Juan Arvizu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Juan Arvizu
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Arvizu in 1944
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Juan Nepomuceno Arvizu Santelices |
| Also known as | Juan Arvizu |
| Born | May 22, 1900 Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico |
| Died | November 19, 1985 (aged 85) Mexico City, Mexico |
| Genres | Opera, Bolero, Vocalist |
| Occupation(s) | Lyric tenor |
| Years active | 1924–1967 |
| Associated acts | New York Philharmonic, CBS Pan American Orchestra, Consuelo Escobar de Castro Opera, Orquesta de la Radio Caracas, Agustín Lara, Nestor Mesta Chayres, John Serry Sr., Voice of America, Viva América |
Juan Nepomuceno Arvizu Santelices, known as Juan Arvizu (born May 22, 1900 – died November 19, 1985), was a famous singer from Mexico. He was a tenor, which means he had a high male singing voice. Juan Arvizu was especially known for singing Latin American bolero and tango music. He performed on big stages, on the radio, and in movies around the world. People loved his versions of songs by Agustin Lara and María Grever. He was even called "The Tenor With the Silken Voice" because his voice was so smooth and beautiful.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Music Studies
Juan Nepomuceno Arvizu Santelices was born in Querétaro, Mexico. His parents were Pedro Arvizu and Trinidad Santelices. When he was a child, Juan helped his father, who worked as a radio-telegraph operator. His mother encouraged him to study singing and music theory. He also sang in a children's choir.
When Juan was 22, he was accepted into the Conservatorio Nacional de Música (Mexico) in Mexico City. There, he continued to study music. His singing talent caught the eye of many music teachers. One of them was José Pierson, who had taught other famous singers. Juan Arvizu first performed with Pierson's opera company. He shared the stage with well-known singers like Ángeles Ottein and Consuelo Escobar.
Opera Debut and Early Career
At 24, Juan Arvizu made his first big performance at the Teatro Esperanza Iris. He sang in an opera called La sonámbula by Vincenzo Bellini. He continued to perform this role with the Consuelo Escobar de Castro Opera Company. This allowed him to travel to other countries. He visited New York City and learned more opera songs. He also started singing popular Argentine tango songs and music by María Grever. By 1927, Arvizu returned to Mexico. He performed in another opera, Dinorah, at the Teatro Esperanza Iris.
Juan Arvizu had a naturally powerful and beautiful voice. However, he faced money problems in his early career. So, he started singing popular tango songs in cafes and movie theaters. Soon, Pepe Cantillo, who ran a famous music show in Mexico, hired Arvizu. His opera performances also got the attention of record companies. In 1928, Juan Arvizu signed with the Brunswick record label. His first song, Varita de nardo, was very popular.
Later, the RCA Victor record label also signed him. This started one of the most successful careers in popular music. The composer Jorge del Moral trusted Arvizu to sing his song Por Unos Ojos. Juan's amazing voice and musical skills earned him the nickname "The Tenor With the Silken Voice."
Becoming an International Star
Because of his success, Radio XEW in Mexico invited Arvizu to sing on its very first broadcast in 1930. This was not the only time he was chosen for such an honor. Juan Arvizu also helped start broadcasts on several other radio stations around the world. For example, in 1935, he opened a show on LR1 - Radio El Mundo in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Years later, in 1942, he performed on the Cadena de Las Américas of the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) and Voice of America. This was for the Viva América show in New York. He worked with famous musicians like Alfredo Antonini and John Serry Sr.. In 1941, he also performed live on the radio with the Andre Kostelanetz Orchestra for WABC in New York City. By 1945, people in twenty Latin American countries heard his CBS performances. These shows were also played for American soldiers.
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His performances with the CBS Pan American Orchestra were very important. They helped introduce Latin American music, especially the Mexican bolero, to many people in the United States during the 1940s. One of his greatest achievements was helping to "discover" Agustín Lara, who became one of Mexico's most important composers, in 1929.
