March 28, 2019

Who is this opera singer?

Question

I have a picture of a opera singer my father received many years ago but cannot make out the last name. The first name is José the last name (something like) Mrojiea??? This was in 1927.

Answer

I figure it must be the Mexican tenor José Mojica (1896-1974), famous for both his voice and his good looks.

He made a strong impression in his Chicago performances. Unusually, he turned from a career as an opera star to a new life as a priest. Here's his bio for more information.

Listen to a sample of his singing here.

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Photo: Todd Rosenberg