Cuban baritone Ramón Calzadilla dies in Mexico

The Cuban baritoneRamon Calzadilla He died this Saturday morning at the age of 90, in Cuernavaca, a city in central Mexico, the country where he resided, the digital portal confirmed.Cubaescena.

The Morelense Center for the Arts regretted the news with a note in which they highlighted Calzadilla as an “outstanding teacher and musician who praised, with his experience and work, the training of generations of singers” at the institution.

Ramon Calzadilla Nunez born in Havana. He was considered one of the singers with a privileged voice, and thefirst figure of the National Lyric Theater of Cuba.

His studies began at the Hubert de Blanck Conservatory. He received singing classes with the Ukrainian mezzo-sopranoMaria Pissarewskaya. Later he studied specialization in opera and concert song, at the Academy of Santa Cecilia, in Rome, with maestro Giorgio Favaretto, and at the conservatoryCiprian Porumbescu of Bucharest, with teacher Martha Joja. In Rome he also carried out private studies with the teacher Rodolfo Ricci.

In 1960, he won first prize at the Beniamino Gigli International Singing Competition.and the jury prize in the City of Rome competition in Italy. And in 1962, he won First Prize at the International Singing Competition in Toulouse, France.

Furthermore, at that time, he received recognition for his talent in singing, which was presented by Tito Schipa, legend of lyrical music.

From 1967 to 1970 he worked as a singing teacher at the National School of Art of Cuba.. In 1977, he founded the singing department of the Higher Institute of Art of Cuba, leading the department for 14 years.

In Mexico, especially in Morelos and Mexico City, he developed workshops and master classes to encourage new generations.

He founded and directed the Morelense Lyric Group, made up of young singers who were his students. And for several years, they performed on important stages in the state.