Raúl Lavié
Encyclopedia
Raúl Lavié is an Argentine entertainer prominent in the Tango
genre.
, Argentina
in 1937. He first sang on a local radio station in 1955 and was subsequently invited to perform on Radio Belgrano and Radio El Mundo in Buenos Aires
. Enjoying early popular acclaim, he gained his first professional contact with Columbia Records
in July 1957, by which he recorded with Tango
orchestra leader Héctor Varela
. Touring the country with fellow vocalist Rodolfo Lessica, he was, by then, known to his public as Raúl Lavié.
Recording for Phillips
with orchestra leader Héctor Stamponi in 1959, the following year Radio Libertad launched the Raúl Lavié Show, his first as a host. Introducing a succession of young musicians to listeners, in 1962 these contacts helped earn him a spot in a new, teen-oriented musical comedy series, El Club del Clan. Playing a self-confident social animal, Lavié's vocal talents came through in his Spanish-language interpretation of Paul Anka
standards, among others'. Days before the first episode, in September of that year, Lavié was granted an interview by news anchor Lidia Elsa Satragno
. Recently separated from his first wife, Lavié courted the television host, who was already a household word in Argentina by her nickname, "Pinky." The couple married in 1965 and had two sons.
Widely popular during its 1963 season, El Club del Clan was produced for the cinema in 1964. The show, however, quickly lost favor among its fickle teen audience and it was canceled later that year. Partial to the melancholy Tango, Lavié returned to the genre, recording with Osvaldo Fresedo
and Horacio Salgán
, among others. Lavié was soon cast in a number of theatre
roles, debuting on the stage at the National Comedy Theatre in Gregorio de Laferrère
's Locos de verano (Summer Madness). His performance earned him an invitation to Mexico City
, where he was cast in the title role in a local production of Man of La Mancha
in 1968. His 1964 film role also opened doors for Lavié in cinema and he starred in 17 films in subsequent years, notably Lautaro Murúa
's Un guapo del 900 (The Cad) in 1971 and Leopoldo Torre Nilsson
's Boquitas pintadas
(Painted faces) in 1974. His marriage with Pinky became strained, resulting in their separation in 1974, and he subsequently married his current wife, Laura Basualdo. Continuing to perform in the theatre, as well as a tango vocalist and film actor, he accepted the leading roles in Bob Fosse
's Pippin
and in Nikos Kazantzakis
' Zorba the Greek
.
Touring internationally in 1985 with Claudio Segovia and Héctor Orezzoli's Tango Argentino, Lavié's voice remained in great demand among Tango fans in Argentina and elsewhere. He joined Tango dancer Juan Carlos Copes
and the cast of Manuel González Gil's De Borges a Piazzolla on their international tour in 1997 and returned to Broadway
with Tango Argentino in 1999. He returned as Don Quixote in a Buenos Aires revival of Man of La Mancha in 2005, for which he received the Golden Ace, a prestigious Argentine award in the world of theatre. A versatile actor, he accepted the role of "Toddy" (a homosexual man) in a 2007 Argentine production of Victor/Victoria
.
Argentine tango
Argentine tango is a musical genre of simple quadruple metre and binary musical form, and the social dance that accompanies it. Its lyrics and music are marked by nostalgia, expressed through melodic instruments including the bandoneon. Originated at the ending of the 19th century in the suburbs of...
genre.
Life and work
Raúl Alberto Peralta was born in RosarioRosario
Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
in 1937. He first sang on a local radio station in 1955 and was subsequently invited to perform on Radio Belgrano and Radio El Mundo in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. Enjoying early popular acclaim, he gained his first professional contact with Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in July 1957, by which he recorded with Tango
Tango music
Tango is a style of ballroom dance music in 2/4 or 4/4 time that originated among European immigrant populations of Argentina and Uruguay . It is traditionally played by a sextet, known as the orquesta típica, which includes two violins, piano, double bass, and two bandoneons...
orchestra leader Héctor Varela
Héctor Varela
Salustiano Paco Varela was an Argentine tango Bandoneonist, bandleader and composer.Varela was born and raised in Avellaneda in the Buenos Aires Province of Argentina, where he trained as an accountant. He played in several bands from the age of 16, including those of Alberto Gambino and Juan...
. Touring the country with fellow vocalist Rodolfo Lessica, he was, by then, known to his public as Raúl Lavié.
Recording for Phillips
Phillips International Records
Phillips International Records is a sub-label of Sun Records started by Sam Phillips in October 1957.The label, showed a blue globe with Phillips prominent and the words Sam C --- International Corp on a red white and blue ribbon below....
with orchestra leader Héctor Stamponi in 1959, the following year Radio Libertad launched the Raúl Lavié Show, his first as a host. Introducing a succession of young musicians to listeners, in 1962 these contacts helped earn him a spot in a new, teen-oriented musical comedy series, El Club del Clan. Playing a self-confident social animal, Lavié's vocal talents came through in his Spanish-language interpretation of Paul Anka
Paul Anka
Paul Albert Anka, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor.Anka first became famous as a teen idol in the late 1950s and 1960s with hit songs like "Diana'", "Lonely Boy", and "Put Your Head on My Shoulder"...
standards, among others'. Days before the first episode, in September of that year, Lavié was granted an interview by news anchor Lidia Elsa Satragno
Lidia Elsa Satragno
Lidia Elsa Satragno is an entertainer and politician in Argentina, where she's popularly known as "Pinky."-Life and times:...
