allowed her to sing parts for various operas, operettas and zarzuelas Cubanas. Varela studied ballet, singing and piano. She graduated from la Academia de Música Colonia Española in Camagüey. At the young age of 9, she debuted her singing on the radio station CMJC with a selection of tangoes. She then went on to win a local contest hosted by the chocolate brand “La Estrella,” which allowed her to travel to Havana with her parents to appear in a special performance at Cadena Crusellas. She sang the zarzuela (romantic operetta) “María La O ' soprano, by Ernesto Lecuona. During her youth, she performed many more operatic recitals of bel canto repertoire and particularly mastered the “Aria de la locura'' from Lucia De Lammemoor, which became one of her signature pieces.

In the 1950’s, she was invited to perform in variety programs in Havana. At one of these recitals, the composer and director Gonzalo Roig heard her performance and was impressed by her voice. He invited her to sing the principal role in his zarzuela Cecilia Valdés, which is now considered one of Roig’s most popular works. She took on the roles of all the heroines of the Cuban zarzuela repertoire, such as “Amalia Batista'' and performed as "Cio-Cio-San" in the opera Madam Butterfly on three separate occasions. Additionally, Varela performed as "Micaela" in Carmen and "Leonor" in Il Trovatore. She also starred in long-running productions with roles created for her voice such as Luisa Fernanda or La Viuda Alegre (the Happy Widow) at the famous Tropicana nightclub.

In 1961, she interpreted six zarzuelas, Katiuska, Luisa Fernanda, Los Claveles, La Parranda, Amalia Batista, and Cecilia Valdés, for a new television program under the direction of singer and director Miguel de Grandy, and all conducted by the maestro Gonzalo Roig. Later in 1961, she left Cuba, relocating to South Florida with her family. Several full recordings of Varela were released during this time, Amalia Batista, Los claveles, La parranda, which was edited by JA Productions of Miami in 1961 and Cecilia Valdés edited by JBR of Miami in 1962. Additionally, selections of her music has been included in recordings: “Romanza” de Maria La O, “Los aguinaldos” de Lola Cruz, “Romanza” de Soledad, “Romanza de Sagrario” de La Rosa de Azafrán, “Romanza” de El Clarín, “Romanza” de La Hija Del Sol, released by JB Productions of Miami, 1955-1962.

In Miami, she quickly became involved with the “Sociedad Pro Arte Grateli,” which was founded to promote the musical legacy of Cuba, Spain, and Latin America. In 1968, she performed in their second production, Luisa Fernanda. For several decades, she performed her extensive repertoire for the Sociedad and took on a prominent position there along with her associate Marta Pérez. She also took her concerts abroad, traveling around the U.S. and to other countries abroad. Even upon her retirement from the stage, she continued to sing in her Christian church congregation.

Final

Full

Biographical note written by Kate Villa, 2020-2021 UGrow Fellow for Manuscripts and Archives Management.

• English

https://www.cubanet.org/destacados/cubanas-que-partieron-en-2023/
Blanca Varela (archive.org)