Jose Mojica (Tenor) (Mexico City 1896 – Lima, Peru 1974)

                                                                     Pelleas

He made his debut in 1919 at Chicago Opera. In the beginning he sang there smaller parts like Rodrigo in Verdi’s ‘’Otello’’ or Beppe in ‘’Pagliacci’’. However, soon he started to appear as principal tenor with great success. He sang the role of Corentin in ‘’Dinorah’’ of Meyerbeer as a partner of Amelita Galli-Curci (1923), Narraboth in ‘’Salome’’ of  R. Strauss, count Almaviva in ‘’Il Barbiere di Siviglia’’ opposite Toti dal Monte as Rosina, Schuiski in ‘’Boris Godunov’’, Rinuccio in ‘’Gianni Schicchi’’ of  Puccini. He appeared on 30. 12. 1921 at Chicago Opera in the premiere of  Prokofiev’s ‘’L'amour des trois oranges’’. He was very successful there as a partner of Mary Garden in ‘’Pelléas et Mélisande’’. Almost annually he performed in the festival of the Ravinia Summer Opera near Chicago among other things appearing as Paco in ‘’La vida breve’’ of de Falla, Araquil in ‘’'La Navarraise’’ of Massenet and in ‘’Le Chemineau’’of Xavier Lweroux. He remained active till 1930 at Chicago Opera. Since 1930 he had big success in American films ('One mad Kiss') as well as in Spanish films, which were performed above all in South America. In 1940 he appeared again at Chicago Opera singing the role of Fenton in ‘’Falstaff’’ of Verdi. When his mother died in 1940, he promised her on the deathbed to become a Catholic priest. He entered into an order, received the priest's inauguration and went as a missionary to the Andes area of Peru. In 1963 he published his autobiography under the title " I pecador".

Chronology of some appearances

1919 Mexico City Teatro Arbeu Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1919 Mexico City  Teatro Principal Rigoletto (Duke)

1920 Mexico City Teatro Esperanza Iris Rigoletto (Duke)

1924 Mexico City Teatro Arbeu Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1924 San Francisco Civic Auditorium Boheme (Rodolfo)

1924 San Francisco Civic Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton)

1924 Los Angeles  Philarmonic Auditorium Tosca (Cavaradossi)

1924 Los Angeles  Philarmonic Auditorium Traviata (Alfredo)

1927 Chicago Civic Opera House Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)
1928 Chicago Civic Opera House Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

1931 Barcelona  Teatro Liceo Barbiere di Siviglia (Almaviva)

COMPLETE OPERA RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Edison, New York 1925

Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini): Ecco ridente in cielo 10391-A 82343

Pescatori di perle (Bizet): Mi par d'udir ancora 10398-B 82343

Elisir d'amore (Donizetti): Una furtiva lagrima 10999-A  82344

Lakme (Delibes): Fantaisie aux divins mensonges 11003-C 82344

Ugonotti (Meyerbeer): Bianca al par 11010-C 82347