Félix Astol Artés

Who is Félix Astol Artés?

Fèlix Astol i Artés was born in Reus, in Catalonia, region of Spain in October 9, 1813, but he moved to Cuba in 1828 to evading military service. Forced to enlist, he joined the band of one of the battalions based in Havana. Once he graduated, he found employment doing tenor roles in an opera company that made its performances at the Teatro Tacón. He toured in Puerto Rico by 1840, then returned to Cuba, where he lived. Later he joined the opera company of Stefano Busatti, that finally led him to Puerto Rico in 1860. When the company disappeared he moved to Mayagüez. In Mayagüez he founded a new company of comedies: Compañía Dramática Astol. Fèlix Astol, was author of several pieces of popular music, but his most famoust work was the dance Bellísima trigueña, composed in 1867. Conceived as a love song, it has had several versions throughout Latin America. In Cuba had the title of Mi amor. In Brazil it was named Encantadora infancia. In Peru has two versions, one of them is named Bellísima peruana. In Haiti is danced and in Venezuela is well known too. But the most popular version is "La Borinqueña", adopted as the official anthem of Puerto Rico.