Dominican tenor Henry Ely died this Sunday after spending more than a week in the covid-19 hospital at the Doctor Marcelino Vélez Santana Regional Hospital. He was 82 years old.
Ely was born in Santiago, Dominican Republic, on January 9, 1939.
He made his public debut at the age of nine. He began his musical studies with the José Ovidio García choir, directed by Professor Apolinar Bueno, also with pianist Milton Cruz and Professor Julio Curiel and others. He was one of the most prominent national lyric tenors.
He developed a great artistic activity in social and school events throughout the country, accompanied on piano by pianist Milton Cruz, Professor Julio Curiel and others.
In 1960 he was hired by Radio Caribe, also performing on television and nightclubs, and joined the national choir as a soloist.
In 1961 he traveled to New York and sang on NBC TV, but returned to the country in 1962.
In 1964 he traveled to Italy appointed to the foreign service, serving as an assistant in the Dominican embassy in Rome.
He began his studies with Ingeman Caggiano. At the Santa Cecilia Academy in Rome, where he won first place in the entrance exam, an award that was first obtained by a lyrical singer from all over America.
He studied at the Massimo Theater in Palermo, chosen from 150 young singers from around the world with three qualifying rounds. 15 were chosen for a two-year study, graduating with Italian soprano Elena Mauti Nunziata.
His teachers were soprano Inés Alfani Tellini and the famous baritone Gino Becchi. He also graduated in advanced singing at the famous Academy (Chigiana of Siena).
As a professional he is employed by the maximum theater in Palermo and sings in the operas Arlechinatta, partida a Pugni, (World Premiere, directed by its author Vieri Tosati), Maestro Di Cappella, La Traviata, La Fanciulla del West, Pagliacci, Volo dei Notte, Incoronazione di Poppea and others.
He auditioned and entered the La Scala theater in Milan, where he studied repertoire with conductor Enrico de Mori. He has sung in Spain, Yugoslavia, Prague (Seen by several Dominicans), Siena, Florence, Colombia, Venezuela, Curaçao and others.
In 1968, he recorded selections from the Italian Opera in Algeria, with the Rome Opera Orchestra conducted by A. Brizio.
On August 16, he sang for Dr. Joaquín Balaguer and the entire diplomatic corps at the National Palace.
In the same year he traveled to Cleveland Ohio to sing on color television, then returned to Italy, singing in Pordenone, Gorizia, Tolmezzo, Spilimbergo, Maniago, Lignano, Portoguaro, Aviano, San Daniele and Vittorio Veneto.
In 1972 he sang in the Opera Sotto Lestelle and the company Operas in Rome.
In 1975 he participated a lot in the first season of the Opera del Teatro nacional, performing in the Operas: Barbero de Sevilla, Tosca, Tabarro and Madame Butterfly, attracting warm applause. He plays at Horace Bushnell, Memorial Hall in Hartford Connecticut, United States.
In 1976 he sang for 5 consecutive months at the opening of the Club La Fuente Jaragua hotel, shows that were well deserved two Dorado awards for best artist and best show of the year.
In the same year he traveled to New York and sang in the Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center, and in the same year he was invited by the US embassy to sing the Dominican and American national anthem on US Independence Day, an invitation that lasted 10 consecutive years.
In 1977 he sang in the Carmen Opera and the Traviata. The latter has the recording of the first night on CD.
In 1978 he sang at Carnegie Hall in New York. In 1979 he was appointed lyrical tenor of the National Theater.
In 1980 he sang at the Opera Don Pascuale, a triumph that led him to conquer the first Talía de Plata as the most remarkable lyrical singer, this being the first opera recorded on video.
In the same year, he gave concerts in Puerto Rico through the Inter-American University.
In 1980 he sang at the Opera Mademe Buterfly at the National Theater. In 1981 he sang at the Opera Tosca in the same place.
In 1982 he sang at the National Theater Opera il Trovatore. In 1983 he gave concerts in the border region with the National Symphony Orchestra. In 1984 he gave concerts at Kunbert University, Miami Florida.
In the country, holds a concert for the governors of the central bank of Latin America, Spain and Japan, Hotel Jack Tar Village Puerto Plata RD
In 1986 and 87 he gave performances by artists in Rome and San José Costa Rica, respectively, for the Association of Travel Agents (ADAVI).
From 1988 to 1991 he participated in six operas in the season “Opera under the stars” organized by the Italian businessman and baritone Américo De Sanctis.
In 1990 he sang the zarzuelas “Luisa Fernanda y Los Gavilanes” at the Casa España in Santo Domingo. In 1991 at the Casa de Campo Hotel in La Romana from the zarzuela Luisa Fernanda.
On October 30 of the same year, the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo awarded him the title of honorary professor “Honoris y Causa” of the Faculty of Humanities.
In 1992 he sang at the Opera 1492, constituting a world premiere, being the most important show in the celebration of the discovery and evangelization of America.
On August 24, 1992, he was appointed director of the department of lyric singers at the request of his colleagues until August 2000. In 1996, the Society of Light Lovers of Santiago praised him for his merit as the best Dominican artist.
In 1999, Dominican President Dr. Leonel Fernández decorated him with the Order of Duarte, Sánchez and Mella for his artistic merits.
In 2000, he received two merit awards, one from the New Masonic Lodge in the world and the other as a remarkable civil servant of the Dominican state by President Leonel Fernández.
In 2000 he again received two important merit awards: one as the best artist, awarded by the Masonic lodge “Nuevo Mundo”, Santiago, and the other as one of the most prominent civil servants of the Dominican state, this time awarded again by the President of the Dominican Republic Dr. Leonel Fernández.
(Written from the Dominican Encyclopedia).