Susy Oliva

She was born in the city of Santiago de Cuba.

Moved to the capital, she attended a school of dramatic arts (1965) and studied singing with Marcelino del Llano and América Otero. She completed her studies at the Instituto Superior de Arte and at the Conservatorio Estatal de Bulgaria (1974-1976).

She began her career as a dramatic actress, which she soon abandoned to dedicate herself to lyric arts. She joined the choir of the Teatro Lírico Nacional de Cuba in 1967 and played some roles as an actress-singer: Charito Alarcón, in Cecilia Valdés (1969), Ketty, in La leyenda del beso (1971), Jacinta, in Los claveles (1972).

In 1978 she performed Cecilia Valdés, in Roberto Blanco's production. Her repertoire of leading roles includes, among others, the Cuban zarzuelas María la O (r. t.), Amalia Batista (r. t.), Lola Cruz (Concha Cuesta), El triunfo de la rebelión (world premiere), El cafetal (África); the Spanish ones La leyenda del beso (Amapola), La corte de Faraón (Sul), Los gavilanes (Adriana), El barberillo de Lavapiés (Paloma); the operetta La viuda alegre (Ana de Glavary) and the operas Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San), Los payasos (Nedda) and Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza).

She has appeared in various television programs. She performs the lead role in the recording of the definitive version of Amalia Batista, directed by the author for the EGREM label (1979).

Her performances abroad include Bulgaria (1974), Czechoslovakia (1975), former USSR (1976), Nicaragua (1987, Cecilia Valdés) and Mexico.

She has taught singing at the Instituto de Cultura de Yucatán, Mexico. She resided in Spain since 1994. For some time now she has lived in Miami where she teaches singing classes and also performs in some theaters in the city.