Zenón Rolón

ZenónRolón was born on the 25^th June 1856; he died on the 13^th May 1902. He was an Afro-Argentine musician and a composer. He was born in Buenos Aires and he composed close to 80 works consisting of the operas, the operetta, the zarzuelas and the sacred music of the country. ZenónRolón is the founder of a music publishing company that published many works by the modern day composers of the country. Many of ZenónRolón’s manuscript are being held by the InstitutoNacional de Estudios de Teatro in Buenos Aires.  And by the MuseoHistorico de Moron, and that was where he died at the age of 45.

source of picture: es.wikipedia.org

Biography

ZenónRolón was born to an Afro-Argentine family and first he studied music with Alfredo Quiroga, another Afro-Argentine and organist of the Iglesia de la Merced in Buenos Aires. In the year 1873, when he was 17 years of age, he went to Florence for the study of music and was there until the year 1879. In the year 1877, ZenónRolón wroteDos palabras a mis hermanos de casta, whichis a politicalpalmphletonthefunctions of Afro-Argentinenewspapers in thewider culture of argentina. Whenthearticlewaspublished in anAfro-Argentinenewspaper in Buenos Aires called La Juventud, he wascriticisedseverely, butwhen he got back tothe country fromItaly, opinionschanged. Oncoming back tohis place of origin, he keptonwithhisstudy of musicwith Basilio Basili. He composed a funeral match to honor Jose de San Martin, whois a nationalhero. ZenónRolón conducted the premier show himself.

ZenónRolón married Maria Quiroga, the sister of his teacher and they had two children together, Dafne and Cloe. In the meantine, his musical profession started succeeding. ZenónRolón conducted regular concert at the Jardin Florida and the Hotel La Delicia de Adrogue in Buenos Aires. In the year 1881, ZenónRolón founded a music publishing industry called Rolon y Oca, and it was there that he published many of his works and the works of the modern day composers of the country. In the year 1885, he founded the social club for the Afro-Argentines in the country. After two year, he was appointed to be the professor of Music by the ConcejoNacional de Education.  And some of his students are Justin Clérice, Antonio Restano, Prudencio R. DenÍs, and Enrique GarcíaVelloso.

ZenónRolón composed about 80 works when he was alive including

Ø  Symphony (1879)

Ø  TheoperettasLe Château du Pic Tordu (1885)

Ø  El castillo hechizado (The Enchanted Castle) (1887)

Ø  Strattagemma di Nannetta (Nannetta's Stratagem) (1887)

Ø  TheoperasFides (date unknown)

Ø  Solané (1899)

Ø  ThezarzuelasChin Yonk (1895)

Ø  El ensayo de una ópera criolla (The Rehearsal of a Creole Opera) (1899)

Ø  Una broma improvisada (An Improvised Joke) (1900)

Ø  Thecantatas, Stella d'Italia (Star of Italy) (1891)

Ø  Adiós a la Virgen (Farewell to the Virgin) (1900).

He also composed many polkas, marches, barcarolles and waltzes.

ZenónRolón died in Moron Buenos Aires on the 13^th May 1902 some days before his 46^th Birthday and he was buried in the Cementerio de La Recoleta in Buenos Aires.