Sara Escarpanter

Born in La Habana, a prominent interpreter of Lecuona's music.

She studied music and voice at the Municipal Conservatory of La Habana with teachers Piedad de Armas and Lalo Elósegui. She performed publicly in Ernesto Lecuona's concerts and participated in the tribute to Lecuona, Grenet and Simons, offered by the National Tourism Commission, at the Auditorium theater, in February 1943.

She undertook a tour abroad between 1957 and 1959. Upon her return to Cuba she joined the cast of the "Lecuona Festivals" at the Auditorium Theater, which constituted the composer's last performances in Cuba (1959): María la O (r.t.), El batey (Esclava).

In 1962 she participated in the founding of the National Lyric Theater of Cuba, where she left accomplished interpretations of the zarzuelas Doña Francisquita (La Beltrana), Luisa Fernanda (Duquesa Carolina), María la O, La verbena de la Paloma (Señá Rita), Los gavilanes (Adriana), and the opera Tosca.

She likewise interpreted several works in television versions (Cavalleria rusticana, Doña Francisquita, La rosa del azafrán, among other titles, all directed by Gonzalo Roig.

In the late 1960s, she emigrated to the United States. She performed successfully in New York (Carnegie Hall, recitals in 1970 and 1984), but also performed in Caracas, Rio de Janeiro, San Juan de Puerto Rico, Santiago de Chile, Mexico and Madrid. Sarita Escarpanter died in New York, on January 13, 1999. (Image 07. Photo published on the album Lecuona y sus intérpretes, from the Puchito label).