Dario Moreno

Dario Moreno, born David Arugete, was born on April 3, 1921 in Aydın, near Izmir, then part of the Ottoman Empire. Born of a Turkish father and a Mexican mother, Dario Moreno grew up speaking Spanish. At an early age, he began singing at bar mitzvahs and in the Izmir synagogue. His tenor voice soon propelled him into the limelight. After being hired for a world tour with Mac Allen's orchestra, he discovered Paris in 1948, where he made his first recordings. Over the course of his career, Dario Moreno performed alongside such famous operetta singers as André Dassary, Luis Mariano and Georges Guétary. He joins the Polydor label, where he performs works by young talents such as Charles Aznavour and Gilbert Bécaud. His hits included "Air du Brésilien" in 1956, "Quand elle danse", "Por Favor", "Si tu vas à Rio" in 1958 and "Brigitte Bardot" in 1961. At the same time, he appeared in a number of films, including Le Salaire de la Peur in 1952, Quai des Blondes in 1954 and Le Mouton à Cinq Pattes the same year. In 1959, he released one of his most popular albums, Bravo Moreno! Despite his international fame, Dario Moreno remained attached to his Turkish roots, recording several albums in Turkish. In October 1968, he shared the stage with Jacques Brel in the musical L'Homme de la Mancha in Brussels, playing the role of Sancho Pança. The show was due to resume in Paris in December, but Dario Moreno died on December 1, 1968 in Istanbul, following a cerebral hemorrhage, before he could fly to Paris. He was 47 years old.