Esther Borja

Havana-born Esther Borja Lima was trained in solfége and music theory by Juan Elósegui, and in singing by Rubén Lepchutz.

She graduated as a teacher in 1934, and began her career in 1935; that year she performed, with Ernesto Lecuona on piano, at the National Theatre (now the Gran Teatro de La Habana), and at the Auditorium Amadeo Roldán.

[4] At the time Borja started her career, and for years after, Rita Montaner was the leading stage musical star in Cuba.

However, Montaner (who was also a fine pianist) gradually shifted her career from operatic-style singing towards Afro-Cuban character roles and films, and then began some remarkable radio shows with biting humour and political satire.

From her new base in the Argentine, Borja sang and performed zarzuelas by Lecuona and other composers, and toured Chile, Peru, Brazil and Uruguay.