. Recently separated from his first wife, Lavié courted the television host, who was already a household word in Argentina by her nickname, "Pinky." The couple married in 1965 and had two sons.
Widely popular during its 1963 season, El Club del Clan was produced for the cinema in 1964. The show, however, quickly lost favor among its fickle teen audience and it was canceled later that year. Partial to the melancholy Tango, Lavié returned to the genre, recording with Osvaldo Fresedo
Osvaldo Fresedo
Osvaldo Fresedo , nicknamed El pibe de La Paternal was an Argentine songwriter and director of a tango orchestra. He had the longest recording career in tango, from 1925 to 1980.- Career :...
and Horacio Salgán
Horacio Salgán
Horacio Adolfo Salgán is an Afro-Argentine pianist, composer, orchestra leader, and arranger who specializes in tango music....
, among others. Lavié was soon cast in a number of theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
roles, debuting on the stage at the National Comedy Theatre in Gregorio de Laferrère
Gregorio de Laferrère
Gregorio de Laferrère was an Argentine politician and playwright.-Life and work:Gregorio de Laferrère was born in Buenos Aires to Mercedes Pereda, a local heiress, and Alfonso de Laferrère, a prominent French Argentine landowner. One of three brothers, he earned his secondary school education at...
's Locos de verano (Summer Madness). His performance earned him an invitation to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, where he was cast in the title role in a local production of Man of La Mancha
Man of La Mancha
Man of La Mancha is a musical with a book by Dale Wasserman, lyrics by Joe Darion and music by Mitch Leigh. It is adapted from Wasserman's non-musical 1959 teleplay I, Don Quixote, which was in turn inspired by Miguel de Cervantes's seventeenth century masterpiece Don Quixote...
in 1968. His 1964 film role also opened doors for Lavié in cinema and he starred in 17 films in subsequent years, notably Lautaro Murúa
Lautaro Murúa
Lautaro Murúa was a Chilean-born Argentine actor, film director, and screenwriter. He is one of the best known actors in the Cinema of Argentina....
's Un guapo del 900 (The Cad) in 1971 and Leopoldo Torre Nilsson
Leopoldo Torre Nilsson
Leopoldo Torre Nilsson , also known as Leo Towers and as Babsy, was an Argentine film director, producer and screenwriter....
's Boquitas pintadas
Boquitas pintadas
Boquitas pintadas is a 1974 Argentine film, it was adapted by the novel of the same name. The English translation is named Heartbreak Tango....
(Painted faces) in 1974. His marriage with Pinky became strained, resulting in their separation in 1974, and he subsequently married his current wife, Laura Basualdo. Continuing to perform in the theatre, as well as a tango vocalist and film actor, he accepted the leading roles in Bob Fosse
Bob Fosse
Robert Louis “Bob” Fosse was an American actor, dancer, musical theater choreographer, director, screenwriter, film editor and film director. He won an unprecedented eight Tony Awards for choreography, as well as one for direction...
's Pippin
Pippin (musical)
Pippin is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Roger O. Hirson. Bob Fosse, who directed the original Broadway production, also contributed to the libretto...
and in Nikos Kazantzakis
Nikos Kazantzakis
Nikos Kazantzakis was a Greek writer and philosopher, celebrated for his novel Zorba the Greek, considered his magnum opus...
' Zorba the Greek
Zorba the Greek
Zorba the Greek is a 1964 film based on the novel Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis. The film was directed by Cypriot Michael Cacoyannis and the title character was played by Anthony Quinn...
.
Touring internationally in 1985 with Claudio Segovia and Héctor Orezzoli's Tango Argentino, Lavié's voice remained in great demand among Tango fans in Argentina and elsewhere. He joined Tango dancer Juan Carlos Copes
Juan Carlos Copes
Juan Carlos Copes is an Argentine tango dancer, choreographer, and performer. He contributed to worldwide revival of tango as a dance form after 1970....
and the cast of Manuel González Gil's De Borges a Piazzolla on their international tour in 1997 and returned to Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
with Tango Argentino in 1999. He returned as Don Quixote in a Buenos Aires revival of Man of La Mancha in 2005, for which he received the Golden Ace, a prestigious Argentine award in the world of theatre. A versatile actor, he accepted the role of "Toddy" (a homosexual man) in a 2007 Argentine production of Victor/Victoria
Victor/Victoria (musical)
Victor/Victoria is a musical with a book by Blake Edwards, music by Henry Mancini, lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and additional musical material by Frank Wildhorn...
.