Working with Agustín Lara
In the 1920s and 1930s, the tango was very popular in Mexico. Arvizu sang many new tango songs in Pepe Cantillo's music show. Juan was looking for someone to play music with him. He decided to hire a little-known pianist named Agustín Lara from a cafe. At first, Agustín Lara wrote tango songs. But his songs didn't quite fit with the usual tango orchestras. So, his music was called "creole song."
Juan Arvizu was the first singer to strongly support Lara's songs. He sang them in movies and on the radio. People loved listening to the Lara-Arvizu duo on radio XEW. Along with other top singers like Pedro Vargas, Arvizu helped make many of Lara's best songs famous. These included Aventura, Granada, and Santa.
International Tours
Juan Arvizu became famous around the world in the 1930s. In 1935, he went on his first international tour to Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was supposed to stay for only two months, but he ended up staying for over a year and a half! It was a huge success for him. He repeated this success years later after his contract with RCA Victor in New York. He stayed in Argentina for 18 years and started many concert tours from there.
The peak of Juan Arvizu's career was in 1944. In Argentina alone, he earned a lot of money. Crowds of fans came to see him perform. He also lived and sang boleros for several years in Chile and Colombia.
However, when he returned to Mexico, Juan did not get the recognition he expected. A new generation of music fans had different tastes. Juan was no longer as popular. After a long tour in his hometown of Querétaro in 1967, he decided to rest. His life had been full of constant travel and performances.
Later Life and Legacy
Juan Arvizu passed away in Mexico City on November 19, 1985. He left behind a huge collection of recordings. He recorded for RCA Victor, Columbia Records, and Tico Records. His music includes many songs by Mexican artists like Agustín Lara and María Grever. He is remembered as one of the most important Mexican tenors of his time. He helped make Agustín Lara's songs famous.
Recordings
Juan Arvizu was one of the most recorded singers in Latin music history. He recorded for many top labels like RCA Victor and Columbia Records. He often sang new songs by famous Latin composers. These included Mario Clavell from Argentina and Rafael Hernández Marín from Puerto Rico. He also sang songs by Mexican composers like Agustín Lara.
Arvizu also sang duets with other famous musicians. He recorded many songs with Margarita Cueto, such as Taboga. With Juan Pulido, he recorded El Último Beso. He also sang with many well-known orchestras of his time. These included the CBS Pan American Orchestra.
Juan Arvizu recorded many boleros, aires, tangos, waltzes, and milongas. It's believed he recorded over 2,000 songs during his career! Some of his popular songs include La Cumparsita, Mi Buenos Aires Querido, and Perfidia.
A Special Song: Serpentina Doble
One of the many songs Juan Arvizu sang was Serpentina Doble by Juan Rezzano. This song tells a sad story about a boy selling paper strips. He gets into a fatal accident caused by a car driven by a clown at a carnival. The boy dies in the hospital as the carnival ends. The composer reportedly heard his father sing this melody when he was very young.
Movies
Juan Arvizu also appeared in several movies. He was in Mexican films like Santa and Reír llorando. In Cuba, he starred in a very important movie for his career called Ahora Seremos Felices. He acted alongside the charming Puerto Rican artist Mapy Cortés. By 1939, Arvizu was at the peak of his fame. Even though the movie's story was simple, it made a lot of money. Arvizu sang several boleros by the composer Rafael Hernández Marín in the film. These included Quiero Decirte and Ahora Seremos Felices.
In 1940, he also sang in the movie Infidelidad. In the 1950s, he performed in movies about the composer María Grever. These were Cuando Me Vaya (1954) and O Grande Amor De María Grever 1954 Leg (1954). Cuando Me Vaya even won two Ariel Awards.
Performance Style
Throughout his long career, music critics often reviewed Juan Arvizu's performances. They consistently praised his passionate singing and dramatic style. They also admired his strong voice and rich tone.
Filmography
- O Grande Amor De María Grever 1954 Leg - Juan Arvizu as himself singing (1954)
- Cuando Me Vaya - Juan Arvizu as himself singing (1954)
- Infidelidad - Juan Arvizu as himself singing (1940)
- Ahora Seremos Felices - Juan Arvizu as a singer (1938)
See also
In Spanish: Juan Arvizu para niños
