Lola Rodríguez Aragón

She pursued advanced musical studies in Madrid, learning composition and harmony from Turina, piano from José Cubiles, and singing from Ida Gobatto.

In Paris, she worked with Russian vocalist Anna El-Tour [nl] and Claire Croiza on French vocal repertoire, and she formed connections with composer Joaquín Nin and his wife.

[3][5][6] Her collaboration with Schumann focused on German concert repertoire, particularly Mozart's operas and Lied, significantly shaping her musical style and technique.

In December 1934, under maestro Enrique Fernández Arbós, Lola performed Turina's Canto a Sevilla with the Madrid Symphony Orchestra, achieving great success.

Shortly thereafter, she debuted the same piece in Paris with the National Orchestra of France, accompanied by Joaquín Nin on piano, and also presented a recital of Spanish songs at the Salle Gaveau.

Early performances included Salud in Falla's La Vida Breve and Susana in Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, in which she found considerable popularity as an actress and singer.

Inspired by this response, during that year Lola, as creative director, planned Madrid's first "Official Opera Season" at the Theatre of María Guerrero.

Opera premieres during the season included The Magic Flute by Mozart, Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda by Monteverdi, and La serva padrona by Pergolesi.

On 12 April, she also sang the world premiere of Romance del Comendador de Ocaña with the Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Ataúlfo Argenta.

Lola started a new career as a theatrical entrepreneur in the fall of 1958, managing Madrid's Teatro de la Zarzuela for two seasons until September 1960.

She was the organiser of important musical events, such as Zarzuela seasons with debuts of Pablo Sorozábal pieces like Las de Caín and performances of Marina.

In April 1962, Manuel Lora-Tamayo proposed this ambitious concept to Minister of Education Jesús Rubio, who passed away during talks, but continued to support it.

[4] The Higher Institute of Art of the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires recruited Lola in the spring of 1969 to teach a five-month singing course that ran from May to October 1970.

With the backing of Director General of Fine Arts, she pursued her long-held goal of founding a Higher School of Singing and a Choir in Madrid before to her departure.

Following her resignation as director of the National Choir of Spain in December 1979, the Escuela Superior de Canto in Madrid held a commemorative concert in her honour.

Even after being designated Honorary Director of the Escuela Superior de Canto in September 1980, she kept teaching, giving classes at the Paris Opera's School of Lyrical Art and the Casa Mateus Foundation in Portugal.

After her body was moved to the Escuela Superior de Canto in Madrid, prominent members of Spanish politics, the arts, music, and culture attended the funeral.

Santa Cecilia Academy
Coliseu do Porto in 2004