Alberto Marino

Sources disagree on Alberto Marino’s birth year. TodoTango, several newspaper profiles, and the German Wikipedia give 26 April 1923 in Verona, Italy; Clarín’s 2020 centenary article and the Spanish Wikipedia infobox state 26 April 1920. The body of the Spanish Wikipedia article uses 1923. ^[1][2][4][5] Real name Vicente (or Vicente Alberto) Marinaro, he was the son of Italian parents who emigrated first to Salta (where the family operated an ice-cream shop) and later to the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires. Both parents were lyric singers; the young Marino received early vocal instruction and studied with Eduardo Bonessi, the same teacher who had worked with Carlos Gardel. ^[3][6]

He made his radio debut in 1935 on Radio Mitre and appeared before live audiences at Cine Palermo under the name Alberto Demari (or Demare). In 1939 he joined Emilio Balcarce’s orchestra still using that pseudonym. When Emilio Orlando assumed leadership, the singer adopted the permanent stage name Alberto Marino. He also worked with Fortunato Martino, Luis Moresco, and Orlando’s ensemble (including appearances at the Alvear Palace Hotel alongside Roberto Rufino). Aníbal Troilo heard him—accounts place the audition at the Palermo Palace salon—and offered a contract. Marino already had an agreement with Rodolfo Biagi but accepted Troilo’s invitation. He debuted with Troilo on 5 April 1942 at Cabaret Tibidabo and remained until early 1947. ^[1][3][6]

With Troilo he recorded approximately 52 sides for RCA Victor. Standout titles include “Tango y copas” (first recording, 1943), “Uno,” “Tres amigos,” “Fuimos,” “Tal vez será su voz,” “Después,” “Cristal,” “Café de los Angelitos,” “Farolito de papel” (original lunfardo lyrics), “Garras,” and “Cuando tallan los recuerdos.” He shared the vocal role with Francisco Fiorentino and later Floreal Ruiz, and participated in duets. Alfredo Gobbi christened him “La voz de oro del tango” in recognition of his tenor range, effortless transitions from high notes to deep bass, clear diction, and controlled vibrato. Detractors sometimes called the style cold or lacking mezza voce; Marino himself cited Antonio Rodríguez Lesende as a primary influence on phrasing while acknowledging admiration for Gardel and Charlo. ^[1][3][7]

After leaving Troilo he began a solo career. His first accompanying orchestra was directed by Emilio Balcarce, then by bandoneonist Enrique Alessio and later by Uruguayan musician Héctor Artola. Notable recordings from this period include “El motivo (Pobre paica),” “Farolito de papel,” and the Brazilian samba “Venganza” arranged as a tango. In late 1949 he switched to the guitar ensemble of Roberto Grela and recorded for Odeon; the partnership resumed around 1959. In the 1950s he worked with orchestras led by Hugo Baralis (1952), Osvaldo Manzi (1954), Alfredo De Franco, and others, and toured Latin America and the United States. In the 1960s he recorded twelve titles with José Canet’s guitar group, including the zamba “La López Pereyra” treated as a tango. From the late 1960s onward he appeared with Miguel Caló (1967), Armando Pontier, Carlos García, Osvaldo Requena, and Alberto Di Paulo, by then singing as a baritone after the loss of his original tenor range. ^[1][8]

On 11 January 1972 Marino was involved in a serious automobile accident on Route 2 near Coronel Brandsen; his wife Irma Argentina Galván (“Pirula”) and mother-in-law were killed, while he and daughter Claudia Analía were severely injured. He survived and continued performing. In later years he appeared on the television program *Grandes Valores del Tango*. He died on 21 June 1989 in the Hospital Italiano of Buenos Aires (hepatic illness is cited) and was buried at Chacarita Cemetery. ^[2][3][6]

Origins and early career

Born in Verona to a family of lyric singers, Marino moved with his parents first to Salta and then to Palermo, Buenos Aires. Radio debut occurred in 1935; orchestral work began in 1939 with Emilio Balcarce under the name Alberto Demari. The permanent name Alberto Marino was adopted under Emilio Orlando. Troilo engaged him in 1942–1943 after hearing him, despite a prior offer from Biagi. ^[1][3][6]

Tenure with Aníbal Troilo

From 1943 (or late 1942) to 1947 Marino recorded roughly 52 sides that remain central to the Troilo discography. Titles such as “Tres amigos,” “Fuimos,” “Uno,” and “Tal vez será su voz” are frequently cited as definitive. The period is widely regarded as his artistic peak, combining technical range with Troilo’s sophisticated arrangements. ^[1][3][7]

Solo career and later recordings

After Troilo, Marino worked with Balcarce, Alessio, and Artola, then with Roberto Grela’s guitars for Odeon (1949 and again 1959). Further orchestral periods included Baralis, Manzi, Caló (1967), and Pontier. International tours and television appearances continued into the 1970s and 1980s, even after the 1972 accident that claimed his wife’s life and altered his vocal range. ^[1][3][8]

Voice, reputation, and death

Gobbi’s epithet “La voz de oro del tango” reflected Marino’s bel-canto-derived technique and wide range. He is remembered as one of the most technically accomplished orchestra singers of the 1940s. He died on 21 June 1989; birth-year discrepancies (1920 versus 1923) persist across sources. ^[1][2][4][5]